I have a question. Sorry if it is stupid. Does a driver's license not count as ID? Can you not use this to vote? Is is actually legally allowed to be without an ID in general? In Germany, you are by law required to have your ID on you at all times. We don't have to get a new one all the time though.
Not stupid at all. It does count as ID but you do not need an ID to vote. Only to drive, get on a plane, buy some medications, buy alcohol, pick up concert tickets, etc.
Leeze, not stupid at all. A DL counts as valid ID. I was thinking about those who don't drive...requirements are basically the same (plus the driving test!).
gambo, I go to the DMV when warranted. Why shouldn't anyone else as needed?
I have a question. Sorry if it is stupid. Does a driver's license not count as ID? Can you not use this to vote? Is is actually legally allowed to be without an ID in general? In Germany, you are by law required to have your ID on you at all times. We don't have to get a new one all the time though.
What's the process involved to get the ID? What are German election days like?
Leeze, not stupid at all. A DL counts as valid ID. I was thinking about those who don't drive...requirements are basically the same (plus the driving test!).
gambo, I go to the DMV when warranted. Why shouldn't anyone else as needed?
Because if you had to go there ahead of time on a special trip just to be able to vote, you might not bother at all, especially with such shitty candidates. Does that mean you should not get a voice? Not wanting to make a special trip that drivers don't have to make doesn't mean your vote isn't worth counting. It's not just poor black folks, the elderly and infirm don't drive, and their ID's expire and they are shit out of luck with these laws. If the government wants voter ID's, they should be provided for free with a snail mail registration form like passports.
There are elderly people who literally don't have 30$ to spare, they are already eating cat food and crackers and rationing important medications, requiring a 30$ photo ID is an undue burden on the right to vote.
Depressing and funny all at the same time. That show is smart.
It focuses far more on the misconduct of state legislatures than it does rebutting any point that I made.
I disagree, I thought the segment made it very clear that there is no problem. A problem made up by the right to disenfranchise voters who are more likely to vote left.
The state legislature stuff was there to point out their clear hypocrisy.
Maybe you have other evidence that shows rampant voter id fraud, if you do please share.
Why don't we start with you showing where I ever claimed there is rampant voter fraud?
Well then why do you want everyone to have an id to vote? Any other reason for it? Enlighten me.
It's not complicated. We require people to register to vote but require no proof that the person voting is actually the person registered. To me that makes no sense. A voter ID seems like a logical step. That such IDs are hard to acquire and expensive is a problem that, as I said earlier, can be fixed.
The point you are arguing against is not a point that I ever made.
You want people to provide id to vote. I've been arguing against that from the beginning.
Still waiting for a logical reason, other than you think it should be the next logical step. If that's your opinion then that's fine but it's an opinion backed by no evidence or reason. Making people provide voter id (for no reason other than it makes some people feel better) prevents people from voting, that is backed by evidence. To me that is the bigger crime than people thinking there should be more hoops to jump through, more bureaucracy. Even if you think it should be easy to get an id it is still a burden that will prevent more people from voting.
Depressing and funny all at the same time. That show is smart.
It focuses far more on the misconduct of state legislatures than it does rebutting any point that I made.
I disagree, I thought the segment made it very clear that there is no problem. A problem made up by the right to disenfranchise voters who are more likely to vote left.
The state legislature stuff was there to point out their clear hypocrisy.
Maybe you have other evidence that shows rampant voter id fraud, if you do please share.
Why don't we start with you showing where I ever claimed there is rampant voter fraud?
Well then why do you want everyone to have an id to vote? Any other reason for it? Enlighten me.
It's not complicated. We require people to register to vote but require no proof that the person voting is actually the person registered. To me that makes no sense. A voter ID seems like a logical step. That such IDs are hard to acquire and expensive is a problem that, as I said earlier, can be fixed.
The point you are arguing against is not a point that I ever made.
You want people to provide id to vote. I've been arguing against that from the beginning.
Still waiting for a logical reason, other than you think it should be the next logical step. If that's your opinion then that's fine but it's an opinion backed by no evidence or reason. Making people provide voter id (for no reason other than it makes some people feel better) prevents people from voting, that is backed by evidence. To me that is the bigger crime than people thinking there should be more hoops to jump through, more bureaucracy. Even if you think it should be easy to get an id it is still a burden that will prevent more people from voting.
Why can't some of you see that it is unnecessary?
I stated that the problems of ID's being expensive and hard to get are problems that can be fixed. You incorrectly interpreted what I was saying and stated that these were made up problems. They are not. Getting an ID should not be expensive or hard.
Depressing and funny all at the same time. That show is smart.
It focuses far more on the misconduct of state legislatures than it does rebutting any point that I made.
I disagree, I thought the segment made it very clear that there is no problem. A problem made up by the right to disenfranchise voters who are more likely to vote left.
The state legislature stuff was there to point out their clear hypocrisy.
Maybe you have other evidence that shows rampant voter id fraud, if you do please share.
Why don't we start with you showing where I ever claimed there is rampant voter fraud?
Well then why do you want everyone to have an id to vote? Any other reason for it? Enlighten me.
It's not complicated. We require people to register to vote but require no proof that the person voting is actually the person registered. To me that makes no sense. A voter ID seems like a logical step. That such IDs are hard to acquire and expensive is a problem that, as I said earlier, can be fixed.
The point you are arguing against is not a point that I ever made.
You want people to provide id to vote. I've been arguing against that from the beginning.
Still waiting for a logical reason, other than you think it should be the next logical step. If that's your opinion then that's fine but it's an opinion backed by no evidence or reason. Making people provide voter id (for no reason other than it makes some people feel better) prevents people from voting, that is backed by evidence. To me that is the bigger crime than people thinking there should be more hoops to jump through, more bureaucracy. Even if you think it should be easy to get an id it is still a burden that will prevent more people from voting.
Why can't some of you see that it is unnecessary?
I stated that the problems of ID's being expensive and hard to get are problems that can be fixed. You incorrectly interpreted what I was saying and stated that these were made up problems. They are not. Getting an ID should not be expensive or hard.
Sometimes it's OK to admit we made a mistake.
Nice try.
It's not complicated. We require people to register to vote but require no proof that the person voting is actually the person registered. To me that makes no sense. A voter ID seems like a logical step.
As voting rights advocates predicted loud and often, new voter ID laws seem to be hitting Democrats harder than Republicans.
GOP voter turnout in this year's presidential race is up 62 percent relative to 2008, the last time both parties had open contests. But Democratic voter turnout is down by 29 percent across all the primary and caucus states that have voted so far. In all but two states, fewer Democrats turned out to vote in 2016 than did in 2008.
Evidence suggests that new voting restrictions are at least a contributing factor.
Eight out of the 16 states that have held primaries or caucuses so far have implemented new voter ID or other restrictive voting laws since 2010. Democratic turnout has dropped 37 percent overall in those eight states, but just 13 percent in the states that didn't enact new voter restrictions. To put it another way, Democratic voter turnout was 285 percent worse in states with new voter ID laws.
Here's the thing...I'll have to show more ID to pick up my Pearl Jam tickets at Fenway in August than I did to vote outside Boston on Tuesday. That strikes me as backwards.
Both parties run voter registration drives and get out the vote drives. They could both run voter ID drives as well. Expecting people to have some form of ID to prove who they are on election day shouldn't be treated as disenfranchisement.
And I stand by those comments. Still waiting for you to show where I ever claimed there is rampant voter ID fraud.
Still waiting to hear why people need to have a voter id. I know I'm not going to get an answer, you keep deflecting, skirting and moving the goal post.
I think my point is clear so there is nothing left here to debate. Have a great weekend.
And I stand by those comments. Still waiting for you to show where I ever claimed there is rampant voter ID fraud.
Still waiting to hear why people need to have a voter id. I know I'm not going to get an answer, you keep deflecting, skirting and moving the goal post.
I think my point is clear so there is nothing left here to debate. Have a great weekend.
Far from your best showing here.
Read what I wrote. Read what you quoted. My thoughts are clear. We require people to register to vote but don't require any ID when they show up to vote. I'll state again...to me that is a bit backwards. Not sure what is complicated about that.
I never stated there is rampant voter ID fraud. You brought that into this exchange. I know this because at no point was that ever my point. But...if you can ever find evidence to the contrary, the goalpost will be sitting on the field right where you left it. Unmoved by me.
Also lets not make it seem like someone can just walk into a voting both and vote without no verification. Here is what happens in my town in the great commonwealth of PA. I walk in my voting center after being harassed by supportors while turning down pins stickers and pencils, the poll worker asks my name, I tell them, they look up my name, then ask address, I tell them, they find me on the voter roll, and ask me to sign underneath my name address and a copy of my signature. I assume they get the copy of my signature from the registration form. So I need to be registered to vote know my name address and sign to be allowed to vote. For someone to fraudulently place my vote they would have to know I'm registered to vote know my name and address and sign my name similar to the copy above and most importantly know that I'm not going to vote. I'm not sure if there are video cameras at the polling station.
I have a question. Sorry if it is stupid. Does a driver's license not count as ID? Can you not use this to vote? Is is actually legally allowed to be without an ID in general? In Germany, you are by law required to have your ID on you at all times. We don't have to get a new one all the time though.
What's the process involved to get the ID? What are German election days like?
I see the point with people on low wages who need their money for more urgent needs than a ID. But it still kind of baffles me that there might be people walking around with not ID at all. Is this actually legally allowed? I currently have a state ID, a DL, my old German ID (not valid anymore since I don't live there anymore), my German DL, my German passport and my GreenCard. If I want to leave the country, I have to use my passport and show the GC upon reentry. I always have a marriage license with me too as proof for my different last name on the US docs. The DL or ID I use for everything else. In Germany, you have to get an ID once you turn 16. That one is valid for 10 years, then after that you have to get a new one after six years. The first one used to be free, now they all cost around 30 bucks. The German DL does not count as ID. When you go and vote, it works the same as described in the post above. You go to the booth, say your name, they look it up, verify it, you sign and then get your ballot.
As for the German election system... (as found on the Bundestag website, they are better explaining this than I) As a rule, the people determine the composition of the Bundestag every four years. The Basic Law stipulates that its Members be elected in "general, direct, free, equal and secret elections". "General" means that all German citizens are able to vote once they have reached the age of 18. The elections are "direct" because citizens vote for their representatives directly without the mediation of delegates to an electoral college. "Free" means that no pressure of any kind may be exerted on voters. "Equal" means that each vote cast carries the same weight with respect to the composition of the Bundestag. "Secret" means that each individual must be able to vote without others learning which party or candidate he or she has chosen to support.
And a bit more elaborate here: http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-election-system-explained-a-923243.html Germany's voting system is exceedingly difficult to understand, stemming from the country's combination of parliamentary democracy, in which parties are supreme, and a desire to allow voters to choose a local candidate. Throw in the need for states to be fairly represented in parliament and what you get is both one of the fairest and most complicated systems around. It only recently became completely fair. Germany's Constitutional Court ruled in 2009 that the voting system used up through the 2009 general election was actually unconstitutional. Then the first fix offered up by the Bundestag was thrown out as well. It was only in February of this year that the country finally got a new system that conforms with the country's constitution, the Basic Law. As with the old system, every voter gets two votes. The first allows voters to choose their candidate of choice in their district. The second is for the party they support. Every candidate who wins in one of the country's 299 districts -- based on voters' first votes -- automatically gets a seat in parliament. This means that every district sends a lawmaker to Berlin. The rest of the Bundestag's base number of 598 seats is allocated based on the percentage of the vote received nationwide -- based on voters' second votes. Only parties that surpass the five percent threshold are allowed to send representatives to Berlin based on the second-vote count. It is this percentage that will be announced on election night and which determines the ultimate make-up of parliament. The five percent threshold is intended to prevent fragmentation and to keep extremist parties like the National Democratic Party (NPD) from entering into parliament. [...] A couple of details to keep in mind: Every candidate who wins a district race based on first votes gets a seat in the Bundestag. This means that a party that fails to clear the five percent threshold for representation based on the number of second votes can have a lawmaker in the Bundestag if he or she wins the district. Independents can also land in the Bundestag via this route. If a party that fails to clear the five percent hurdle becomes the overall winner of the first vote in at least three districts, then that party will be granted additional seats based on its percentage of the vote.
Post edited by Leezestarr313 on
Please, Pearl Jam, consider a Benaroya Hall vinyl reissue!
I'll say this, I had to get a photo ID in order to pick up my 10C tickets back in 2010 before I had a driver's license and it was a major PAIN IN THE ASS!!!
First of all they were only open during hours that I was at school, and not on the weekends, so I would have to rush there the second I got home from school. Then (like the lady in that video) they would send me home because I didn't have some sort of paperwork, and the thing that really annoyed me was they didn't even tell you all the things you needed, this might sound confusing but I'll do my best to explain it. First I went and they were asking me for various pieces of information, then they said "we need an original copy of your birth certificate." and when I said I didn't have one with me they said well you'll have to come back. So I had to go home and order one online (my mom lost the original), which costed 20 bucks or something like that. So then after a couple weeks when it came in the mail I went back and they started asking me the same things, so "we need original copy of your birth certificate." "Here you go!" "Ok, now we need an original copy of your social security card." WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T THEY MENTION THAT THE FIRST TIME I WAS THERE! It honestly feels like they are trying to discourage people from doing it!
The point is that it's a pain in the ass, and if you're thinking "do I really want to go through all this trouble just for 1 out of a million votes" then you're probably not going to go through all that stuff I went through. But then of course that adds up to tens or hundreds of thousands of people. MUCH higher than the number of people committing fraud.
I'll say this, I had to get a photo ID in order to pick up my 10C tickets back in 2010 before I had a driver's license and it was a major PAIN IN THE ASS!!!
First of all they were only open during hours that I was at school, and not on the weekends, so I would have to rush there the second I got home from school. Then (like the lady in that video) they would send me home because I didn't have some sort of paperwork, and the thing that really annoyed me was they didn't even tell you all the things you needed, this might sound confusing but I'll do my best to explain it. First I went and they were asking me for various pieces of information, then they said "we need an original copy of your birth certificate." and when I said I didn't have one with me they said well you'll have to come back. So I had to go home and order one online (my mom lost the original), which costed 20 bucks or something like that. So then after a couple weeks when it came in the mail I went back and they started asking me the same things, so "we need original copy of your birth certificate." "Here you go!" "Ok, now we need an original copy of your social security card." WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T THEY MENTION THAT THE FIRST TIME I WAS THERE! It honestly feels like they are trying to discourage people from doing it!
The point is that it's a pain in the ass, and if you're thinking "do I really want to go through all this trouble just for 1 out of a million votes" then you're probably not going to go through all that stuff I went through. But then of course that adds up to tens or hundreds of thousands of people. MUCH higher than the number of people committing fraud.
Absolutely sucks that you had to go through that. It's exactly why the process of getting an ID needs to change. It shouldn't be and doesn't need to be that hard. The limited locations, restrictive hours, process, price...these are all problems that can and should be fixed. No one should have to go through that to get an ID.
You couldn't just bring your school id and the cc you bought the tickets with?
I was in high school at the time (I'm not sure if some high schools have student IDs but mine didn't) and in addition to that I'm pretty sure my uncle is actually the one who bought the tickets.
I'll say this, I had to get a photo ID in order to pick up my 10C tickets back in 2010 before I had a driver's license and it was a major PAIN IN THE ASS!!!
First of all they were only open during hours that I was at school, and not on the weekends, so I would have to rush there the second I got home from school. Then (like the lady in that video) they would send me home because I didn't have some sort of paperwork, and the thing that really annoyed me was they didn't even tell you all the things you needed, this might sound confusing but I'll do my best to explain it. First I went and they were asking me for various pieces of information, then they said "we need an original copy of your birth certificate." and when I said I didn't have one with me they said well you'll have to come back. So I had to go home and order one online (my mom lost the original), which costed 20 bucks or something like that. So then after a couple weeks when it came in the mail I went back and they started asking me the same things, so "we need original copy of your birth certificate." "Here you go!" "Ok, now we need an original copy of your social security card." WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T THEY MENTION THAT THE FIRST TIME I WAS THERE! It honestly feels like they are trying to discourage people from doing it!
The point is that it's a pain in the ass, and if you're thinking "do I really want to go through all this trouble just for 1 out of a million votes" then you're probably not going to go through all that stuff I went through. But then of course that adds up to tens or hundreds of thousands of people. MUCH higher than the number of people committing fraud.
that isn't bad at all. things can get way crazier. pain in the ass, yes. nowadays it's always multiple pieces of info one needs to prove they are who they say they are when getting id. birth certificate, ss card, utility bills in your name, credit card, things like this. actually one's social security card may not be accepted. i am sure that was told to me one time at the drivers license place. also they may not accept cash. if memory serves me correctly i remember in the 80's you could go into a dmv & write a note saying your friend is who he or she says they are & that was good enough. i would imagine all this depends where you live & whatnot. small town alaska or kansas, forget about it. there may still be a state out there that does not require car insurance. car insurance being proof one could use
I'll say this, I had to get a photo ID in order to pick up my 10C tickets back in 2010 before I had a driver's license and it was a major PAIN IN THE ASS!!!
First of all they were only open during hours that I was at school, and not on the weekends, so I would have to rush there the second I got home from school. Then (like the lady in that video) they would send me home because I didn't have some sort of paperwork, and the thing that really annoyed me was they didn't even tell you all the things you needed, this might sound confusing but I'll do my best to explain it. First I went and they were asking me for various pieces of information, then they said "we need an original copy of your birth certificate." and when I said I didn't have one with me they said well you'll have to come back. So I had to go home and order one online (my mom lost the original), which costed 20 bucks or something like that. So then after a couple weeks when it came in the mail I went back and they started asking me the same things, so "we need original copy of your birth certificate." "Here you go!" "Ok, now we need an original copy of your social security card." WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T THEY MENTION THAT THE FIRST TIME I WAS THERE! It honestly feels like they are trying to discourage people from doing it!
The point is that it's a pain in the ass, and if you're thinking "do I really want to go through all this trouble just for 1 out of a million votes" then you're probably not going to go through all that stuff I went through. But then of course that adds up to tens or hundreds of thousands of people. MUCH higher than the number of people committing fraud.
that isn't bad at all. things can get way crazier. pain in the ass, yes. nowadays it's always multiple pieces of info one needs to prove they are who they say they are when getting id. birth certificate, ss card, utility bills in your name, credit card, things like this. actually one's social security card may not be accepted. i am sure that was told to me one time at the drivers license place. also they may not accept cash. if memory serves me correctly i remember in the 80's you could go into a dmv & write a note saying your friend is who he or she says they are & that was good enough. i would imagine all this depends where you live & whatnot. small town alaska or kansas, forget about it. there may still be a state out there that does not require car insurance. car insurance being proof one could use
I'm not saying it's bad, I get what you're saying here I really do. But put yourself in a persons shoes that ONLY needs it for the purpose of voting. Do you really think you'd go through that just to cast one (basically pointless) vote? Most people would probably say no if they were actually in that situation.
i would probably most likely crawl through broken glass to vote, but that's just me. we're all different & have different beliefs. here's another thing... if someone is an adult or driving age, get fucking id. good to go
there's this one country far away that has people (applying for id) swim 13 miles before they can have a photo id. over there you can not buy a frickin thing without id except for tape & glue
i would probably most likely crawl through broken glass to vote, but that's just me. we're all different & have different beliefs. here's another thing... if someone is an adult or driving age, get fucking id. good to go
Yeah I feel you, it's just frustrating that the law is clearly in place in order to keep certain people from voting, several conservative politicians even admit as much in that video.
Iwo Jima veteran denied his vote due to GOP (that worm of a man Scott Walker) voter ID law. This is what happens.
This issue totally deserves its own thread.
That this kind of thing happens is both a travesty and a disgrace. That it happens commonly is an embarrassment. The system from how you get an ID to what counts as an ID needs to be revamped. Stories like this can't be spread around enough.
When it comes to voting, I just see it as two separate issues. The issue of ID needs to be fixed. The issue of ID can be fixed. I just don't see that as a reason - once it is fixed - to not require ID at the polls. People need to register, people should also need to show some form of free, easy to obtain proof they are the person who did register.
(PS - I used to live down the street from the Charles Pierce who wrote that article. Super nice guy.)
Iwo Jima veteran denied his vote due to GOP (that worm of a man Scott Walker) voter ID law. This is what happens.
This issue totally deserves its own thread.
That this kind of thing happens is both a travesty and a disgrace. That it happens commonly is an embarrassment. The system from how you get an ID to what counts as an ID needs to be revamped. Stories like this can't be spread around enough.
When it comes to voting, I just see it as two separate issues. The issue of ID needs to be fixed. The issue of ID can be fixed. I just don't see that as a reason - once it is fixed - to not require ID at the polls. People need to register, people should also need to show some form of free, easy to obtain proof they are the person who did register.
(PS - I used to live down the street from the Charles Pierce who wrote that article. Super nice guy.)
Starting from last to first, that is really cool! The way I see it, if ID laws are the way a governing body wants to go, they should START with a satisfactory ID solution an go from there. If they did so, it would be two separate issues. The current system is to shove ID laws through and worry about problems later (if at all!).
Iwo Jima veteran denied his vote due to GOP (that worm of a man Scott Walker) voter ID law. This is what happens.
This issue totally deserves its own thread.
That this kind of thing happens is both a travesty and a disgrace. That it happens commonly is an embarrassment. The system from how you get an ID to what counts as an ID needs to be revamped. Stories like this can't be spread around enough.
When it comes to voting, I just see it as two separate issues. The issue of ID needs to be fixed. The issue of ID can be fixed. I just don't see that as a reason - once it is fixed - to not require ID at the polls. People need to register, people should also need to show some form of free, easy to obtain proof they are the person who did register.
(PS - I used to live down the street from the Charles Pierce who wrote that article. Super nice guy.)
Starting from last to first, that is really cool! The way I see it, if ID laws are the way a governing body wants to go, they should START with a satisfactory ID solution an go from there. If they did so, it would be two separate issues. The current system is to shove ID laws through and worry about problems later (if at all!).
Even worse, the laws are shoved through with obvious flaws by design. That is criminal.
Iwo Jima veteran denied his vote due to GOP (that worm of a man Scott Walker) voter ID law. This is what happens.
thank you, rgambs
i don't even know where to start. yes i do. his family better get him a id card. wait... those bastards running the show should give him a ride to & from the dmv & take him out to breakfast & lunch. if i were... never mind. this fucking irritates me. help get the man his id card.
Comments
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
gambo, I go to the DMV when warranted. Why shouldn't anyone else as needed?
What are German election days like?
It's not just poor black folks, the elderly and infirm don't drive, and their ID's expire and they are shit out of luck with these laws.
If the government wants voter ID's, they should be provided for free with a snail mail registration form like passports.
Still waiting for a logical reason, other than you think it should be the next logical step. If that's your opinion then that's fine but it's an opinion backed by no evidence or reason. Making people provide voter id (for no reason other than it makes some people feel better) prevents people from voting, that is backed by evidence. To me that is the bigger crime than people thinking there should be more hoops to jump through, more bureaucracy. Even if you think it should be easy to get an id it is still a burden that will prevent more people from voting.
Why can't some of you see that it is unnecessary?
Sometimes it's OK to admit we made a mistake.
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
It's not complicated. We require people to register to vote but require no proof that the person voting is actually the person registered. To me that makes no sense. A voter ID seems like a logical step.
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
I think my point is clear so there is nothing left here to debate. Have a great weekend.
Read what I wrote. Read what you quoted. My thoughts are clear. We require people to register to vote but don't require any ID when they show up to vote. I'll state again...to me that is a bit backwards. Not sure what is complicated about that.
I never stated there is rampant voter ID fraud. You brought that into this exchange. I know this because at no point was that ever my point. But...if you can ever find evidence to the contrary, the goalpost will be sitting on the field right where you left it. Unmoved by me.
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
For someone to fraudulently place my vote they would have to know I'm registered to vote know my name and address and sign my name similar to the copy above and most importantly know that I'm not going to vote.
I'm not sure if there are video cameras at the polling station.
When you go and vote, it works the same as described in the post above. You go to the booth, say your name, they look it up, verify it, you sign and then get your ballot.
As for the German election system... (as found on the Bundestag website, they are better explaining this than I) As a rule, the people determine the composition of the Bundestag every four years. The Basic Law stipulates that its Members be elected in "general, direct, free, equal and secret elections". "General" means that all German citizens are able to vote once they have reached the age of 18. The elections are "direct" because citizens vote for their representatives directly without the mediation of delegates to an electoral college.
"Free" means that no pressure of any kind may be exerted on voters. "Equal" means that each vote cast carries the same weight with respect to the composition of the Bundestag. "Secret" means that each individual must be able to vote without others learning which party or candidate he or she has chosen to support.
And a bit more elaborate here: http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-election-system-explained-a-923243.html
Germany's voting system is exceedingly difficult to understand, stemming from the country's combination of parliamentary democracy, in which parties are supreme, and a desire to allow voters to choose a local candidate. Throw in the need for states to be fairly represented in parliament and what you get is both one of the fairest and most complicated systems around.
It only recently became completely fair. Germany's Constitutional Court ruled in 2009 that the voting system used up through the 2009 general election was actually unconstitutional. Then the first fix offered up by the Bundestag was thrown out as well. It was only in February of this year that the country finally got a new system that conforms with the country's constitution, the Basic Law.
As with the old system, every voter gets two votes. The first allows voters to choose their candidate of choice in their district. The second is for the party they support. Every candidate who wins in one of the country's 299 districts -- based on voters' first votes -- automatically gets a seat in parliament. This means that every district sends a lawmaker to Berlin.
The rest of the Bundestag's base number of 598 seats is allocated based on the percentage of the vote received nationwide -- based on voters' second votes. Only parties that surpass the five percent threshold are allowed to send representatives to Berlin based on the second-vote count. It is this percentage that will be announced on election night and which determines the ultimate make-up of parliament. The five percent threshold is intended to prevent fragmentation and to keep extremist parties like the National Democratic Party (NPD) from entering into parliament.
[...]
A couple of details to keep in mind: Every candidate who wins a district race based on first votes gets a seat in the Bundestag. This means that a party that fails to clear the five percent threshold for representation based on the number of second votes can have a lawmaker in the Bundestag if he or she wins the district. Independents can also land in the Bundestag via this route.
If a party that fails to clear the five percent hurdle becomes the overall winner of the first vote in at least three districts, then that party will be granted additional seats based on its percentage of the vote.
First of all they were only open during hours that I was at school, and not on the weekends, so I would have to rush there the second I got home from school. Then (like the lady in that video) they would send me home because I didn't have some sort of paperwork, and the thing that really annoyed me was they didn't even tell you all the things you needed, this might sound confusing but I'll do my best to explain it. First I went and they were asking me for various pieces of information, then they said "we need an original copy of your birth certificate." and when I said I didn't have one with me they said well you'll have to come back. So I had to go home and order one online (my mom lost the original), which costed 20 bucks or something like that. So then after a couple weeks when it came in the mail I went back and they started asking me the same things, so "we need original copy of your birth certificate." "Here you go!" "Ok, now we need an original copy of your social security card." WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T THEY MENTION THAT THE FIRST TIME I WAS THERE! It honestly feels like they are trying to discourage people from doing it!
The point is that it's a pain in the ass, and if you're thinking "do I really want to go through all this trouble just for 1 out of a million votes" then you're probably not going to go through all that stuff I went through. But then of course that adds up to tens or hundreds of thousands of people. MUCH higher than the number of people committing fraud.
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
there's this one country far away that has people (applying for id) swim 13 miles before they can have a photo id. over there you can not buy a frickin thing without id except for tape & glue
just kidding
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
Iwo Jima veteran denied his vote due to GOP (that worm of a man Scott Walker) voter ID law.
This is what happens.
That this kind of thing happens is both a travesty and a disgrace. That it happens commonly is an embarrassment. The system from how you get an ID to what counts as an ID needs to be revamped. Stories like this can't be spread around enough.
When it comes to voting, I just see it as two separate issues. The issue of ID needs to be fixed. The issue of ID can be fixed. I just don't see that as a reason - once it is fixed - to not require ID at the polls. People need to register, people should also need to show some form of free, easy to obtain proof they are the person who did register.
(PS - I used to live down the street from the Charles Pierce who wrote that article. Super nice guy.)
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
The way I see it, if ID laws are the way a governing body wants to go, they should START with a satisfactory ID solution an go from there. If they did so, it would be two separate issues. The current system is to shove ID laws through and worry about problems later (if at all!).
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
i don't even know where to start. yes i do. his family better get him a id card. wait... those bastards running the show should give him a ride to & from the dmv & take him out to breakfast & lunch. if i were... never mind. this fucking irritates me. help get the man his id card.
im not happy right now
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
Is the crowd just a bunch of democrat insiders?