Hurrah!!!! There is some GOOD NEWS on Voting Laws!

THE PHOENIX

The focus of recent posts has been on the challenges to voting and the laws in this country that seem to be targeted to bring about low voter turnout.  Since one of the major goals of the PHOENIX PARTY is to get as many voters to turn out and to vote for candidates that are committed to fight for legislation that will address the needs of the economically poor, it seemed important to explore some of those obstacles. If you live in states where some of these regulations are in place, the point of those posts was to alert you to challenges you'll need to overcome just so that you can vote. These practices make the actual act of voting difficult in itself. We have yet to address how to determine who to vote for when you actually get to vote.

It should be clear, however, that these regulations primarily make voting HARDER. They do not make it IMPOSSIBLE. VOTING IS YOUR RIGHT AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. Politicians in your state may find it beneficial to set up roadblocks that make it hard to vote. They cannot set up roadblocks that make it impossible.  In fact, the basis of the legal challenges to these voter restriction laws that have already been successful is to target laws that do make it hard.  So, if you live in an area that has voting challenges you can take heart that there are advocates out there that are championing your cause.  It is important to know what regulations currently exist in your state that make voting hard so that they can be challenged. 

Voting laws are set by your home state and they vary from state to state.  While some states seem to be actively engaged in making voting harder, the opposite is also true.  There are many states that have voting regulations in place or in process that aim to make voting as convenient as possible for the voter.  Since those regulations are not universal, today we'll examine what some of those options are so that, if they don't exist in your state, you can begin to advocate that they should be.

It's important to be prepared for the obstacles ahead by either working to disable them through court challenges or gearing up to make the effort to succeed despite them. If these voter restriction laws exist in your state, one of the alternatives you have is to vote for candidates who will work toward changing these laws by implementing practices from other states that focus on simpler voting regulations and practices.  

The purpose of this post is to examine what other states have in place that facilitates voting so that, in the run-up to state and national elections, voters know what practices to press candidates to endorse during their campaigns. In fact, in a future post we'll even go so far as to suggest that there are procedures - like getting politicians to sign pledges - that groups have used successfully to get candidates to carry through on campaign promises. For example, many Republicans have signed a pledge not to raise taxes.

So, today we'll explore some GOOD NEWS!  What are the practices that some state have or are currently working to implement that will make voting easier?  Some of these regulations are easier to put in place than others and all usually come with some price tag, but we have already talked about the fact that voting restriction practices are also quite costly as well.

Some states allow for a practice that is one of the focuses of the challenge to the new voting laws in North Carolina - SAME DAY VOTER REGISTRATION.  This practice eliminates all of the struggles connected to completing in-advance registration procedures.  Not only does this mean that a new voter - or a voter to a new polling location - doesn't have to go through the time consuming process of either going online or going to some local election office to fill out a print voter registration form to (eventually) get your voter registration card...it also means that you don't have to worry about registration DEADLINES.  In my hometown, voters generally learn that the deadline is just about here by carefully reading the local paper to find that small, one or two paragraph, article that reminds voters that the deadline is really close.

Other states allow for ONLINE REGISTRATION.  In my home state I DO go online, but I'm NOT online to register.  I'm online to find a copy of the registration form so that I can PRINT IT OUT AND MAIL IT IN!  While I'm not positive of the process here, it would seem that if I need to send in a print registration form, someone in the local office is paid to take my print form and type my information into a computer so that that computer can print out my voter registration card so that someone can then put it in an envelope and mail it to me. (PHEW!) I'm assuming that the reason here is that someone has to verify that I actually DO live at the address I've given and I do have the driver's license number I claim to have (or the last 4 digits of my SS#).  Seriously???  Getting tickets to a concert is easier than this!  The concert ticket site not only believes me when I give it my credit card number (and believes that my credit card will pay for those tickets) it will also turn around and give me a copy of my tickets that I can print out and take with me right then and there! Why don't all states have online registration?  Obviously, one of the key questions here is that there is a cost to computerizing your records. (wonder what it costs to enter of all my print form data into the state database and mail me my registration card?) If registration is online it also means that you can go through the same simple process to change your address and identify your new polling place.  Keep in mind that we are only talking about simplifying the registration process. States that allow online registration still require that the first time you show up to your polling place you need to show some form of identification (from a driver's license to a bill that's in your name that's sent to your residence.) 

Here in Pennsylvania, unless one qualifies for an Absentee Ballot, voting only happens on a Tuesday - in May or November.  However, many states have EARLY VOTING times that allow voters to go to polling places between several days and several weeks ahead of the actual day when results are tabulated.  In many places, where one of those voting days is a Sunday, a large group of voters from a particular church often makes the trek to their polling place together.  In doing research about why people don't vote, the problem of waiting in long lines - especially on a work day - is often mentioned. Early voting really goes a long way towards reducing this problem.  

Many states have REDUCED THE WAIT TIME at polling places by UPGRADING VOTING MACHINES.  Happily, it is rare that one hears horror stories about "hanging chads" any more. These may seem like simple things, but items like increasing the number of polling place workers; the number of voting machines; having handicapped-accessible voting areas and having clearly identified and consistent polling places all can make the voting process simpler and quicker.

Some states are now combining registering to vote as soon as you are able with the place where you learn about the rights and obligations of citizenship - IN SCHOOL. Students who are 16 and 17 are allowed to pre-register so that they are ready to vote as soon as they are 18.

In some areas states have regulations that help citizens who are eligible to vote who have LANGUAGE NEEDS that can run the gamut from English not being their first language to being deaf. Having staff and print materials at polling places that address these needs makes sure that this category of voters gets to complete the process accurately and in a timely manner. 

If you've been convicted of a crime, regardless of whether it's victim-less or has a minimal level of violence, you often lose your right to vote.  There are many states where legislators are working to restore these voting rights of felons who have completed their sentences.  This strategy can go a long way towards increasing the numbers of poor and minority voters. 

Rules that regulate who has access to ABSENTEE Ballots and Ballots for those who serve in the MILITARY have also been improved.

While not the end of the strategies being explored, some states have even passed legislation that monitors voting rolls to make sure that names aren't incorrectly removed from those rolls.  

The state of OREGON has the most CONVENIENT program for voters in the Nation. As a result of this program, as can be expected, Oregon also has one of the highest percentage of eligible voters voting.  In Oregon you have the convenience of registering or changing your registration ONLINE (the registration requires either a driver's license or a state voter ID number - both of which are provided through the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles). When it actually comes to voting, the state MAILS you a voting pamphlet to identify all of the information you need about items on the ballot along with a ballot and return envelope.  All you need to do is to make sure your ballot is in the mail by the required deadline.

Bottom line, while OREGON may be the ultimate vision to aim for, each of the above strategies are being used in different states to make voting easier and more convenient for voters....which, in turn, results in an increase in voter turn out.  Consider the practices that are listed above that ARE NOT IN PLACE IN YOUR STATE. Jumping to put in place an OREGON SCENARIO is a huge leap! You can, however, prioritize which practices would bring the greatest improvement towards make voting in your state more convenient. 

Once you know which procedures would be beneficial the goal is to get them in place.  How to do that?  One obvious way is to identify what practice(s) you want and communicate them to your candidates to see which candidates are willing to work towards putting that legislation in place. Remember, when we are talking about changing voting regulations we are talking about STATE LEGISLATIVE OFFICE HOLDERS.  While electing someone to statewide office can put someone in place or a number of "someones" in both your state Senate and House of Representatives who can move this kind of legislation forward, voting for such candidates is not the only option that voters can pursue.

Beyond electing candidates, state voters can also pursue what's called a "ballot initiative" or a "referendum".  In both of these cases, citizens need to acquire a certain amount of signatures on a petition - depending on the type of regulation you want to add or change, the number of names needed can vary but is generally a percentage of the number of votes cast in the last election.  This strategy allows voters to identify what regulations they want to change and then go about the process of getting their needs met by appealing to other voters directly. The INITIATIVE or REFERENDUM process MAY NOT EXIST IN YOUR STATE.  All states, however, should have some way to challenge current state laws.  Some state legislators have the ability to REFER some questions to the ballot for voter approval.  In this case it becomes a matter of LOBBYING legislators to take this action. If you're not sure what options are available in your state, google it! 

While voting can take some of your time, it is possible to spend that time deciding who and what to vote for rather than using up all of your time and energy completing the actual act of voting. Some of the ideas listed above may not be in practice in your state NOW but they can be. Knowing what the options are that you can work toward is a first step. Identifying what process you'll follow to make that happen comes next.  By now you should at least know that there are OTHER OPTIONS OUT THERE and THERE ARE WAYS TO GO ABOUT PUTTING THEM IN PLACE. The last (and the hardest) step is to actually make it happen.

VOTING IS IMPORTANT...BUT...IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT HARD! 

Is there VOTER DISCRIMINATION? In North Carolina there is!

The PHOENIX

I took some time off this past week from writing these posts to do some research.  As often happens, I started looking for information on one topic and found myself going off in all different, yet related, directions.  What caught my attention?  I saw a feature on the fact that Young Voters in North Carolina were joining a suit to challenge that state's new VOTING LAWS.  While any news that talks about Voter Restrictions generally catches my attention, this particular topic sparked my interest because it focused on one of the issues I'd just recently explored - "Government-Issued VOTER IDs".  

In that earlier post I explored the challenges to the poor to get these IDs (if they don't have a driver's license) without acceptable forms of documentation.  This group of "economically poor" voters includes the elderly (who may have had a driver's license but it's expired because they no longer drive); the handicapped (who also don't have a driver's license); and minority voters - especially Black and Hispanic voters. Many of these voters also face challenges in getting to photo ID centers - particularly those living in rural areas with limited public transportation or being served by photo ID centers that have very limited service hours.

In North Carolina, all of these voter groups will be impacted by these new laws. Typically, court challenges to these laws come from both the Attorney General and the Justice Department as well as the NAACP and ACLU.  What's new in this case is the addition of a challenge from college-age voters. This time the court challenge to the constitutionality of these laws is not only connected to constitutional amendments focused on voter rights in general; it is also focusing on the 26th Amendment that addresses voting rights for people who are 18 and older.

As seems to universally be the case, the new Voter Restriction Laws in North Carolina come from a state that is governed by the Republican Party.  Why is this of particular interest to this blog? Apparently, in states where fewer voters show up the Republican Party seems to do much better than when there's a large voter turnout.  Why? A large portion of Democratic Voters come from the categories of people most impacted by these Voter Restriction Laws!

Let me be clear. While I have a personal political party preference, the reason why the motivation for these laws matters related to the goals of this blog and having a PHOENIX PARTY in general is that it makes the case I've been trying to make all along - not only does voting matter....the number of voters matter!!! And, if you're a member of one of the groups that fit under the umbrella of the category "economically poor"..the NUMBERS ARE ON YOUR SIDE!!!

Voters under the age of 30 aren't necessarily poor...(for that matter, neither are the elderly, handicapped, or voters from minority categories..). But, many of them are - especially students in college or recent graduates who have huge college loans to pay back and who are struggling to find jobs.  Why is it of particular interest to make it harder for young voters - voters 30 and younger - to vote in North Carolina?  Simple - in the last Presidential Election this voting group made up 57% of voters!  What politicians know is that most often the party that wins the position at the top of the ballot often impacts the winners "down ballot".  Many people are straight party voters. They don't take the time to check off individual names.  Presidential Election years are also the years when ALL of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE members are up for office!  These election years also have some US Senators and Governors and other state offices on the ballot as well...not to mention local elections that include mayors, town councils and school boards.  When does the new North Carolina law take effect? Some of those restrictions will effect this fall's election (when NC Senator's - Kay Hagan's - re-election bid is one of the crucial races that will impact which party controls the Senate). However, the most restrictive part of the law that will impact college-age voters happens in....you guessed it....2016!

How does the new law target young voters...specifically college-age voters?  Photo ID is one of those targets.  Unlike some of the other group categories we've discussed above, the issue of having a "government-issued photo ID" in the form of a driver's license isn't necessarily the problem for college age voters. They have a different ID problem - they go to a college in a DIFFERENT STATE so the license they have from their HOME STATE doesn't count!!! Yes...it's "government-issued" and yes...it's a "photo ID" but...apparently, one state doesn't respect the ID issued by another state.  So, the question is, do you care enough about voting to go through the process of getting a license in a different state? Or, do you care enough about voting to go home to vote?

College-age voters in North Carolina are also upset because, even if their license is from a different state, many of them DO HAVE A PHOTO ID FROM A STATE-RUN COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. Those IDs, however, are also not acceptable. (note: in some state's state-run college IDs are accepted...just not in NC if the new law goes into effect.)

The NC laws create other challenges to young voters.  In many states you need to pre-register to vote and for the first time you vote in a precinct you need to show some form of ID.  That form of ID can vary from a driver's license to a copy of a bill you pay that was sent to an address that verifies you live in that polling area's geographic region. In North Carolina, the practice until now allowed for SAME DAY REGISTRATION. You still have to go through presenting some form of ID that first time voting at that polling place (this is a practice for all voters the first time voting at a new polling place. This is the time when You are first giving your signature - the signature they will compare to all future signatures when you return to that polling place for other elections). The value of "same day registration" is that for college age students just arriving in an area in late August/early September, pre-registration deadlines happen within a few short weeks after your arrival at school.

North Carolina also used to allow for 17 DAYS OF EARLY VOTING. Those days have now been cut to 10. Depending on your schedule, going to a voting booth on a Tuesday may mean missing a class. And, for some college-age students, even if they do have a driver's license, they don't have their own cars at school. They depend on friends and public transportation. Any flexibility in getting to a polling place is helpful.

Though it didn't pass, N.C. legislators also tried to include the elimination of a tax break for parents of students if the student voted in NC rather than vote in their home state!

Even voters who live in NC and will be 18 in time to vote this fall have been negatively impacted by these new laws.  Previously, students who are 16 and 17 have been a part of a program that allowed them to pre-register to vote in high school. That program has been eliminated.

While there is a certain amount of excitement to be able to say - when a person is elected President - I voted for him (her)! But...voters of any age are positively or negatively impacted by the legislation proposed/passed at all levels of government.  Even if you only reside in a state/city for the limited amount of years you go to college, the legislation enacted in your college town/state can impact you in many ways.  It's a great sign that young NC voters have joined in the court challenge to this case.

Some of the regulations described above have already gone into effect.  The group of plaintiffs who are challenging the NC laws are now trying to have the court put an INJUNCTION in place to put those laws on hold until the actual case comes to court in 2015.

As you consider all of these restrictions to the North Carolina Voting Laws, one of the key points to keep in mind is that North Carolina "used to be" one of the states who couldn't make any changes to its voting laws without special permission.  Why? North Carolina was one of the states that had a reputation for voter discrimination, so it was included in the VOTING RIGHTS ACT in a list of states who couldn't change their voting laws without permission.  The list of those states was eliminated by the Supreme Court in 2013 and Congress has yet to revise that section of the Voting Rights law to identify any states today who may still practice the kind of voter discrimination that needs to be regulated.  Incidentally, the new regulations in North Carolina were first introduced within a month of the Supreme Court's Ruling!  I'm not sure if the right word is ironic...but...it is worth mentioning that as soon as North Carolina GOT OFF the list of states who discriminate against voters they passed a law that's considered to be THE WORST VOTER RESTRICTION LAW in the country!

When we talk about making the effort to go out and vote it is worth mentioning that saying that COLLEGE STUDENTS are fighting to eliminate these voting restriction laws in North Carolina isn't "completely true". There is no officially recognized group called THE COLLEGE STUDENTS OF NORTH CAROLINA. What's happening in North Carolina is that SEVEN STUDENTS from NC state-run colleges have come forth representing NC college-age students in the lawsuit. If I ever put together a list of "my heroes",  those students' names would definitely be there!  I not only applaud their courage but suggest, if you're reading this, that you see if there's any way that you can find out who they are and send them whatever kind of encouragement you can!

The new laws in North Carolina are frightening! Should the legal challenges to these laws not succeed it would be catastrophic!  If the request for the INJUNCTION that is in court right now is not successful it would not only be a very bad sign for the voters of North Carolina and the outcome of the actual court case in 2015; it would also energize any other state legislature where the controlling party believes that lower voter turnout is an advantage.

While there are many reasons why I hope that this court challenge to the NC law succeeds, one of the main ones is that when young voters are surveyed on why they don't vote they say it's because they don't think their vote makes any difference. The results in the NC case will go a long way to either convincing these young voters that they are right or helping them believe that maybe they are wrong. Voting does make a difference! Let's hope....

Why aren't we "THROWING THE BUMS OUT?"

THE PHOENIX

I'm having another frustrating day when it comes to trying to keep hope alive that elections can make a difference.  Despite almost a widespread consensus that Washington isn't working and that Congress has a single digit approval rating, my hometown newspaper today ran an article from the Associated Press about how American Voters so far are not "THROWING THE BUMS OUT!" (their title..not mine).  With rare exceptions (e.g. Eric Cantor), just about all of the incumbents are winning their primary elections.  Now, I realize that there are many voting districts that are "gerrymandered" - meaning that the district's geographic boundaries have been drawn (re-drawn) to favor one particular party or the other. And, because of this practice, it's not all that surprising that a particular party would get more votes over the other.  But, what does baffle me is that THE VERY SAME POLITICIANS who are NOT DOING THEIR JOBS are getting the chance to go back to Washington and CONTINUE NOT DOING THEIR JOBS for two or six more years!?!?! (I'm not even talking about what's happening at the state and local levels...but....as the Scripture says: "..let those who have eyes..see..". You know what's happening in your area...is it true that voters where you live are KEEPING THE BUMS IN?)

At the moment I'm not arguing about gerrymandering (though I do think that voters should be on the alert that it does happen each decade depending on the results of the Census and who's in office when the Census is done...) But...what does make me, at the very least, curious, is that even if one does want to be loyal to a political party - I'm a Republican so I always vote Republican...don't know who's running...just vote my party - isn't there at least another person in your state or district who you can get to run for office (in your preferred party) so that the person who's NOT WORKING FOR YOUR INTEREST doesn't get RE-HIRED?

One thought does occur to me though, that might make sense. Maybe your elected official IS WORKING for you in that he/she does get back to your district; does get around to events and businesses when home; does get his/her name in your local paper/TV news when that happens; and when (surprise! surprise!) something does get passed in Washington some funding has been earmarked in that bill that brings money back to your area....or they help some group in your area be successful in getting some government grant.  I don't want to undervalue these political behaviors. I think they come with the job. But, when your elected officials are in your area so you can speak to them are they not hearing you when you say you want the bi-partisan gridlock to stop? Are you not asking them? Or is it that you are just not asking/telling them in a strong enough voice...with a large enough presence that those officials just don't believe you'll do anything about it if they don't?  And...let's be honest...if they are being successful in their primaries...so far EITHER YOU HAVEN'T SENT THE MESSAGE...THEY HAVEN'T HEARD IT...OR THEY JUST DON'T CARE (BECAUSE YOU'RE VOTING FOR THEM ANYWAY!!!)  

Now, the one thing that does give me some hope is that SO FAR WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT PRIMARY ELECTIONS!  IT'S NOT TOO LATE!!! MID-TERMS MATTER - NOVEMBER HASN'T HAPPENED YET! (Phew!)

In an earlier post we talked about the influence of crossover Democratic votes that seemed to be the deciding factor in the election of Republican Senator Thad Cochran in Mississippi. However, it's important to remember that what happened in Mississippi happened in a Primary Runoff.  That's important because Mississippi is one of close to 20 states that does allow for crossover voting in primary elections. But...in Mississippi's case...voters DID NOT CROSSOVER DURING THE ACTUAL PRIMARY ELECTION.  Senator Cochran didn't court the African American Democratic Voters until AFTER the Primary.  More importantly, what's going on in Mississippi right now is that Cochran's opponent hasn't conceded the election because he's trying to determine if VOTER FRAUD has happened. This is not the same kind of Voter Fraud we just talked about in the last post - this is not about the struggle to get a Photo ID.  The issue here is: Did the Democratic Crossover Voters vote in the Democratic Primary as well? What this means is that if Cochran ends up being legally successful in his runoff election, he was able to get Democratic voters who didn't care enough about their own party's primary to go out and vote then but were willing to go out to vote for Cochran, the Republican, now.

If Mississippi's recent election says anything, it suggests that some voters only find the energy to vote when someone really appeals directly to them.  These voters voted based on what the POLITICIANS asked Voters to do for the POLITICIANS themselves NOT ON WHAT THE VOTERS WANTED THE POLITICIANS TO DO FOR THE VOTERS. 

This is the attitude that needs to change! Voters need to be proactive. It's important to know what/who you want and go for it first..don't wait for the politician to come to you. I don't doubt that Senator Cochran used his seniority to bring home some funding projects for his own state. But, if you're "economically poor" in Mississippi and being negatively impacted by all of the gridlock and cutbacks, did Sen. Cochran's "BACON" really balance the scales FOR YOU by all of the funding sources that aren't coming your way by what's going on in Washington?  I don't know.  I don't live in Mississippi. I'm just asking the question?

The most important issue of all in this reflection is to remind you that Primaries only "matter somewhat". They set up the November contests.  But, November Midterms "really matter"
And, it's not to late to get organized, find your voice, and figure out which candidate is ready to go back to Washington (or to your state capitol) and vote for your interests. It's not too late to let the candidates running know that you have found your voice and you have come to see the power of your vote! As these posts continue, the plan is to consider some of the ways that you can do that that may be more effective than some you've already tried.

Why is it Hard to Vote? Ever try to get a Voter Photo ID?

THE PHOENIX

As a Pennsylvania Resident, voting has always been relatively easy for me.  I'm old enough that when I first went to register to vote I actually had to physically go to the Court House to get a form and complete it there. But, I don't remember that as being a very time-consuming process. Since that time I've lived in several different locations that meant on voting days I would be going to a different polling place. When that happened, I just had to go to the computer and print out a change of registration form and mail it in. I did get a Voter Registration Card in the mail, but it was only checked the first time I showed up at my new polling place.  From then on, when I arrived, they simply opened their large voter registration forms binder and I signed in and they just compared this year's signature to last year's.  And...that was it!  Oh...those were the days!!!

Actually, for me, those are STILL THE DAYS....but..THEY COULD CHANGE AT ANY TIME! Why? Here in Pennsylvania our legislators passed some rather strict voting restriction laws that require a Voter Photo ID before one can vote.  Gratefully, those laws - which were enacted to prevent Voter Fraud (which apparently isn't really a problem...but...you know, be prepared!) - are currently being challenged in the courts. So, Voter Photo IDs aren't required YET in PA but they can be if the court challenge puts the Voter Photo ID Law back in place.

As a LICENSED DRIVER I don't really have to worry either way - I have a "Government Issued" Photo ID.  But, in that limbo period when the PA law had been passed and before it was challenged in the court, I discovered how hard it really is to get one of these "official IDs". And, as I've done some research in preparing to write this blog, I've not only discovered just how many states are in the midst of these Voter Photo ID Laws; I've also come to a much clearer understanding of just why it's so very difficult and expensive to get one of these SUPPOSEDLY FREE Photo IDs.

Since the purpose of both this blog and the Phoenix Party itself is to organize and get as many voters who support the goals of the Phoenix Party to the polls, it seemed important to spend some time exploring the obstacles to voting that need to be overcome before any "get out the vote" campaign can be successful. Exploring the challenges to getting a "Government Issued Photo ID" seems a good place to start. 

I currently live in a retirement home for members of my Congregation.  I'm the youngest resident and live here primarily because of health issues. However, I'm definitely healthy enough to volunteer to accompany our older sisters to the Driver Photo ID Center during that limbo period when we didn't know if they'd be able to vote in PA without a proper ID.  I went on two trips - both were experiences I will never forget! These women were in their 80s and 90s and some came with their walkers and canes.  The large room was packed with people either looking for Voter Photo IDs or to get their Driver's Photo IDs.  I found myself thinking what it must be like for elderly people to go through this process without any help. We sat with our sisters and helped them go from station to station to complete paperwork and sit for the ID. This process took over 2 hours! I'm twenty to thirty years younger than these women and I was exhausted! At least I got a seat - though I think the government specializes in cheap and really uncomfortable chairs. Some of the women came with the kind of walkers that had wheels and a flat surface that they could use for their own uncomfortable seats.

Beyond serving as companions, we provided two other important services that many people who need these photo IDs have to do for themselves.  We not only DROVE them there (transportation) but we had sisters who found the paperwork and the required documents needed before any request forms could be processed.

Driving may seem like a simple thing, but when you have neither a car or a driver's license, it's not such an easy or inexpensive task to get to an ID Center. Our Photo ID Center is NOT a bus stop and the other main form of public transportation available in this area is to take a cab.  In doing research for this post I discovered that most people who need to get to a Photo ID Center have to travel at least 10 miles.

The women I drove to the ID Center were older and either had never driven or were old enough that they no longer drove and their licenses had expired. I was surprised, however, to learn that a large number of people who are in the "driving age range" neither have a driver's license or even use a car - they are totally dependent on public transportation (especially if they live in big cities). I lived in NYC for a while and discovered than many people there don't have a car - not because they can't afford to buy one...they just don't want to pay to PARK ONE! There are over 3,000,000 voters in the states with current Photo ID legislation that do not have driver's licenses.

Even though it was easy enough for us to drive to our center, it was another challenge to organize our schedules to get there WHEN THE CENTER WAS OPEN. (Keep in mind I'm talking about women who are RETIRED!).  Our Center isn't open every day and is generally closed for a lunch break - a time when employed, would-be voters could leave work to get their IDs without taking time off from work.  I discovered, however, that these available hours pale in comparison to some locations. I even found a place in Wisconsin that's only open on the 5th Wednesday of every month! Access to Photo ID Centers is the most limited in the areas that have high minority populations.

Beyond driving to the Photo ID Center, the second major assistance we provided to these elderly sisters was to acquired and organize the required documentation needed beyond the Photo ID application form.  Keep in mind, at this point, this Photo ID is supposed to be FREE. You can't get a PHOTO ID unless you have some other kind of OFFICIAL ID document. You can use a BIRTH CERTIFICATE as long as it's an official certificate with a RAISED SEAL (so, no copy of the certificate accepted.) Getting a Birth Certificate is NOT FREE. And, for many people, it's a task that's next to if not impossible to accomplish.  You need to get a certificate with your correct name on it - my mother's name is EILEEN but her Birth Certificate says ELLEN. In my case, I was taking NUNs to vote. Many Nuns have different names now than they did at birth.  While that may be something specific to a nun, it's still a problem if you're now married and you have a different last name and you don't have a copy of your Marriage License. Those are simple problems.  A large number of older and minority voters were born at home and didn't get a birth certificate. Current citizens may have come to America without a birth certificate and can't get one now. While the ID Center would also accept a Passport, if you don't have the above documentation you wouldn't be able to get a Passport either! Personally, though I have one, I got it to travel abroad. I'm no longer doing that travelling so I didn't get the Passport renewed.  I can do that but it will cost me approximately $100.  They could accept my Social Security Card - but I don't have one!  I do have a number and I definitely have it memorized.  But, you're not supposed to carry your card around with you.  I got my card when I was 18. That's more than 40 years ago. For years I knew where I kept it but...alas! Of course, I can get a new Social Security Card.  But, I can't do that unless I have the kind of documentation I've already mentioned!!! For Voters unlike me (who have a driver's license) this is like a CATCH-22: I can't get I want because I don't have what I need which I can't get because I don't have what I wanted in the first place!!! And, if I need to show a proof of Citizenship form that would cost me almost $350.

So...let's review: 

• millions of people can't drive themselves to a PHOTO ID Center
• most of those people live at least 10 miles from a Center
• in rural areas and areas where minority populations live, they have the greatest challenge to have access to public transportation (which, I repeat, is not FREE)
• most ID Centers have limited hours of operation 
• before one even gets to an ID Center, one has to locate - if they can - the official documentation necessary before their Photo ID Application can be processed. Even if they can obtain that necessary documentation, the cost to do so can be substantial

Though the legislation is currently in "limbo", it is estimated that in Philadelphia, PA alone, over 250,000 of CURRENTLY REGISTERED VOTERS would be effected.

So far, we've only considered the challenges and costs to individual voters to get Voter Photo IDs (oh...before I forget to mention it - these VOTER PHOTO IDs can only be used to VOTE, they can't be a photo ID for anything else that you need! Want to open a bank account? Nope! Want to fly? Go figure!) 

However, there is also a substantial cost to any state who passes this kind of legislation. Since every citizen has the right to vote, states have to make sure that there's only a limited challenge to any citizen to comply with these laws. One of the reasons why so many state's legislation is in legal limbo is the fact that the state can be challenged to cover all of the costs that can be an impediment to complying with the law. They can be made to expand Photo ID Center hours and cover the costs to get necessary documentation. At this point, however, states don't make any attempt to do so unless the US Attorney General sues them. Remember, I  took 2 trips to the ID Center because the PA law had been passed and it wasn't immediately challenged in court. If voting is important to you, you do what you need to do as soon as you can to be sure you still can vote! Despite the likelihood of court challenges, over 90 pieces of voter restriction legislation were introduced in 2013 alone! 

Once a state's voter laws change, that state also has to assume another cost that can be substantial.  If you change a law you have to let the public know that you did and you have to train them how to comply with those changes. This might sound like a simple statement but such a PR and training campaign comes with a bottom line that gets into the millions and millions of dollars.  One would think that any state that's deeply in debt and struggling to meet its budget obligations wouldn't want to take on this additional financial burden.

Oh...and did I tell you that the research says that VOTER FRAUD - which all of this legislation is supposed to prevent - DOESN'T REALLY EXIST! For all of the money that is poured into elections it seems that none of it is going toward having someone impersonate you! And, this seems to be so even if that IMPERSONATOR doesn't need to show a Photo ID! 

And why go through what could be a very costly process that can be easily challenged in the courts???  Simple - if it works - elderly, handicapped, minority and poor people have a hard time voting!  There is also this "odd" correlation between the states that are passing these laws and the fact that those states are under the leadership of the GOP.

Happily, there are a number of ideas currently being proposed that will not only eliminate these struggles; they will also make voter registration and voting itself much easier.  Those are the ideas we'll talk about next because those are the ideas that need to be supported NOW!

(I've made a number of factual statements in this post. Most of them come from studies done by THE BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE at the New York University's School of Law.)

Setting Goals - Avoid Misconceptions!

THE PHOENIX

Now that we've talked about having a SYMBOLIC IDENTITY (PHOENIX) and a VISION, it's time to get specific and set some GOALS.  I began writing this blog talking about my own frustration about the POOR NOT VOTING, so it would follow that the Goals of this movement will include GETTING ORGANIZED, KNOWING WHO AND WHAT TO VOTE FOR and GOING OUT TO VOTE. 

But first, I have to make a CONFESSION. When I started to write this blog I was operating out of  - what I now know to be - a MISCONCEPTION.  I'd been making the JUDGMENT that the Poor weren't voting because of their DEPRESSION...APATHY...SENSE OF BEING POWERLESS. To be honest, as I've been writing this, I've even wondered whether those people who've been identified as "economically poor" would even be able to read this.  I've been content to write this almost as if this is a slow way to - post by post - put something together that would be much more effective if, in the end, I copied and pasted it into some program that would allow me to turn this blog into some pamphlet or book that I could get printed as if the printed word would be the most effective way to get this message to my intended audience. (and...to be honest...I'll probably still do this..).  But, I've finally done enough research to realize that some of the challenges I thought had to be overcome really aren't challenges at all.

For example, I discovered today that a large number of people who are identified as "poor" do have their own computers/laptops.  The cost of this technology is not only manageable but essential if you happen to be unemployed and are looking for a job.  I remember being in class during the 70s in NYC and the professor calling our attention to the number of young adults walking around with "boom boxes" on their shoulders. He suggested that one of the reasons for this behavior was that this group really wanted to be out in their own cars "cruisin' around" with their car radio blaring away.  Financially, they couldn't afford to buy that car. They could, however, afford the "boom box". Their "cruisin' around" had become "walkin' (or struttin') around but they still had a "radio blaring away"!

The Poor can manage to buy appliances...they can't afford good housing, healthcare or a quality education.  So, the challenge isn't a question of whether the Poor have computer access so they can read this blog. It's getting the word to them that it exists.  That can be done in a number of ways: sending the link to it to your email contacts; LIKING the PHOENIX PEOPLES' PARTY Facebook page then SHARING the page's STATUS UPDATES on your TIMELINE. You can print out a copy of a post you like (click on the title you like and print that so you don't end up printing the entire blog) and posting a copy of it somewhere where its intended audience can read it.

There's also a belief called SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION. That theory suggests that if I think about and make contact with the person I think would have the BEST SHOT at getting my message where I want it to go and I ask them to do the same, then, IN SIX STEPS OR LESS I SHOULD REACH MY DESTINATION.  Think about it!  If I contacted my CONGRESSMAN how many CONNECTIONS would it take for my message to get to the PRESIDENT?  Or, if I contacted my BISHOP, how many steps would it take to get my message to the POPE?

Who do you know...that if you not only talked about reading this blog (and shared the link to it) but also shared about the VISION for this PHOENIX PARTY MOVEMENT and encouraged that person to get involved and spread the word...that you could get the word to someone who might have some INFLUENCE and could ORGANIZE a group to go out and VOTE?

So...THE FIRST GOAL - GET THE WORD TO THE PEOPLE YOU WANT TO GO OUT AND VOTE.

The SECOND GOAL is to come to an understanding about WHY the Poor aren't able to effectively use their vote to INFLUENCE the political process MORE OFTEN.  I intentionally used that phrase "MORE OFTEN' because I'm writing this post the day after Senator Thad Cochran won his primary runoff in Mississippi. Cochran, a long-time Republican incumbent, was in a runoff because he'd come in second to his Tea Party Challenger.  In Mississippi, you can vote in a primary election regardless of your registered party. Cochran won this election because he was successful in getting African-American DEMOCRATIC Voters to come out..crossover and vote for him. Politicians can recognize the INFLUENCE of a voting group they often ignore WHEN THEY NEED THEM!  The question is WHY isn't the vote of the Poor valued more often?

The answer to that question is simple: this time the NUMBER of their votes mattered! In most cases, the NUMBER of VOTES represented by the Poor seems to matter somewhat - if not there wouldn't be such a struggle in the Republican Party about Immigration Reform. There is a growing concern about the number of Hispanic Voters and how their votes will impact the outcome of elections.  But, there's some kind of strange disconnect between trying to get the votes of a group of voters often classified as "economically poor" and actually doing the work of VOTING FOR LEGISLATION that would have a positive impact on their lives.  It's rather insulting when you think about it.  I want you to vote for me but I won't necessarily return the favor and work for you! 

Let me, however, clarify that last statement.  Politician may often vote in lock step with their party (thus the sense of partisan gridlock) but they often are able to do other things that can fiscally help voters at home. Thad Cochran won his election because his seniority had allowed him to regularly put "earmarks" on legislation that brought money back to his state even if that legislation's focus had nothing to do with the recipient  of that "earmark". Cochran had "brought home the bacon" and the voters in his state rewarded him for it.

After doing more research I've discovered that the Poor don't have the NUMBERS to regularly influence election NOT because of their APATHY....DEPRESSION....SENSE OF POWERLESSNESS (those feelings might be true, but that's not the main problem.) THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE'VE MADE IT SO HARD FOR THE POOR TO VOTE!

One of the Goals of this blog, therefore, will be to bring to light what those voting challenges are and how they can be overcome now and how politicians can be influenced to eliminate those obstacles in the future.

Beyond getting organized and tackling the obstacles to voting, the other main goals of this blog will be to identify what are the issues that this movement supports and how to get politicians elected that will effectively address them.

I've discovered it's so important not to stereotype the poor...not to misjudge who they are and why they do or do not do something.  Voting for some is so much harder than any of the rest of us can even imagine.  But, what is hard is NOT IMPOSSIBLE.  If we only look around there are so many small and big successes that there is great reason to be HOPEFUL!

Lately, I've been thinking about just how amazing it is that BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA is PRESIDENT...and not only that he's President but that he's in his SECOND TERM being President. President Obama is not only the first African-American President; he is the child of a BIRACIAL marriage whose father was Muslim...whose middle name is Hussein....and who was elected after 9/11 and during the Iraq War!  Oh...let me be clear...I did vote for him...TWICE! But...really?!?!  Isn't it just incredible that a man with all of those challenges against him got elected and then re-elected!!!???!!! And...if that can happen...well...THE SKY'S THE LIMIT!  

A "PARTY" VISION

THE PHOENIX

Having an IDENTITY (PHOENIX) is a first step, but, without a VISION, that Identity doesn't mean much.  So, let's move on to shaping a PHOENIX PARTY VISION.  Vision in not just thinking about what you want to be...it also means that you keep seeing that vision over and over again so that...for you...it becomes second nature.  By that I mean that it's not just a matter of having a Vision...it's about VISUALIZING that image so often that your association of the word PHOENIX PARTY and your VISION of what that term means is so connected that thinking one subconsciously imagines the other. Not only that...having a Vision means that - almost coincidentally - you find yourself facing opportunities...choices... to make that Vision come true.

Why?  Well...believe it or not...we're genetically designed for this to happen.  Our brain has a space between our emotional limbic system and our cerebral (thinking) brain. That space is filled by what's called the brain's RECTICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM. (Think "recticular" as in "retina" as in "look for"...as in...you guessed it.."VISION". This is the part of your brain that receives the commands that your THINKING BRAIN has ASKED IT to look for.  Now...if you're not sure you believe me...think "trying to remember someone's name".  We have these experiences when you look at someone and "we ask ourselves..WHAT IS THAT PERSON'S NAME?!?!"  Often what happens is sometime...much later...that person's name just seems to "pop up".  Why? Because you told your brain that you wanted to know it...and...on a subconscious level...your brain kept looking for that information way beyond that immediate moment when it might have been helpful and...as soon as it finds it..it sends it to your CONSCIOUS BRAIN to think it!

Why is that important?  When your subconscious brain knows what you want to be...it continually looks for ways to make that happen...and...when it discovers something...it sends your brain a conscious message "pay attention to this!" If you've ever followed the way athletes prepare for some competitions; you know that they've often gone to some sport's psychiatrist who helps them...step by step...visualize themselves being successful in their sport. They visualize this information very specifically - seeing the moment...feeling the moment...hearing the moment.  If you've seen athletes before a competition they often are wearing earphones. For many of them what they are listening to is that vision...repeated over and over. In fact, they've probably been repeating that vision over and over since they first shaped it.  When they win it's almost like BECOMING what they've always believed they could be.

That last line is critical! "...what they've always believed they could be."  If you're Poor...how often have you been able to imagine that you could be rich?  How often have you imagined yourself not just working...but working at a specific job....at a specific workplace...with a specific office...and...specifically...being successful...and coming home to a specific home in a specific neighborhood...to your happy family with that paycheck that proves that you're successful? And...if you're were ever able to do that....how often did you just tell yourself..."this is just silly...I'm daydreaming...this will never happen!"  See...that's the problem....just when you begin to tell your brain what you want to be...so it can look for opportunities to make that happen...you send that second command: DELETE PREVIOUS VISION!

What's a PHOENIX PARTY VISION?  Well....we can continue to flesh it out...but, for me, it includes seeing a large...LARGE..RECOGNIZED AND RESPECTED group of WELL-INFORMED VOTERS (knowing specifically what they want politicians to vote for and having a certainty about which politicians will do that) showing up at the VOTING BOOTH (knowing specifically where that polling place is..and what it'll be like to arrive there.) feeling CONFIDENT CASTING A VOTE and walking out of that Voting Booth FEELING GREAT because they DID THEIR PART and BELIEVING THAT TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER BECAUSE THEY DID!

If that message can get to our subconscious brain because we keep repeating it over and over; I'm a strong believer that the next step will be that our brain will start telling us.."If you want this to happen...then...you need to do this...you need to say that...oh...this is a person who can help make this happen...aha!...this information is useful....yes! I have the energy to go out to this meeting...talk to a friend....figure out where my polling place is...decide when and how I'm going to get there"...any step from the smallest to the biggest will soon present itself and say: CHOOSE ME!

The term PHOENIX PARTY doesn't just include the word PHOENIX; it also includes the word PARTY.  As a descriptor of a political group or movement, that might seem to just be a normal term to add. We have a Democratic "Party", a Republican "Party" a Libertarian "Party" a Conservative "Party" and so on. But, I would suggest we begin by thinking about the term TEA PARTY. This political movement doesn't just use the word "party" because other movements do.  It's in their title because they associate themselves with a specific time in history and a specific historic event - THE BOSTON TEA PARTY.  The planners of THAT event used the term specifically because they wanted participants to think of the event as just that ...A PARTY!!! They wanted the ENERGY of a PARTY....the ENTHUSIASM of a PARTY....the POSITIVE...CELEBRATORY...ATTITUDE about being a part of this PARTY! And...in this case..they wanted to people to come because they had the DESIRE to participate in this PARTY and...this desire was so strong...it gave them the COURAGE to PARTICIPATE in this PARTY no matter what the CHALLENGE or DANGER might be if they did so!

In fact, as this blog continues on and we talk about the GOALS, OBJECTIVES and STRATEGIES that can make this VISION a REALITY, I want to suggest that actually having PARTIES can be a very SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY to use. FUN ENERGY...JOYFUL ENERGY....makes the PHOENIX PARTY VISION a POSITIVE vision. If the need to make one's VISION a REALITY requires you to keep repeating it...VISUALIZING it...over and over...it's essential that that process makes you feel POSITIVE!  No one will...or should...keep repeating a vision that makes you SAD...DEPRESSED...FRUSTRATED...ANGRY.

Did you know that if you make your face muscles create a SMILE that very soon you'll start to feel HAPPY? (try it!) We may be talking about that FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE IT strategy...but, as one who's tried this approach more times than I can count, I assure you, IT WORKS!

And...if you're reading this and you're thinking...it's just me reading this...how can "ME BECOME A WE?"  Simple...tell your brain to make it happen!  And...as you are building your WE in your area...going from two or three to a few to many...to LOTS OF MANY....remember this quote: "If you think you are too small to be effective...you have never been in bed with a mosquito!"

Margaret Mead, a famous cultural anthropologist, said: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."

So...that's the VISION...being a THOUGHTFUL, COMMITTED PEOPLE...committed to the VISION that VOTING DOES AND WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE..  Tell your brain that and see what it does next! 

 

 

THE PHOENIX AND THE POWER OF METAPHOR

THE PHOENIX

I once went to a workshop titled "The Power of Metaphors". One of the key insights the speaker presented was that once you picked a metaphor for something...you are saying that all of the characteristics of that metaphor can be considered by your audience when they are trying to figure out what you mean when you selected that image. The presenter gave an example of a teacher who announced that her symbol for herself as a TEACHER was a BULLFIGHTER. When asked why that choice, she replied: "Each day I get to wave the red cape of knowledge in front of my students!"  Then, the presenter observed that "Obviously, this teacher didn't realize that the object of the Bullfight is to KILL THE BULL!.

So...I thought I'd begin today by talking about some of the characteristics of the PHOENIX that made it seem a suitable METAPHOR for this movement.  While the PHOENIX traces its roots back to Greek Mythology, most people probably know its story because it's graphically depicted in the HARRY POTTER movies. Like all images of the PHOENIX, this is a magnificent looking red bird. In one movie scene the bird is shown BURSTING INTO FLAMES and those flames descend to the floor as ASHES. Then, in the next moment, another PHOENIX would RISE FROM THE ASHES in a sort of REBIRTH!  In spiritual terms, this life-cycle of the PHOENIX is considered to be a RESURRECTION metaphor...going from DEATH to NEW LIFE.  

The life-cycle of the PHOENIX mentioned above is the metaphor I hope a PHOENIX MOVEMENT can bring about for the Poor.  I don't doubt that the Poor's daily existence - with all its pain and challenge - must feel like DEATH...at least a sort of death of their spirit...their hopes...their future...and, sadly, for some...even their real physical death at an early age either because of violence...suicide...or poor/non-existent health care. 

I believe that a change in the actions of our elected politicians can also change the realities that result in that sense of DEATH.  Let me be clear...I don't necessarily mean that we have to elect DIFFERENT politicians. I hope that the impact of this movement is more important than that. The goal is not to change WHO the politicians are...but WHAT they VOTE FOR and, most importantly, WHY they VOTE THAT WAY. The goal is to so increase the number of VOTING POOR that politicians come to DEEPLY RESPECT the INFLUENCE of this group to the extent that their VOTING RECORD reflects that RESPECT.  

If the change described above can happen - especially because of the influence of this movement - then it should follow that that DEATH....that TURNING LIFE'S HOPES INTO ASHES..will then move into this final stage of the PHOENIX'S LIFE-CYCLE - NEW LIFE!

It also seems to be a necessity that politicians identify this VOTING BLOCK by this VISUAL PHOENIX METAPHOR  so that the country will know that this new influx of VOTERS does reflect a UNIFIED GROUP with a UNIFIED PURPOSE and a UNIFIED SET OF CRITERIA that has shaped their VOTES.  

When you register to vote, you aren't asked to identify yourself by your beliefs and your values. There isn't a separate ballot for the TEA PARTY or the LIBERTARIANS or the POPULISTS or the CONSERVATIVES or any of the other labels that names the variety of INDEPENDENTS - the other major category box on your registration form.  So, to look at the voters who show up on election day, one might not easily realize just how many members of the PHOENIX PARTY have actually shown up.  That suggests three important things:  1) prior to the election, the POLITICIANS that are running for office need to know that the PHOENIX PARTY members exist...2) the POLLSTERS - who either estimate how many people will show up to vote or calculate the percentages of which group impacted the outcome of an election -  need to know to COUNT the PHOENIX VOTER ballots as an organized group...and 3) the members of the MEDIA that cover/analyze the lead up to and the outcome of any election need to get the PHOENIX PARTY MOVEMENT'S STORY OUT and make its PRESENCE known as a powerful and influential ELECTION VOICE.

There are a number of ways that these goals can be accomplished but first, the creation of a group's IDENTITY needs to be established.  Thus, the selection of the PHOENIX.  Oh...one other HARRY POTTER quality of a PHOENIX. The bird has HEALING TEARS.  So, getting in touch with the pain in the life of the Poor...moving beyond the DENIAL that may have been the only option to make it through each day...is essential. But...the tears that that ACCEPTANCE can bring can, in fact, be HEALING if they come at the same time as the HOPE that a BETTER FUTURE IS POSSIBLE!

I've often wondered, as I'm sure you have, if an effort like this can really be successful? Isn't it doomed to FAIL? Well, to be honest, I'm sure that's a real possibility. But, I've also spent sometime studying the concept of FAILURE...it's not such a bad thing. Many really famous people in this country have FAILED...ALOT! I'm currently reading the book THE INVENTION OF WINGS (by Sue Monk Kidd) that talks about Slavery and the CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. Though it took years and years of FAILURE...that movement has finally reached many of the heights of SUCCESS. We have only to consider the fact that we currently have the first African-American President to realize that truth.  And, when I think of the word "INVENTION' and FAILURE, it leads me to think about one of my favorite INVENTORS - Thomas Edison. Edison is recognized as the inventor of the light bulb.  Depending on the source you quote, Edison seems to have FAILED anywhere between 1,000 to 10,000 times before he successfully invented the light bulb!  Edison has been quoted as saying that instead he "discovered 10,000 ways how NOT TO INVENT the light bulb!  And...truth be told...the other thing that Edison did is take many of those FAILURES and turn them into SUCCESSFUL PATENTS for something else.

PERSEVERANCE...HOPE...DETERMINATION...the willingness to ACCEPT FAILURE...even before you BEGIN...those are all essential qualities to being SUCCESSFUL.  Like the PHOENIX....it's not just about GOING DOWN IN FLAMES...it's much more about RISING UP FROM THE ASHES! But...having a VISION of where you want to go...knowing the GOALS you need to achieve to get there...and having a METAPHOR...an IDENTITY of who you are and what you want to be is essential so you can truly know when you truly have ARRIVED!