...and the Republicans (Im not sure if this has been posted before) <div><object width="480" height="381" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x561qu_texas-voting-texas-voting-scandal-u_news"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x561qu_texas-voting-texas-voting-scandal-u_news" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="381" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always"></embed></object><br /><b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x561qu_texas-voting-texas-voting-scandal-u_news">Texas Voting - Texas Voting Scandal USA</a></b><br /><i>Uploaded by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/resulsarica">resulsarica</a>. - <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/us/channel/news">Up-to-the minute news videos.</a></i></div>
What a joke. Politics at work. "We have a lot of amendments, sometimes we don't take restroom breaks, we don't break for lunch, we don't break for dinner.." Boohoo, baby. Don't wear the brass off that voting button, you might discolor your poor skin. And don't over-exert yourself as you scan the floor and leap over chairs for a potential empty desk, with the ever powerful brass button.
Nice, to whichever news producer decided to tie the "It's all about integrity" Texas ID requirement proposal sponsor to this monstrosity. This could be easily solved, by a CSPAN-like video that actually focuses on the representatives while in action. The fact that this has been reported before, and nothing has been done about it, means that no one in power cares. Any representative who does this belongs in jail.
I could not possible agree more. We have the technology. If we were to (gasp) use it, we could forever have an end to the constant talk of voter fraud.
When I worked at the capitol I used to go and watch the charade every now and then. It's one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen. But then again that's what happens when legislator's act like their job is part-time. No one gives a damn about being a state legislator in Texas. State politics in Texas is just insulting to every young person who has any ambition about joining the political arena. I knew more about the text and substance of the bills there than 95% of those bozos, none of which even bother to take a minute to understand what they're voting on.
It would only end the idea of someone voting more than once, which is hardly the most likely or most dangerous type of fraud imaginable. Until we solve the problem of ballots going missing, set strict recount criteria such that recounts would be consistent and reliable, fix machines so that they never register votes incorrectly (since going to computerized systems, this has allegedly happened a lot - The Simpsons had a great spoof of the phenomenon), and do away forever with hackable computerized systems, finger printing will address only the least efficient, least dangerous type of fraud. There are much better ways to steal an election than voting twice or even twenty times instead of once.
Oops. Didn't watch the video before I posted. (How FFB of me to ignore the material and then lay down a pompous take on it anyway.) Like E. Litella used to say, "Never mind."
Or discipline those who are caught. If I do something wrong, measures shouldn't be applied to keep me from doing wrong. I need to be punished.
I believe I've seen or heard about this before, unless this is an old clip. If there's an agreement or understanding before hand with the missing legislator, I don't mind it. I'm actually a little less enthused with the idea of having to delay legislation or having an exceedingly low number of votes on several bills. Maybe they could implement tele-voting of some kind to prevent this.
...or maybe they could show up and do the job they were elected to do. I don't like the idea of votes being cast by members who were not present. It undermines the entire concept of representative democracy. Their JOB is to sit in that room, listen the proposed legislation, listen to the discussion, form an opinion and and then cast their vote accordingly. This is complete garbage.
They might be jealous of their Connecticut brothers and sisters...... They get to play solitare while passing an important budget bill
