Virginia GOP Loyalty Pledge/Oath

[Belsnickel]

So I thought there was a thread about this, but I could find it, so I'm starting one up.

Virginia does not have party registration and so we have open primaries. You can vote in either the GOP or Dem primary, just not both, and it doesn't matter if you vote in one this year and the other next time, that's just the way we roll. This year, the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) has received permission to require a "loyalty pledge" from those voting in the primary. Donald Trump blasted this decision on Twitter and many folks are up in arms about this.

I just saw the news that there is now a lawsuit being filed about this by a few Trump supporters claiming that:

Quote:the loyalty pledge will discourage minority voters and those who are poor from casting ballots in Virginia, where voters do not register by party. Signing the vow will create long lines at the polls, imposes “the burden of fear and backlash” and amounts to a literacy test, according to the lawsuit.

I'm personally against the statement because, well, it flies in the face of how we do things here in Virginia and it alienates the vast majority of voters in this state, especially since technically speaking we are not either Democrats or Republicans since we lack registration. It will create an undue burden on voting and has no real purpose as there cannot be any penalty for signing it and then not voting Republican and so it has no real value.

But anyway, figured I'd bring it up around these parts.

[StLucieBengal]

This is dumb. Just shenanigans to stop trump because democrats will turn out to vote for him. 30% of his support is from democrats.

Just do what the state says and stop with the disenfranchise talk. That's what progressives do.

[Belsnickel]

(01-07-2016, 02:58 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: This is dumb. Just shenanigans to stop trump because democrats will turn out to vote for him. 30% of his support is from democrats.

Just do what the state says and stop with the disenfranchise talk. That's what progressives do.

I'm confused here, are you in support of the lawsuit, or against it?

[XenoMorph]

(01-07-2016, 02:53 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: So I thought there was a thread about this, but I could find it, so I'm starting one up.

Virginia does not have party registration and so we have open primaries. You can vote in either the GOP or Dem primary, just not both, and it doesn't matter if you vote in one this year and the other next time, that's just the way we roll. This year, the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) has received permission to require a "loyalty pledge" from those voting in the primary. Donald Trump blasted this decision on Twitter and many folks are up in arms about this.

I just saw the news that there is now a lawsuit being filed about this by a few Trump supporters claiming that:


I'm personally against the statement because, well, it flies in the face of how we do things here in Virginia and it alienates the vast majority of voters in this state, especially since technically speaking we are not either Democrats or Republicans since we lack registration. It will create an undue burden on voting and has no real purpose as there cannot be any penalty for signing it and then not voting Republican and so it has no real value.

But anyway, figured I'd bring it up around these parts.

Literacy Test? you probly shouldnt vote if you cant read.

[fredtoast]

In many places (like where I live) the primaries are more important than the general election when it comes to local elections. Districts have been mapped out to insure that the same party will win every time. So I have to vote in the Republican primary if I want to have any say in local government.

Of course national elections are different.

[GMDino]

(01-07-2016, 03:07 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: Literacy Test?   you probly shouldnt vote if you cant read.

I tend to agree with this.

(01-07-2016, 03:15 PM)fredtoast Wrote: In many places (like where I live) the primaries are more important than the general election when it comes to local elections.  Districts have been mapped out to insure that the same party will win every time.  So I have to vote in the Republican primary if I want to have any say in local government.

Of course national elections are different.

Same here except you better be a democrat if you want any kind of say.

I wish it was open like in other places.

[StLucieBengal]

(01-07-2016, 03:01 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I'm confused here, are you in support of the lawsuit, or against it?

I am against the pledge. But not because it helps trump... I am against it because its an open primary. I also can't stand when anyone throws around disenfranchised.

[fredtoast]

(01-07-2016, 03:52 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: I am against the pledge.   But not because it helps trump... 

Now I am confused.

Trump supporters are fighting AGAINST the pledge, so I assume they think it would hurt him.

How do you think it could possibly help him?

[Belsnickel]

(01-07-2016, 03:52 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: I am against the pledge. But not because it helps trump... I am against it because its an open primary. I also can't stand when anyone throws around disenfranchised.

So you're against the pledge AND the lawsuit?

(01-07-2016, 04:19 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Now I am confused.

Trump supporters are fighting AGAINST the pledge, so I assume they think it would hurt him.

How do you think it could possibly help him?

This too.

[Benton]

(01-07-2016, 03:15 PM)fredtoast Wrote: In many places (like where I live) the primaries are more important than the general election when it comes to local elections.  Districts have been mapped out to insure that the same party will win every time.  So I have to vote in the Republican primary if I want to have any say in local government.

Of course national elections are different.

Same in Kentucky. For most of the state, everyone is a Democrat. Most of them are Republicans, but they run as Dems because people consider the primary the election. It changes beyond state rep, but for county officials it's mostly everyone running in a Democratic primary.

[Yojimbo]

(01-07-2016, 03:07 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: Literacy Test?   you probly shouldnt vote if you cant read.

(01-07-2016, 03:28 PM)GMDino Wrote: I tend to agree with this.


Same here except you better be a democrat if you want any kind of say.

I wish it was open like in other places.

Probably shouldn't vote unless you're a land owner, male, white, have a college degree, a 401(k), drive a BMW, prove you're right handed, can say the alphabet backwards, play the Star Spangled Banner left-handed on an upside down electric guitar...

[*bfine32*]

(01-07-2016, 04:31 PM)Benton Wrote: Same in Kentucky. For most of the state, everyone is a Democrat. Most of them are Republicans, but they run as Dems because people consider the primary the election. It changes beyond state rep, but for county officials it's mostly everyone running in a Democratic primary.

But in the National Primaries you can only vote in the primary of the party you are registered. 

[StLucieBengal]

(01-07-2016, 04:22 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: So you're against the pledge AND the lawsuit?


This too.

Yes. The pledge is dumb. And the trump lawsuit is ridiculous. This is all a waste of everyone's time.... Follow Virginia's rules GOP.

[BonnieBengal]

(01-07-2016, 02:53 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: So I thought there was a thread about this, but I could find it, so I'm starting one up.

Virginia does not have party registration and so we have open primaries. You can vote in either the GOP or Dem primary, just not both, and it doesn't matter if you vote in one this year and the other next time, that's just the way we roll. This year, the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) has received permission to require a "loyalty pledge" from those voting in the primary. Donald Trump blasted this decision on Twitter and many folks are up in arms about this.

I just saw the news that there is now a lawsuit being filed about this by a few Trump supporters claiming that:


I'm personally against the statement because, well, it flies in the face of how we do things here in Virginia and it alienates the vast majority of voters in this state, especially since technically speaking we are not either Democrats or Republicans since we lack registration. It will create an undue burden on voting and has no real purpose as there cannot be any penalty for signing it and then not voting Republican and so it has no real value.

But anyway, figured I'd bring it up around these parts.

I agree with you.  Since there is no party registration, I don't see how they can legally require a pledge.  

[Belsnickel]

(01-08-2016, 02:05 AM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Yes. The pledge is dumb. And the trump lawsuit is ridiculous. This is all a waste of everyone's time.... Follow Virginia's rules GOP.

So what is interesting is that the Virginia courts rubber stamped this with an approval. Which is why the supporters are now taking it to the federal courts. Apparently our courts think it is within our laws.

[StLucieBengal]

(01-08-2016, 08:50 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: So what is interesting is that the Virginia courts rubber stamped this with an approval. Which is why the supporters are now taking it to the federal courts. Apparently our courts think it is within our laws.

That is interesting. Keep us posted please.

[Belsnickel]

Federal court upheld the pledge: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/federal-judge-rules-in-favor-of-republican-loyalty-oath-in-virginia/2016/01/14/b3a1e1f6-badf-11e5-b682-4bb4dd403c7d_story.html

Quote:A federal judge on Thursday rejected an effort by Donald Trump supporters to block the use of a party loyalty pledge in Virginia’s Republican presidential primary on March 1.

In her decision, U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck ruled that there wasn’t enough evidence to show that voters would suffer “irreparable harm” by signing a party affiliation statement before receiving a ballot on Super Tuesday, as Trump’s supporters argued.

The testimony “does not support the extraordinary remedy of a preliminary injunction” against including the requirement on instructions for ballots issued on election day or absentee ballots mailed to registered voters outside the state, Lauck ruled.

[jfkbengals]

I find this to be hysterical.

Republicans voted in mass at the 2008 Virginia Democratic primary to vote for Obama in an attempt to keep Hillary from winning the Democratic nomination.

Well, we all know that Obama went on to win the primary, nomination, and election.

Despite it backfiring on them, they want the loophole gone so that others cannot influence their nominations. Unreal.

[fredtoast]

(01-08-2016, 08:50 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: So what is interesting is that the Virginia courts rubber stamped this with an approval. Which is why the supporters are now taking it to the federal courts. Apparently our courts think it is within our laws.

Presidential elections produce some of the toughest debates involving State and Federal rights. 

States have a lot of power over who even gets on the ballot.  And sometimes all it takes is one state to swing a Presidential election.  I guess all of the states have already certified Cruz as qualified, but that is an example of what could happen in the future.

And to someone who lives where I do that example doesn't sound that crazy.  There are multiple State level Senators/Representatives in Tennessee who claim that the Federal Government and United States Supreme Court have no real authority over the law.  It would not shock me to see them try and block the leading Democratic candidate from even getting on the ballot in Tennessee.

[*michaelsean*]

The loyalty pledge is stupid, but can people just oppose something without calling minorities childlike defenseless morons?