# Democracy is dead in Georgia **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 9, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697 "2018-10-09T15:19:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/21 "2018-10-09T17:44:58Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I wonder what really happened. Gee, you sound really concerned. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/22 "2018-10-09T18:08:41Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > We had a thread not too long about voters being purged if they didn’t vote in the last one or two elections. This seems to be fairly common (not just Georgia, but other states, too). [Here’s an article about Georgia:](https://politics.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/supreme-court-allows-voter-purges-states-like-georgia/TJZqgnWEAWOBvUMdB9eDOP/) > > > [@](#): > > > > Georgia and other states can target people who haven’t cast ballots in a while in efforts to purge their voting rolls, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday in an Ohio case that has drawn wide attention amid stark partisan divisions and the approach of the 2018 elections. > > Is this an example of that policy? If so, there is a chance that what is being done is legal. It wouldn’t surprise me if that was the case, but it’s hard to tell for sure from the OP’s article. > [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > It is a [combination](https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/10/09/us/ap-us-election-2018-georgia-governor-voter-registration.html)of purging infrequent voters and purging people with trivial differences between their registration and their ID documents, such as a dropped hyphen in one’s last name. Or who treated a postcard soliciting confirmation that they haven’t left the state as though it were unimportant junk mail (if anyone could locate, and post an image of the postcards sent out, it would be helpful). > [@](#): > > It is bullshit, and more evidence that our country is in a cold civil war. The GOP seems to be happy with that, as they have the upper hand. QFT > [@](#): > > We’ll see how long that lasts. God (and the FSM and the IPU) willing, not past next January. Oh, and [Bob.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._%22Bob%22_Dobbs#/media/File:Bobdobbs.png) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/23 "2018-10-09T18:32:22Z")
I’m kinda partisan, so before I decide, is this slithering scum of an idea Republican or Democratic? Disturbed minds want to know. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/24 "2018-10-09T18:51:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Scumpup shows up one minute after I do-what a coincidence! > > Get a hobby, Staulky. First, “staulky” isn’t a word. Second, pointing ànd laughing at you when you display such total lack of self-awareness isn’t stalking. I don’t even do it every time you say something stupid. That would be a full-time job. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/25 "2018-10-09T18:58:32Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Whereas it took you a full three minutes after me. Czar posted in this thread before you, and replied to your post to ask a question. Scum just popped in to attempt a non-thread related swipe at Czar. You really should be able to see a difference there. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/26 "2018-10-09T19:05:42Z")
Just a reminder from your friendly neighborhood Try2B that Jim Crow was also entirely legal. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/27 "2018-10-09T20:06:55Z")
Predictable thread is predictable: 1. They should go to jail!!!11! This is illegal!!!11!!! 2. Actually, it is legal, see Supreme Court case. 3. But Jim Crow was also legal! Lather rinse repeat. The idea is: if it’s legal, you can’t send people to jail for doing it, unless we live in Democrat Party Nirvana, where jail sentences are handed down based on the unwritten rules of Leftists Must Triumph. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/28 "2018-10-09T20:10:59Z")
As opposed to Fuck Ethics and Morality! I’ve got the Law on my side! ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/29 "2018-10-09T20:19:34Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Predictable thread is predictable: > > 1. They should go to jail!!!11! This is illegal!!!11!!! > > 2. Actually, it is legal, see Supreme Court case. > > 3. But Jim Crow was also legal! > > Lather rinse repeat. > > The idea is: if it’s legal, you can’t send people to jail for doing it, unless we live in Democrat Party Nirvana, where jail sentences are handed down based on the unwritten rules of Leftists Must Triumph. Good point. The slow destruction of Democracy and the transformation of the United States into a de facto single party state (A party that isn’t even all that popular) is being accomplished by entirely legal means. Makes me feel right patriotic it does. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/30 "2018-10-09T20:20:53Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > The idea is: if it’s legal, you can’t send people to jail for doing it, unless we live in Democrat Party Nirvana, where jail sentences are handed down based on the unwritten rules of Leftists Must Triumph. I doubt anyone has committed a crime, but your certainty that they haven’t is misplaced. In the “Democrat Party’s” America, cases are decided based on facts. One of the most important facts in the voting rights context is intent. You can take an identical action with different intent and transform it from legal to illegal, constitutional to unconstitutional, perfectly hunky dory to criminal conspiracy. What is being alleged here is that Kemp is using the powers of his office to directly benefit his own election, and is doing so by targeting the black and brown voters he expects to vote for his opponent. Is that true? I dunno. But neither do you. It is certainly worthy of investigation. The people who don’t believe in due process are the people who want to declare that everything is perfectly legal and fine before they know the facts. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/31 "2018-10-09T20:25:31Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > The people who don’t believe in due process are the people who want to declare that everything is perfectly legal and fine before they know the facts. And the ones who do believe in due process declare the end of democracy in Georgia, presumably. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/32 "2018-10-09T20:28:10Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > And the ones who do believe in due process declare the end of democracy in Georgia, presumably. > > Regards, > Shodan You’re conflating whether this is bad for democracy with whether a crime has been committed. It is clearly bad for democracy. We don’t know if it is criminal. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/33 "2018-10-09T20:43:17Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > Brian Kemp deserves jail time, as do all the people who worked with him on this project. > [@Bricker](#): > > Predictable thread is predictable: > > 1. They should go to jail!!!11! This is illegal!!!11!!! 1. I’ve read the thread twice looking for the place where someone said this was illegal. As best as I can tell, you’re the first person who’s made any reference either way about its possible illegality. 2. I know it must upset you that people often believe the real crime is what’s legal. 3. Predictable **Bricker** is predictable: turning everyone’s remarks into a discussion of the law. 4. Get a dictionary, dude. Merriam-Webster has this to say about ‘deserve’: “ **deserve** is used when a person should rightly receive something good or bad because of his or her actions or character.” Sounds like the OP was using the word correctly. And you are twisting it around. 5. This habit of yours is getting boring as shit. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/34 "2018-10-09T20:49:28Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > 1. I’ve read the thread twice looking for the place where someone said this was illegal. As best as I can tell, you’re the first person who’s made any reference either way about its possible illegality. > > 2. I know it must upset you that people often believe the real crime is what’s legal. > > 3. Predictable **Bricker** is predictable: turning everyone’s remarks into a discussion of the law. > > 4. Get a dictionary, dude. Merriam-Webster has this to say about ‘deserve’: “ **deserve** is used when a person should rightly receive something good or bad because of his or her actions or character.” Sounds like the OP was using the word correctly. And you are twisting it around. > > 5. This habit of yours is getting boring as shit. So you think Kemp should go to jail even if he has not broken the law. Thus we will save democracy in Georgia. Hmm. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/35 "2018-10-09T20:51:31Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > So you think Kemp should go to jail even if he has not broken the law. Thus we will save democracy in Georgia. Hmm. Thinking that he **should** go to jail is not the same as thinking he **deserves** to go to jail. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/36 "2018-10-09T20:54:54Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > So you think Kemp should go to jail even if he has not broken the law. Thus we will save democracy in Georgia. Hmm. > > Regards, > Shodan Got news for you: Whoever you hired to translate the posts on this message board from English to Idiot has really been messing with you. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/37 "2018-10-09T21:06:45Z")
**Bricker** , let me burn that predictable strawman of yours right to the fucking ground. When I said “he should go to jail,” I was, not, in fact, making a legal argument. I was expressing emotional outrage at actions that, to be, seem flatly and unabashedly anti-Democratic. Since, if there’s one thing I can take national pride in it’s our Democracy, you might understand why one might get upset when the government disenfranchises voters in such a direct way. So, again, in case it was confusing to you let me rephrase the OP more directly: 1. Democracy is the foundation of our nation. 2. Intentionally preventing people from participating in said Democracy by removing them from the rolls based on arbitrary criteria is morally repugnant, anti-American, and IMHO should be criminal. 3. Pre-emptive: no, I do not think this means the State has a duty to, like, drive every person to the polls in a limo. There is obviously a set of appropriate actions and responsibilities of the government. It is my opinion that the actions reported in the OP are outside of that set. 4. A politician who purges the rolls in such a way, even if it was unpartisan in nature, undermines the authority of the government in dangerous ways. If I am prevented from voting by the government itself, why should I feel obligated to subject myself to its authority? One person here or there, and this is maybe not a concerning question. Thousands in a state, and it is. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/38 "2018-10-09T21:28:34Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Predictable thread is predictable: > > 1. They should go to jail!!!11! This is illegal!!!11!!! > > 2. Actually, it is legal, see Supreme Court case. > > 3. But Jim Crow was also legal! > > Lather rinse repeat. > > The idea is: if it’s legal, you can’t send people to jail for doing it, unless we live in Democrat Party Nirvana, where jail sentences are handed down based on the unwritten rules of Leftists Must Triumph. “Democrat Party Nirvana”. Oh please. “Lock her up Lock her up” is the republican party’s mating call. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/39 "2018-10-09T21:44:58Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > [Brian Kemp deserves jail time > [@Shodan](#): > > So you think Kemp should go to jail even if he has not broken the law. > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Thinking that he **should** go to jail is not the same as thinking he **deserves** to go to jail. > [@Eonwe](#): > > When I said “he should go to jail,” Crazy semantic argument gets even crazier. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697/40 "2018-10-09T21:59:39Z")
Y’know… hyperbole’s the real problem in this thread. _It’s the worst thing **ever**!!_ Rhetoric is dead on the SDMB. Thanks, **Eonwe**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-is-dead-in-georgia/822697.md?page=3)