# I Pit the ID-demanding GOP vote-suppressors (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 12, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943 "2012-06-12T19:15:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 324
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6461 "2014-10-03T15:24:12Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Still having a bit of trouble confirming this optimistic assessment, as Google keeps bringing me butter substitutes. Clarification would be helpful, right about now. Counselor? Maybe OLEO stands for the Organization of Lies and Evasion Organization. They also support useless repetition. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6462 "2014-10-03T15:43:52Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I’m not even sure if you’re disagreeing with me any more. There’s another “link within a link” about the “Souls to the polls” stuff somewhere in that report, if you’re curious. > > But I think I’ve established that it is reasonable to believe that a significant motivator by the GOP in OH for eliminating the last-Sunday/last-Monday for early voting is to reduce Democratic turnout. OK. I don’t agree you have, but as long as you’re happy. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6463 "2014-10-03T15:44:21Z")
> [@](#): > > …They also support useless repetition. Which we must renounce, denounce, and condemn! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6464 "2014-10-03T15:47:41Z")
**Bricker**? OREO? Is this thing on? Hello? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6465 "2014-10-03T15:53:29Z")
OLEO! D’oh! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6466 "2014-10-03T15:53:45Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I don’t agree you have, but as long as you’re happy. Why don’t you agree? They got rid of the days that had the best early turnout. Was that by accident? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6467 "2014-10-03T16:00:46Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Why don’t you agree? They got rid of the days that had the best early turnout. Was that by accident? Those same days were the last days before. The high turnout is explained simply by those being the last days. The next election will have similar figures for the new “last days.” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6468 "2014-10-03T16:48:42Z")
Okay, I can see that if there are early voting days at all, the last of those early days could be busier since people procrastinate. Fine. Now, why were ANY days removed? Budget cuts? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6469 "2014-10-03T17:46:12Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Those same days were the last days before. The high turnout is explained simply by those being the last days. The next election will have similar figures for the new “last days.” The new “last days” leave a totally unnecessary gap, which will undoubtedly lead to at least some people trying to vote on what they think is the last day, but won’t be allowed. That’s totally avoidable – if days have to be removed, why would they remove the “logical” last days? They could remove days at the earliest part of the early voting period, and anyone who tried to vote on those days would just learn that they could vote later. By removing days at the end of the voting period, there will be people who want to vote but can’t, because they were a little behind on the news. This is an entirely avoidable problem. I believe that the GOP architects of this idea don’t see this as a problem – they see this as a boon. Their explanation is wholly unsatisfactory for explaining why this gap exists. The simplest and most logical explanation is that the GOP removed those days and are leaving the gap because they want to leave the gap in the voting period, and the simplest and most logical reason for that is that they think it will help them win elections. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6470 "2014-10-03T17:49:13Z")
By the way, I also Googled “Ohio oleo vote” and I can’t find an obvious reference to any advisory body named OLEO. I did find a page from a 1949 issue of the Toledo _Blade_ with a headline saying “Colored Oleo Vote Assured in Ohio”, which turned out be about margerine and not minority enfranchisement, though it was immediately next to an article headlined: “Negroes Appeal Racial Zoning.” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6471 "2014-10-03T18:16:40Z")
Granpa? What are “Negroes”? ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6472 "2014-10-03T18:24:49Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The simplest and most logical explanation is that the GOP removed those days and are leaving the gap because they want to leave the gap in the voting period, and the simplest and most logical reason for that is that they think it will help them win elections. This simply doesn’t follow at all unless you have the conclusion pre-built in and are trying to draw arrows to it. As evidenced by the previous paragraph. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6473 "2014-10-03T18:38:09Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > This simply doesn’t follow at all unless you have the conclusion pre-built in and are trying to draw arrows to it. As evidenced by the previous paragraph. Have you been following this whole conversation? There is plenty more to this than that one post. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6474 "2014-10-03T18:40:06Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Have you been following this whole conversation? There is plenty more to this than that one post. Yes, I have. The entire fucking mess. You’re logic and leaps don’t follow unless you are pre-assuming the GOP are lying, thieving, election stealing bastards and are trying to draw the conversation to taht conclusion. It’s how the chemtrail people work too… no offense. I assumed you better than that. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6475 "2014-10-03T18:48:59Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > Yes, I have. The entire fucking mess. You’re logic and leaps don’t follow unless you are pre-assuming the GOP are lying, thieving, election stealing bastards and are trying to draw the conversation to taht conclusion. > It’s how the chemtrail people work too… no offense. I assumed you better than that. Okay, I obviously disagree. I look at this trend of GOP pushes, especially in swing states and swing districts, to alter voting requirements (including both ID requirements and early voting), universally in ways that will negatively affect Democratic turnout to the benefit of the GOP. Because there is no evidence of significant voter fraud, anywhere at all, I don’t believe this is a coincidence. I believe this is politically motivated. This really isn’t going out on a limb. I believe the Democrats are politically motivated in fighting against this as well – assuming a political action is politically motivated is not particularly risky, in general. The Democrats want to protect their own turnout, and make their own turnout as high as possible. So while both sides are politically motivated, I believe, I also think that trying to make it harder for people to vote is morally worse than trying to make it easier, without significant evidence of voter fraud. And I add to this statements explicitly supporting this idea by various Republican officials. And I’m still not 100% certain. Maybe the Republicans are all just brilliant guys who are idiots when it comes to explaining why they’re doing this – but the explanations they provide, except for the ones that explicitly say things like “this will help Romney win Pennsylvania!”, do not fit the facts. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6476 "2014-10-03T18:52:39Z")
Fair enough. However, that being said, I do not imagine a scenario where the Pubs give an explanation that Dems/ Libs/ non-Pubs / choose your non-specific political affiliation or bent will say “OK, I believe you.” without saying, “We just want to restrict this election to WASP-y rich old men who have donated over 10K to their local conservative organization. Fuck the brown-skinned and the poor.” ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6477 "2014-10-03T19:03:07Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > Fair enough. However, that being said, I do not imagine a scenario where the Pubs give an explanation that Dems/ Libs/ non-Pubs / choose your non-specific political affiliation or bent will say “OK, I believe you.” without saying, “We just want to restrict this election to WASP-y rich old men who have donated over 10K to their local conservative organization. Fuck the brown-skinned and the poor.” That’s not what I think the explanation is. I think it’s more like this: ‘Why should voting be easy? We want to make voter fraud impossible, even though it barely happens as it is now. And we don’t feel the need to spend any money at all to make voting easier for folks who are too lazy to get off their butts on election day, or too poor and lazy to get IDs, or voters who don’t know which days to vote, or voters who didn’t bother registering ahead of time. Especially because those folks are more likely to vote Democratic. And this is going to help us win elections. And we can get away with it, so let’s do it.’ ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6478 "2014-10-03T19:07:11Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > I do not imagine a scenario where the Pubs give an explanation …without saying, “…Fuck the brown-skinned and the poor.” Well, can _you_? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6479 "2014-10-03T19:07:45Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > That’s not what I think the explanation is. I think it’s more like this: > > ‘Why should voting be easy? We want to make voter fraud impossible, even though it barely happens as it is now. And we don’t feel the need to spend any money at all to make voting easier for folks who are too lazy to get off their butts on election day, or too poor and lazy to get IDs, or voters who don’t know which days to vote, or voters who didn’t bother registering ahead of time. Especially because those folks are more likely to vote Democratic. And this is going to help us win elections. And we can get away with it, so let’s do it.’ OK… so I guess that’s my point. No explanation is going to satisfy you unless they come out on Fox twirling their moustaches while tying Tess to the tracks and lighting crosses on lawns. I’m not necessarily convinced this is reality. I’m also not convinced the government sprays nerve agents out the backs of secret black ops jets, however, there are many that do. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943/6480 "2014-10-03T19:10:52Z")
So what innocent explanation do \*you \*offer? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943.md?page=323) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-id-demanding-gop-vote-suppressors-part-1/624943.md?page=325)