Bush Veterans Affairs Department bans voter registration drives at veterans facilities.

Bush Veterans Affairs Department bans voter registration drives at veterans facilities.

thinkprogress.org

This past May, the Veterans Affairs Department, led by Secretary James Peake, issued a directive prohibiting nonpartisan voter registration drives “at federally financed nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and shelters for homeless veterans.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.nytimes.com

[edit on 11-8-2008 by Animal]

[edit on 11-8-2008 by Animal]

[edit: fixed broken/long links]

[edit on 11-8-2008 by 12m8keall2c]

The federal government should be doing everything it can to support our nation’s veterans who have served us so courageously. There can be no justification for any barrier that impedes the ability of veterans to participate in democracy’s most fundamental act, the vote.

The department offers two reasons to justify its decision. First, it claims that voter registration drives are disruptive to the care of its patients. This is nonsense. Veterans can fill out a voter registration card in about 90 seconds.

Second, the department claims that its employees cannot help patients register to vote because the Hatch Act forbids federal workers from engaging in partisan political activities. But this interpretation of the Hatch Act is erroneous. Registering people to vote is not partisan activity.

This to me sounds like partisan political stunts aimed at suppressing the vote. Could it be that Republican politicians are afraid of the Military vote and want to do everything in their power to prevent it form having the full impact it should on our elections? Could it be that Party Power is more important to some politicians than the legitimacy of our political system?

Regardless of what the motivations are for these actions treating those who have suffered for our nation, ie the troops, is simply a cowardly, honorless, and hateful act of disrespect.

thinkprogress.org
(visit the link for the full news article)






Mod Edit: Link correction - Jak

[edit on 11/8/08 by JAK]

reply to post by Animal


Thanks for posting this!

It's a shame if it is that they should fear the veteran vote. It's a shame if they suspect that there is voter fraud amongst veteran communities, even make-shift one's in hospitals. It's a shame that the congress and Senate thought this was OK. Or did they? This is some appointees idea right?

"They couldn't get us killed, so now they want to silence us." - I expect to see that on a protest sign. Unless the vets will be too far away in some "Free Speech Zone."

Sounds to me like they plan on suppressing the "I'm pissed because they cut my VA benefits" crowd. Registering to vote is not a partisan activity, at least until the MADE you declare a party...completely ridiculous.

All my friends in service plan on voting Democratic this fall.....shows you how much the current administration has turned off the 'strong on defense' vote.

HOW DOES THE ARMY AND OTHER BRANCHES OF THE MILITARY REGISTER TO VOTE????

ARE THEY PARTICIPATING IN PARTISAN ACTIVITIES ON MY TAX BUCK??

I really do not see your concern. As a veteran who spends way too much time at the V.A. , I honestly believe most of the older vets ww2, Korea, Vietnam would more than likely register Republican.

At the V.A. hospital in Memphis you can barely get down the hallway because of the number of people, so I can safely say we do not need anymore complications. And I am not a Bush supporter.

Think I might've found one of the reasons he did this.

www.metnews.com...

CO vet; Where are you at in CO. I used to live in Co. Springs. Man I miss the Denver V.A. Best V.A. I have had to use.

Hmm... for some reason I'm strangely reminded of public school boards banning military recruitment on school grounds by this story.

Answered capgrup's question through U2U.

[edit on 8/11/08 by CO Vet]

reply to post by capgrup

...would more than likely register Republican.

That is rather absurd....

Washington, D.C. – “Yesterday, the House Republicans voted to reject increased funds for veterans’ health care in the war supplemental and today they voted to actually cut veterans benefits in their budget resolution. This is wrong,” said Lane Evans (IL), the senior Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee.
The budget resolution passed, primarily along party lines, by 218 to 213.
The GOP budget resolution contains reconciliation orders requiring the House Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Committee to cut benefits or to tax veterans by increasing their fees. For fiscal year 2006, the VA Committee must identify $155 million in benefits cuts or increased fees; and $798 million over the next five years.

Good to see the Republicans want to look out for our troops they are so quick to put in harms way! I would vote for guys that would cut my health care too!

source.

I know better than most what the funding cuts are doing to the V.A. care. Just because some report says the republicans have denied more money to the veterans in no way means that those same veterans will or will not blame them for it.

I spend hours and hours a month talking with these men and women while waiting 3 hours after my appointment was supposed to have taken place so I do tend to believe them over someone who conducted a poll on the phone or asked some half a$$ed question expecting a disertation on the subject.

As a matter of course, most older vets will not talk with people who they have nothing in common with at the hospital; for example alot of them ask you about religion or service or trade stories and yes politics. If you read what I wrote I said "older" veterans are not so worried about inane issues as whether there should be voter registration on V.A. property. As far as funding issues they have gone through this sad situation time and time again so they know how it will affect them.

reply to post by CO Vet


No you found a reason why a perticular group was banned in 2004, for being a partisan group...For wearing a John Kerry button...

The article I linked states:

This past May, the Veterans Affairs Department, led by Secretary James Peake, issued a directive prohibiting nonpartisan voter registration drives “at federally financed nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and shelters for homeless veterans.

Originally posted by Animal
reply to post by CO Vet

 

No you found a reason why a perticular group was banned in 2004, for being a partisan group...For wearing a John Kerry button...

The article I linked states:

This past May, the Veterans Affairs Department, led by Secretary James Peake, issued a directive prohibiting nonpartisan voter registration drives “at federally financed nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and shelters for homeless veterans.

The case was decided August 8, 2008. And supposedly these groups in CA were nonpartisan also.

[edit on 8/11/08 by CO Vet]

reply to post by CO Vet


FRom the article you provided:

Rafferty had received written permission from the facility’s manager to register voters, provided he not interrupt patient care, but when he arrived at Building 331 wearing a “John Kerry” button and introducing the group as being affiliated with the Democratic Party, a nurse asked them to leave.

The department subsequently revoked Rafferty’s permission, advising him that 38 C.F.R. § 1.218(a)(14) precluded “partisan activities” on the property. The regulation applies to activities including “those involving commentary or actions in support of, or in opposition to, or attempting to influence, any current policy of the Government of the United States, or any private group, association, or enterprise.”

The title of the article you proved:

Court: Political Party Has No Right to Register Voters at VA Facility

My point:

A Bush appointee is blocking NON-PARTISAN voter registration derives. Meaning people who are NOT affiliated with either party can NOT go to the VA to help vets register to vote.

reply to post by Animal


I know what you're shooting for. I'm just pointing out how in 2004, which this case dealt with, partisan groups were claiming they were nonpartisan to get access to Veterans facilities.

reply to post by CO Vet


So your point is that because ONE guy broke the rules and showed up at a VA Hospital with a partisan button on NO ONE should be able to go to VA Hospitals to register Vets to vote. IF that is the case I must say that is a rather extreme point of view and does nothing but limit disabled vets ability to participate in the system they gave life and limb to defend.

It sounds like it was not hard for the VS to weed out the partisan hack who tired ot get past the system so why shut the system down? Fear? That is my guess.

I see why partisan politics has no place in the registration process....but I don't get why there can't be election officials that are authorized to help these guys register? EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE!(unless they disagree with the administration).

reply to post by Animal


Well I guess your guess is as good as anyone elses guess. But it's still only a guess.

I think I'll start taking pictures of VA facilities when I go to my doctor appointments on a daily basis. Walter Reed is only the start. You'd be sick at how us Vets are treated by the staff and the system in general. DOnt buy the BS when the VA says they give us superior care....sure superior to a third world country.

reply to post by DisabledVet


Maybe that's what they don't want reflected in the polls.

(PS - me too - been there - it's almost a joke)

[edit on 11-8-2008 by Maxmars]