Voter Suppression and the G.O.P

If you have not been living under a rock or on another planet for last year then you are well aware of the housing crisis that has hit America hard. Besides falling home prices there has been a record number of home foreclosures in the last year. In fact, in the first 6 months of this year foreclosures are up 136% in comparison to last year's record number. And just this past Sunday the federal government had to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mainly because of predatory lending that was made easier by Phil Gramm, Senior Economic Adviser to McCain, and other congressional leaders (more details about this soon).

So how could the G.O.P possibly use record home foreclosures to their advantage? Well in swing state of Michigan there is a swing county named Macomb where the chairman of the Republican Party is planning to use the list of foreclosed homes to block people from voting in this upcoming election. WHAT?! It's true.

The GOP is declaring that they want a "fair" election and are arguing that if you no longer live in the home or county that you are not allowed to vote for that address. Like many arguments this party is spewing they pepper truth on to a false statement and generally try to alarm people. To the people of Macomb County and any other person in a foreclosed home you have the right to vote!

1) If your home is in the process of foreclosure you are still a resident of the home and county and as such are entitled to vote.
2) Even if you have been evicted from your home and do not have a new address you are entitled to vote at that address.

It amazes me that nearly 140 years after the 15th amendment passed that this is still going on in one way or the other. It is no surprise to me that the GOP is targeting this county and not Riverside, CA or Maricopa, AZ both hit hard by foreclosure but both not swing states and with low African-American populations.

This is just another way that the McCain campaign is trying to profit from the difficulties average Americans are facing. And to drive the point home McCain has set up its regional headquarters for the Macomb county in the office for foreclosure specialist Trott & Trott oh yeah and its founder, David Trott, has raised nearly $250,000 for McCain.