South African Union Accuses Anglo American Platinum (AAP) of Racism: Firing Workers, "Resetting Benefits" - Good for Business

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In photo, miners congretaed at Blesbok stadium, saying they have refused to accept their dismissal by Anglo American Platinum, the world's largest primary producer of platinum, accounting for about 38% of the world's annual supply. [MORE] From [HERE] and [HERE] The National Union of Mineworkers accused Anglo American Platinum Monday of “racism” as the impasse between striking miners and the world’s top platinum producer escalated.

The NUM alleged that its leader in Rustenburg, the scene of a wildcat strike that brought Amplats’ operations to a halt, was called derogatory names by the company’s security officials at its Swartklip Union mine in Limpopo province. The official was racially abused Monday together with a journalist for the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the union charged in a statement.

The union’s attempts to intercede on behalf of miners fired last week by Amplats had been thwarted, said NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka. “It has become very clear that the company promotes racism through procuring security and other services from racists and their companies and that it has no intention to empower African people,” Seshoka said. “The company has a week ago embarked on mass dismissals and was in the process of doing the same at Swartklip when the NUM leaders sought to intervene and speak to members only to be met with imported racism of a special type.”

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Psychopath Zimmerman Wants to Delay Trial

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From [HERE] Psychopath George Zimmerman will ask a Florida judge to delay his murder trial and request that Trayvon Martin's school records and information from the teen's social media accounts be released.

Zimmerman's attorneys said in motions made public Monday that they expect to take between 50 and 75 depositions, and more time is needed to review all of the prosecution's evidence.

Zimmerman's attorneys say they'll also ask the judge to allow Martin's school records to be subpoenaed, as well as information from his Twitter and Facebook accounts. Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Martin last February in a gated community in Sanford.

Federal Judge Grants Stay of Texas Execution for Jonathan Green to argue Competency: Another Black Man Facing Death for Killing White Victim

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Death Penalty Racially Biased. Since 1977, the overwhelming majority of death row defendants (77%) have been executed for killing white victims, even though African-Americans make up about half of all homicide victims. [MORE]  From [HERE] U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas has stayed the execution of Jonathan Green, who was scheduled to be put to death on Wednesday, October 10 for the 2000 abduction and murder of Christina Neal in Montgomery County (“Federal judge stops execution this week in Texas,” October 8, 2012).  Judge Atlas ruled on an appeal from Green’s attorneys challenging a state district judge’s decision two years ago that he was mentally competent for execution.  Green reportedly suffers from schizophrenia for which he receives no medication.  He received a last-minute stay of execution in 2010.

Atlas said her ruling was concerned ‘only with the question whether Green is entitled to a stay of execution and not with the ultimate question of whether he is incompetent to be executed.’

‘It is clear from the record that, at a minimum, the trial court prevented Green from presenting testimony by treating mental health professionals, relied on an order solicited from and drafted by the state to which Green had no opportunity to object, and applied at least one incorrect legal standard,’ Atlas ruled. Atlas left open the possibility of holding an evidentiary hearing on Green’s competency, writing in her ruling that while Green didn’t fail to develop the factual basis of his claim, ‘rather, he was prevented from doing so.’ 

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White Prosecutor (PA) and wife Charged with Horrific Abuse of Adopted Black Children from Ethiopia: Found Near death with Skull Fractures, Starvation

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From [HERE] and [HERE] A white deputy Attorney General in Pennsylvania and his wife have been arrested after their two adopted Black children from Ethiopia were found starved and beaten to near death according to police. Deputy Attorney General Douglas Barbour and his wife, Kristen were arraigned today after their 6-year-old boy was found malnourished with skin lesions and the 18-month-old girl having multiple skull fractures and being possibly permanently blind.

A doctor has recommended that the children have no contact with their parents, particularly the girl who was said could be injured again or die if she remains with the Barbours, according to court documents. Allegheny County police said they began an investigation after the children saw a doctor on Sept. 14 and the boy was admitted to the hospital. 

The girl was found with five bone fractures from separate incidents and is feared going permanently blind from her injuries, KDKA reports. She may have suffered a stroke from the five different bone fractures.

Douglas Barbour, 33, and Kristen Barbour, 30, face charges of aggravated assault stemming from their daughter's treatment and endangering the welfare of children related to both the girl and boy. Douglas Barbour also faces a simple assault charge related to his son's condition. The couple also attempted to starve the child to death - as he had not eaten for a long period of time, according to CBS.

Both children, whose names were not released, went to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh on Sept. 14 after the boy was taken to an urgent care center for hypothermia, rapid breathing and skin lesions, which a doctor later determined were caused by lengthy exposure to urine, court documents say. The boy was admitted to the hospital.

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Obama Plays Out 'Faith Based Math' White Party (GOP) with Jobs Report: But No Change for Jobless Non-Whites

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Reverse Voter Suppression? Above, a party of white kooks, crazies and fruits in the blender. Isn't that what they call conspiracy theory folks who operate without proof? This conspiracy is brought to you by the same team that was unhappy when Bin Laden was killed and believed in the existence of WMD's in Iraq. The only thing these people care about is politics, money & winning debates. Their religon of white supremacy will give them the faith to believe anything contrary to what Obama says. He must have anticipated this, he played them. All Mittens has left now is his whiteness. But, Obama's successful politics have not led to results for jobless non-white people. Of course, Mittens could care less about that. Perhaps the only thing Obama accomplished during the debate was to let his silence function as a mirror to reveal this White Party Clownism. Like the guy with the bullhorn in the park: Hannity Joins The Conspiracy, Claims Obama Administration "Altered For Political Gain" Monthly Job Numbers [MORE]  From [HERE] The September jobs report released this morning contained encouraging economic news for the Obama Administration in the closing weeks of this year's election. The nation's unemployment rate fell to 7.8 percent in September, the lowest level in three years. The economy added 114,000 last month.

In more welcome news for Obama, the Bureau of Labor Statistics also reported that the economy added 86,000 more jobs in July and August than previously estimated. All in all today's data adds strength to the Administration's "stick with us, we're headed in the right direction" narrative.

While these top-line numbers suggest an improving economic situation, the broader jobs report reveals that the harsh reality for most Americans continues. For blacks, Latinos, and youth the picture is far less optimistic and remained in economic-depression territory. 1 out 7 African-Americans, 1 out of ten Latinos and 1 out of 4 people between 16-19 is unemployed. These numbers are essentially unchanged from August.

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The US presidential debates' illusion of political choice - Does it Matter Whether We 'Re-Nig in 2012'?

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Most of what matters in American political life is nowhere to be found in its national election debates. Penal policies vividly illustrate this point. America imprisons more of its citizens than any other nation on earth by far, including countries with far greater populations. As the New York Times reported in April 2008: "The United States has less than 5% of the world's population. But it has almost a quarter of the world's prisoners." One in four Black men is likely to be imprisoned. But these issues will not even be mentioned, let alone debated, by Mr. Mittens and Obama. From [HERE] The issue is not what separates Romney and Obama, but how much they agree. Wednesday night's debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney underscored a core truth about America's presidential election season: the vast majority of the most consequential policy questions are completely excluded from the process. This fact is squarely at odds with a primary claim made about the two parties – that they represent radically different political philosophies – and illustrates how narrow the range of acceptable mainstream political debate is in the country.

In part this is because presidential elections are now conducted almost entirely like a tawdry TV reality show. Personality quirks and trivialities about the candidates dominate coverage, and voter choices, leaving little room for substantive debates.

But in larger part, this exclusion is due to the fact that, despite frequent complaints that America is plagued by a lack of bipartisanship, the two major party candidates are in full-scale agreement on many of the nation's most pressing political issues. As a result these are virtually ignored, drowned out by a handful of disputes that the parties relentlessly exploit to galvanise their support base and heighten fear of the other side.

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Federal judge imprisons Latino Texas school district superintendent for test fraud

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From [HERE] The US District Court for the Western District of Texas on Friday sentenced the ex-superintendent of the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) [official websites] to three and a half years in prison for manipulating state standardized test scores by removing low-performing students from classrooms. Judge David Briones sentenced former EPISD superintendent Lorenzo Garcia to 42 months in prison and ordered Garcia to pay $236,500 in restitution and fines. Garcia pleaded guilty in June to two counts of fraud for conspiring to inflate the district's standardized test scores [AP report] by excluding hundreds of high school sophomores from taking the tests. Several EPISD employees expressed dissatisfaction with Garcia's sentence [El Paso Times report], saying the court should have given him a harsher sentence for defrauding the state and depriving students of educational opportunities. Six other people allegedly helped Garcia organize the testing scheme.

 

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Palast: Mr. President, What the hell happened?

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From [HERE] What the hell happened?  Did Barack have a fight with Michelle?  Was it nicotine withdrawal?  Do really rich guys just scare you, Mr. Obama?

Dear Mr. President:  As a journalist I don’t take partisan sides, but I do take America’s side.  And as Commander-in-Chief, you simply cannot fall asleep in the saddle.

I mean Commander-in-Chief in the Class War.  The war of the billionaires against the rest of us.

You were asked, “What is the role of government?”

You seemed stumped.  Lost.

Well, here’s three, Mr. President:

  1. Issue Social Security checks. Checks for cash money.  Not some bullshit voucher.
  2. Save General Motors and Motor City.
  3. Kill Osama.

Maybe you should have written those on your palm.  

When Mr. PBS Bumblebrain asked you the difference between your views and Gov. Romney’s on Social Security, you said, “You know, I suspect that, on Social Security, we’ve got a somewhat similar position.”

Really, Mr. President, REALLY?

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Federal judge allows Florida to proceed with voter roll purge - Ignores Voting Rights Act but only 180 Purged

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From [HERE] A judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Thursday ruled [opinion, PDF] that the state may move forward with its efforts to remove approximately 180 suspected non-citizens from its voter rolls. Several rights groups had filed suit to stop the purging process in Florida, arguing that it violated regulations in the Voting Rights Act and the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) [text, PDF]. The NVRA contains a provision that plaintiffs argued bars Florida from purging its rolls 90 days before the primary election. In his decision, Judge William Zloch rejected the argument:

Certainly, the NVRA does not require the State to idle on the sidelines until a non-citizen violates the law before the State can act. And surely the NVRA does not require a state to wait until after that critical juncture—when the vote has been cast and the harm has been fully realized—to address what it views as nothing short of "voter fraud" ... The Court finds that the Secretary has a compelling interest in ensuring that the voting rights of citizens are not diluted by the casting of votes by non-citizens.

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Is "Don't Re-Nig in 2012" Rigged? Networks, AP cancel exit polls in 19 states

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When the UN monitors international elections, one way they determine if the election process is credible or fraudulent is to take exit polls and compare the actual results to those of the exit poll. Exit polls in America have always been accurate, confirming that our elections are allegedly fair and honest -- except in the two elections in which Bush was involved. Exit polling is the last semi-independent check of an election's accuracy and the only way to quickly determine if the votes cast for a candidate match those counted by electronic machines. E-voting is not publicly observable & is conducted  privately [more] and [more] From [HERE] Breaking from two decades of tradition, this year’s election exit poll is set to include surveys of voters in 31 states, not all 50 as it has for the past five presidential elections, according to multiple people involved in the planning.

Dan Merkle, director of elections for ABC News, and a member of the consortium that runs the exit poll, confirmed the shift Thursday. The aim, he said, “is to still deliver a quality product in the most important states,” in the face of mounting survey costs.

The decision by the National Election Pool — a joint venture of the major television networks and The Associated Press — is sure to cause some pain to election watchers across the country. (For a full list of the states that won’t have exit polls scroll to the bottom of this post.)

Voters in the excluded states will still be interviewed as part of a national exit poll, but state-level estimates of the partisan, age or racial makeups of electorates won’t be available as they have been since 1992. The lack of data may hamper election night analyses in some states, and it will almost certainly limit post-election research for years to come.

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As Early Voting Begins, Billboard Attempts to Intimidate Black Voters in Cleveland

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From [HERE] A billboard declaring “Voter Fraud is a Felony” is now on display in Cleveland – a clear attempt to intimidate and suppress African American and student voters in the area. Early voting began Tuesday in Cleveland.

According to Cleveland City Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland, who took the photo, this sign is directly across from Arbor Park Village, a public housing development of more than 600 units. It is also within a few blocks of three public housing estates and right down the street from Cuyahoga Community College Metro Campus.

“This is blatant voter intimidation,” says Councilwoman Cleveland. “A direct attack in the heart of African American community meant to scare people and keep them from exercising their right to vote.”

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Federal Court of Appeals to Allow Racist Judge who made "Joke" Denigrating Blacks to Keep Judgeship & Salary: 'Obama's white Mom had sex with Dog'

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Will trials for non-whites be more just or more racist with Cebull around? From [HERE] and [HERE] The chief federal judge for Montana plans to step down from the post and take a reduced caseload next year after forwarding a racist joke involving President Barack Obama.

U.S. Courts spokeswoman Karen Redmond said Thursday U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull of Billings will take senior status March 18. That means he’ll vacate his position as chief judge for the state and allow the president to appoint a replacement. Cebull will take a reduced caseload but will still draw a salary and can keep a staff.

Cebull asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (other white judges) in March to review his conduct after he was criticized for the email that included a joke about bestiality and Obama’s mother. Cebull did not write the offensive material, but admitted forwarding the message on February 20 to a few friends after it was sent to him by his brother. The Great Falls Tribune was given a copy and reported that the message said:

"Normally I don't send or forward a lot of these, but even by my standards, it was a bit touching. I want all of my friends to feel what I felt when I read this. Hope it touches your heart like it did mine.

"A little boy said to his mother, 'Mommy, how come I'm black and you're white?' His mother replied, 'Don't even go there Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you're lucky you don't bark!'"

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Clemency urged for Black man facing execution in Texas for Juvenile Murder of White Officer

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From [HERE] The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and state Governor Rick Perry should grant clemency to an African American man due to be executed on 18 October for a crime committed when he was only 19 years old, Amnesty International said. 

Anthony Haynes, now 33, was sentenced to death in 1999 for the fatal shooting of off-duty police officer Kent Kincaid – who was white – in Houston a year earlier. Claims of racial discrimination, inadequate legal representation and judicial and prosecutorial misconduct have marked the case.

“To obtain a death sentence for Anthony Haynes, the prosecution had to persuade the jury that he would be an ongoing threat to society, even in prison. The state’s case was weak – the defendant had no prior criminal record – but it was helped by the failure of the defence lawyers to present compelling mitigating evidence available to them,” said Rob Freer, USA researcher at Amnesty International.

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Puppetician Mittens' Debate Deceptions Came Straight from the Hole: Fox News

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In photo Rupert Murdoch, the owner of FOX and WSJ. From [HERE] Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney echoed Fox News in his first debate with President Obama, citing various falsehoods and misleading claims often propagated by the supposedly "fair and balanced" news channel.

Romney's Claim That Tax Increase On Wealthy Will Harm Economy Came From Fox

Romney's Claim That Obama Is Responsible For Drop In Income Came From Fox

Romney's Claim That Obama Is Responsible For All Debt Added Since 2008 Came From Fox

Romney's Suggestion That Obama's Green Energy Policies Are Crony Capitalism Came From Fox

Romney's Claim That Repealing Obamacare Will Decrease The Deficit Came From Fox

Romney's Claim That Repealing PBS Is A Serious Deficit Reduction Proposal Came From Fox

Romney's Claim That Tax Cuts Lead To Hiring And Economic Growth Came From Fox

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Racist White Students at University of Texas Assaulting Unwanted Black Students with Bleach Filled Water Balloons

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From [HERE] and [HERE] Early Tuesday evening, University of Texas at Austin students and community members gathered under the shadow of the campus's iconic Martin Luther King Jr. statue. The Texas heat was beginning to relent, but fiery emotions in the wake of several violent incidents near campus brought the group together in order to speak out against what many are calling deep, lingering racism on and around campus. Organizers rallied participants at the statue, and two minority students spoke to the group about their recent experiences of being "bleach-bombed." The group then marched toward the West Campus neighborhood.

Over the past few weeks, reports of bleach-filled water balloons thrown from apartments in West Campus have gained attention and prompted a response from students in UT's minority communities who feel that these attacks are racially motivated.

Taylor Carr, a sophomore anthropology student, spoke to the group about her experience; bleach-filled balloons had been lobbed at her from a high apartment balcony as she walked through West Campus.

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Sweaty, Rambling Mittens Talks Over 'Tiger Woodsed' Obama in Dull Debate about Math

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Turning the electorate off by design? The Illusion of Choice presented to you courtesy of docile moderator, Jim Lehrer featured chosen and sanitized issues centered around the budget, taxes and the deficit. No chalkboard or calculator was provided on screen for the viewing votary. Mittens and Obama reeled off math figure after figure in a yawner about numbers. Mittens appeared to be hyper, sweaty and relished any opportunities to interrupt and lecture his melanated opponent - just for the sake of it - often repeating himself with a rambling whiney narrative. Like a sports fan he complained and offered few solutions. Clearly, he will say anything to win. A thoughtless electorate understandably unable to follow the blur of numbers reeled off by both politicians was left to judge the substance of the statements by watching their reactions via the TV spltscreeen. For the most part Obama took the high road and ignored Mittens' provocative attempts to get in the dirt - leaving it to the pundits to correct all of Mittens' deceptions and inaccuracies.  But Obama often looked like he got 'Tiger Woodsed' - 'Oh my, I didn't expect disrespect, racism I can't beleive it, what's next?.' Perhaps he reacted like this by design, lowering debate expectations Bush style for the rematch and his comeback. From [HERE] and [HERE] The full transcript of the Presidential Debate from Denver, Colo. is below: 
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Whitewashed White Party (GOP) Latest Message in "Don't Re-Nig" Campaign: Obama is Too Black

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Rush Limbaugh gave the important advice today to Ignore the Post-Debate Polls, Spin - logic being that the all white mainstream media is racist against themselves and love Obama & non-whites in general. Yesterday fatboy bemoaned "where is all the election signage?" It's just weird, given how crucially important to so many people this election is, and yet eyeball evidence is that there really isn't one going on.[MORE] Last month the GOP unveiled its new sign (in photo), logo and complete message in its efforts to represent the vanishing majority (white people)  - soon to be the 47% for real. Put one in your yard, window or hang it from a tree.[MORE]   From [HERE] It's rather amazing that Barack Obama has been on the national political stage for more than eight years and the far-right media, committed to hating the president with a peculiar passion, still haven't figured out the race angle. Or specifically, they haven't figured out which race-baiting angle they prefer to play against him.

The jarring dichotomy played out yesterday. That morning, conservative George Will argued in his Washington Post column that Obama's race would shield him from a re-election defeat because Americans will vote for him because he's black.

Then in the late afternoon and evening a media kerfuffle broke out after the habitually untrustworthy Drudge Report hyped a five-year-old video of Obama speaking at Hampton University. The unmistakable message from the overly excited members of GOP Noise machine on Tuesday was that the video "could dramatically impact" the election because it would showcase Obama as an angry man beset by racial grievances (it doesn't). The clear inference being that Americans won't vote for him because he's revealing his true black nature.

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Milwaukee Police Commission to Release info on Darius Simmons Case: 75 Yr. Old White Man Murdered Black Teen - Police Detained Mother & Searched her House

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From [HERE] New information in the Darius Simmons’ shooting case is expected to be released during Thursday’s meeting of Milwaukee’s Fire and Police Commission. Simmons’ was gunned down on May 31st — allegedly by his neighbor, 75-year-old John Spooner. He has pleaded not guilty to first degree intentional homicide in the case.

According to the criminal complaint, Simmons was retrieving the garbage from the curb when Spooner walked up to him and confronted him. Spooner, the alleged victim of multiple burglaries, accused the teen of being the culprit of at least one of the burglaries.

Spooner asked Simmons for his belongings back, including two shotguns. Simmons denied having anything to do with Spooners’ stolen property. Simmons’ mother Patricia Larry told police that she also told Spooner they had nothing to do with his stolen property. The criminal complaint says that’s when Spooner pulled out his gun and fired two shots at Simmons' chest, as his mother watched. When police arrived Spooner said, “Yeah I shot him.” [MORE]  The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide after examining the gunshot wounds on Simmons’ body.

Simmons’ mother claims she was mistreated by Milwaukee police during the initial investigation. She says she was detained in the back of a squad car for several hours. Police forced her to sit in a squad car rather than let her hold her dying son or join him at the hospital. Officers also rifled through her home looking for stolen firearms, and arrested another of her sons on a year-old truancy violation. Nothing unlawful was found in her home from the illegal police search.

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White Party Messaging - "Don't Re-Nig in 2012": Don't Worry, Man Says Obama Mask On Monkey Not Racist

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From [HERE] A Craig County man has stirred up some controversy with a political display-- that includes a monkey statue with a President Obama mask on it.

Curtis Caldwell says he cannot stand the President - but claims the monkey itself has nothing to do with the President's race. So he enlisted the help of one of his fake front yard animals, Moe the Monkey, to help get that message out. "I wasn't trying to make any racial comments about Obama, I just think he's a horrible President. Gotta be defeated. Need to get rid of him," said Caldwell.

 

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Pennsylvania judge blocks voter ID law for upcoming election

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From [HERE] A judge for the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court [official website] issued a preliminary injunction [opinion, PDF] on Tuesday preventing Pennsylvania's voter identification law [HB 943 materials] from taking effect for the upcoming presidential election. On remand from the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania [official website], Judge Robert Simpson enjoined enforcement of Act 18, which amended the provisional ballot section of the Election Code. Simpson held that Act 18 could cause voter disenfranchisement by requiring that all voters present a state issued or federal government issued photo ID in order to cast their ballot in the upcoming election. He explained that the photo ID requirements in the state's voter ID law do not conform with the "liberal access" standard set out by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Simpson reasoned:

First and foremost, the evidence is similar in kind to the prospective "assurances of government officials" testimony which the Supreme Court found an unsatisfactory basis for a "predictive judgment." ... Second, the proposed changes are to occur about five weeks before the general election, and I question whether sufficient time now remains to attain the goal of liberal access. Third, the proposed changes are accompanied by candid admissions by government officials that any new deployment will reveal unforeseen problems which impede implementation.

The preliminary injunction preventing Pennsylvania's voter ID law will only remain in effect for the November election, as instructed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. With five weeks remaining until election day, this decision could still be appealed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.