As reported by the Racine Post, Racine mayoral candidate Jody Harding supports taking away people’s right to vote if they’re on welfare or receiving other forms of government subsidies. Specifically, here’s what Harding said on said on her blog last year:
In American hearts, the vote is probably our most sacred right, so what I am about to say may shock you.
I believe that any individual who is receiving a government subsidy should lose his/her right to vote for as long as s/he receives that subsidy.
This right would be reinstated as soon as the government subsidies ceased; however, no vote could be cast as long government “aid” was received. By “aid” I mean any form of payment from the government, whether it be cash or voucher, food stamps, housing allowance, aid to dependent children or farm subsidies. Any payment or reduced expense funded by the government should cause its recipient to lose his/her right to vote.
The only exceptions would be
* Payments for work that would receive a wage in the private sector
* Social security retirement benefits
* Short term unemployment benefits
* Any benefit that improves the community at large, such as the provisions for police, public schools, public roads, etc.
* Any other government benefit would cause the loss of the right to vote.
Harding was asked by the Racine Post if she stood behind her comments now that she’s a mayoral candidate, and she made it clear she did.
Here’s some interesting data about Racine County. According to state data, 209 Racine County residents participated in the state’s W-2 program in January. Another 1,500 people received housing vouchers from the Housing Authority of Racine County and 29,058 Racine County residents received food stamps in 2008. There are also 597 pregnant women in Racine County and the 5,907 adult caretakers in Racine County who participate in BadgerCare, all of whom would have their right to vote taken away if Jody Harding had her way.
Then again, by Jody Harding’s logic, my 35 year-old wife who just finished getting her degree in nursing wouldn’t have been eligible to vote for the past 4 years, considering she received Pell Grants which subsidized her college education.
No doubt, Jody Harding’s got a great chance of winning the Racine mayoral race!
I have a feeling Ms. Harding was talking about those people on welfare…not those receiving school grants.
Holy Cow…those numbers are unreal. But…yet…they keep reproducing. They can’t afford the kids they have but they keep having more and more. Maybe she should advocate for sterilization instead if you are on welfare.
Anon, Jody Harding listed her only exceptions to denying the right to vote to those receiving welfare or other government subsidies. Those exceptions were:
* Payments for work that would receive a wage in the private sector
* Social security retirement benefits
* Short term unemployment benefits
* Any benefit that improves the community at large, such as the provisions for police, public schools, public roads, etc.
* Any other government benefit would cause the loss of the right to vote.
I don’t see school grants on that list of exceptions.
Yeah. I got that the first time around. I’m just assuming she meant the people on welfare which is why I wrote “I have a feeling…”.
BTW…congrats to your wife. Kudos to her for going to school and getting her nursing degree. It’s not an easy thing to do when you are single with no kids. I can just imagine how hard it was for her being married with kids. My hat is off to her. What a great accomplishment!
Anon, you could be right. Perhaps she meant to say it, but the fact remains she didn’t. To be honest though, I don’t really understand the rationale behind her idea. Voting is a fundamental right in this country, and I know you’ll agree that our right to vote as a people is what separates us from two-bit dictatorships and makes our nation great. To deny anyone that right simply because they’re down on their luck – or worse, they’ve come into some bad times – is both dangerous and irresponsible.
P.S. – Thanks for your kind words about my wife. The past four and a half years have been a struggle for us all, but none more than her, and you’re right that this is a great accomplishment for her. Her life’s dream was to be an RN, and so I’m thrilled she’ll have the chance to do what she really loves.
She specifies Social Security retirement benefits. Which means she doesn’t believe handicapped people who receive disability benefits should be able to vote. I would hope that someone in the area of working for the rights of handicapped individuals would pick that up and run with it.
Honestly, she’s a pretty well known as a lunatic in Racine so don’t expect her to get past the crazy primary.
I’m so proud of the place I was born and raised! Pedo mayor and lunatic replacement candidates; their proud history as a manufacturing epicenter now a faded memory. Racine – A Great Place To Live!!
JCG, every city has their share of “interesting characters;” Racine’s just seem to be making news right now.
Isn’t Fred Dooley from Racine (DiGaudio, too — or is he Kenosha)?
Tim, Fred’s from Racine….not sure about Peter though.