Voting: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Why Hacker News recommends it
Used in political threads as a reference on voter ID laws and their effects, and often rebutted or disputed in the replies.
What it is
A John Oliver Last Week Tonight segment on voting access in the US, covering how some states are making voting less equal. It is a comedic news commentary piece.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2018 to 2025.
What Hacker News said
Recommends SideburnsOfDoom · 2018-01 · on “North Carolina Is Ordered to Redraw Its Congressional Map”
> People would complain a lot less about the ID requirement if the ID was equally easy to get for all voters, which it isn't. This is the nub of it. The way to disenfranchise people "legitimately" is to 1) insist on the voters having an Id and 2) make it hard for some people to get the necessary Id. Longer discussion here [this video] "these restrictions tend to disproportionately impact African-American and Latino voters"
Cites mrguyorama · 2019-05 · on “Google Is Bringing Electronic IDs to Android”
That would require the government to WANT the disenfranchised to have voting IDs. Republicans claim it's "Common Sense", but see here for how it's entirely fucked up [this video]
Cites youeseh · 2019-09 · on “Sanders wants to replace credit reporting companies with public credit registry”
Assuming that you're right that 96% have an ID, then what problem are we solving by forcing the other 4% into getting an ID? Is it even a problem? Do you have data to show that it is a real problem? Check this out: [this video] Btw, you shouldn't mix up Walmart with the government. They aren't. Walmart can structure their customer experience any way they want as long as they aren't breaking the law.
Cites aredox · 2025-04 · on “US Administration announces 34% tariffs on China, 20% on EU”
Provably false. [this video] And you need to do paperwork, which means you have to pay and find time. How do people with 2 or 3 jobs do?
Critical youeseh · 2019-09 · on “Sanders wants to replace credit reporting companies with public credit registry”
Hey, I watched the video and found it interesting that the guy interviewed people in Berkeley and New York - places where voter suppression is not an issue. Some counterpoints: [this video]