You know I thought about this last night and what @TwistedTiger said about proving that it makes it impossible to get an ID. And he's right, it doesn't make it impossible. It just makes it very very hard for some people. Most of all minorities and seniors in urban areas. I think of my Grandmother. Would it be hard for her to get an ID? Well, she has no license, and where she lives there is no public transportation and even if there was, in not sure I would want her to use it. So a member of my family would have to take off of work and take her to a dmv and we all know what that's like. Is this really how we treat our seniors in this country? It would be extemely hard to get my grandmother and ID. Some of these seniors are part of the greatest generation this country has seen. You look at Indiana. There has never in that state's history been a case of voter fraud. Yet the lawmakers in that state wasted taxpayer money and time enacting voter ID laws. In Texas you can use a gun permit as your ID but not a student ID. Who is more likely to vote R and who is more likely to vote D out of those 2 people. I'll admit it's very clever, and Republicans know they are a dying breed so in order to balance the fact that they are the minority they have to do whatever they can to keep people from voting. Democrats are just going to have to spend money and help people get ID's. Just don't do it the south, because they shoot people for doing that type of thing.
I have mixed feeling on this issue. On the one hand, there is no voter fraud problem this country. If you are registered to vote, you can vote. They give you a voter registration card and that has always been acceptable ID. The Constitution requires no ID as a requirement to vote. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. On the other hand, possessing proper and secure ID is increasingly important in this country. It protects everybody from identity theft, fraud, minors buying liquor, and terrorists boarding airlines among many instances. We should be issuing a national secure-chip ID card to all citizens like most advanced countries do. Then everybody will have one and ID should not be a problem. The problem with these new voter-ID laws is restricting the range of acceptable ID which can disenfranchise millions of people. My dad was born on a farm and had no birth certificate. Many, many people do not drive and have no drivers license. The law that was struck down would not even recognize military ID, VA identification, nursing home ID, voter registration cards, social security cards, government employee ID and college ID. Secure Passport cards are already available to US citizens, all we need to do is make them mandatory.
Several of y'all have mentioned having a voter id card. I moved to TX in 2000. The first time I went to vote, I showed them my voter ID card. They were cordial, but told me that that was not acceptable, that I needed a photo ID. Thus driver's license. Same thing happened in Mandeville when I moved back home in 2010. For me, my voter ID card is pretty useless.
In Louisiana, If a photo ID is not presented, a utility bill, payroll check or other government document that includes the voter's name and address can be presented. That would include the voter registration card. Mine says, "IMPORTANT: RETAIN FOR VOTING PURPOSES". The poorest and most elderly people almost always get medicare, medicaid, social security or some sort of government benefit check that can be used to legally identify themselves. The issue with the new voter ID laws is that they eliminate what has traditionally been found acceptable.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...t-bailout-plan-critics-point-to-2m-in-school/ Story says her $275K speaking fee would cover a year's tuition for 42 students
and this is the heart of the matter. in my opinion, only the most partisan on either side would disagree with this assessment. i do not wish for ANYONE to be denied, circumvented, etc. the opportunity to vote but i don't understand the notion that it's silly to require proper ID in order to vote. now..... how to obtain the id becomes the effort that requires a solution. if great granny only leaves the house once a year to vote how is an ID put in her hand when all she has is a baptism certificate, etc.
