If you want to stop people from voting, you can't come right out and say: "We're going to pass a bunch of laws that make voting harder, and that will especially impact Democrats." So instead, you come up with some arguments. It's helpful if the arguments are simple and clear and seem undeniable. After all, why would anybody balk at presenting their ID at the voting booth? What do they have to hide? But that isn't the real question. The real question is, what kind of people don't have a photo ID? And it turns out to be students, poor people, minorities. . .all disproportionately Democratic voters. For the same reason, Republicans are trying to make same-day registration more difficult, trying to keep students from voting if they live at their school (but are from out of state), and various other schemes.
All of this is supposedly to fight "voter fraud," which is an almost nonexistent problem in the United States. There's plenty of voter registration fraud, vote tampering, voter suppression (see above), and shenanigans. But actual ineligible people knowingly casting fraudulent votes? Barely happens (though Ann Coulter and apparently Mitt Romney have given it a shot). It is certainly a very small-incidence problem, being met with huge new laws. Which is all sort of curious, when conservatives themselves often seem resistant to new, restrictive laws. "Just enforce the laws we have!" they often say.
Below is an excerpt from an article that argues all of this better than I can, so if I haven't convinced you, please read on:
[Excerpt]
Our view: Republican ID laws smack of vote suppression
To many Republicans, it is an article of faith that minimalist government works best.
Except, that is, when Republicans want to impose tighter rules for their political benefit. A case in point is the flurry of states —six so far this year— rushing to pass laws requiring voters to bring government-issued photo IDs to polling places. All have Republican governors and GOP-controlled legislatures. . .
Read more at: USA Today
So, where in Nevada has there been voter supression?
ReplyDeleteFurther, by your logic, then people are disinfranchised in getting a library card, getting prescription mediction, buying a case of beer, buying certaain cold medicine, driving, getting a hunting license and more.
It is so easy to get am ID that saying it is voter supression is just flat out wrong.
Dan, there ARE reasonable arguments for Voter ID, I did say that. It isn't a particularly unreasonable thing. But the truth is, the push for these laws is part of a greater effort.
ReplyDeleteThere is a list of things being pushed in Republican-controlled states all over the nation at the same time that make voting more difficult, particularly for voters who tend to vote Democratic. That's just the truth. Since actual voter fraud is VERY rare, these measures are being pushed for WHAT reason, exactly?
By the way, Dan, I've never produced a photo ID to vote. Just my Ready-Set-Vote book, or my voter registration card. And I've never been turned away, or had some "fake" voter steal my ID. The elections here seem really well run, and there are rarely problems reported. As a conservative, are you actually advocating NEW laws that restrict our behavior? Hmmmm???? :)
ReplyDeleteSome conservatives don't even think the government has the RIGHT to issue IDs at all. True fact!
Jamie, when you registered to vote,did you have to show ID?
ReplyDeleteSo long ago now, I don't remember. Probably. But I know there are alternatives, like a gas bill etc. Not to mention people who registered 50 years ago, and currently do not have a current ID. Listen, Dan, I KNOW it isn't an inherently unreasonable request, but we're not talking request: we're talking new LAW. And there IS a political motivation for these laws, regardless of the argument being used.
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