UPDATE JULY 7, 2012: In the July-August 2012 AARP Bulletin there appears the article: Longtime Voter, 93, Challenges ID Law. Ms. Applewhite, age 93, is challenging the requirement to provide an ID before voting, claiming it has a disproportionate affect on the elderly. Ms. Applewhite does not drive and has mobility issues. Gee, wonder how she's gonna get to the polls, then? She claims she can't get to the Social Security Office to get a new Pennsylvania ID card. She claims she lost her birth certificate and Social Security Card years ago, and for some unspecified reason, never saw the need to replace them. Failing to replace her Birth Certificate and Social Security Card sounds irresponsible or lazy to me, unless she was mentally ill at the time, or suffered from some other affliction that prevented her from functioning in society. Lots of things disproportionally affect the elderly - need I go into details? If you are elderly, you already know what those things are - wonder if all those things are unconstitutional, too? Here's another article on Voter ID Laws from the AARP - Remember to read the comments at the end for a more rational discussion of the issues than the article itself: Are New Voter ID Laws Fair?
UPDATE JULY 6, 2012: The San Luis Obispo Tribune newspaper ran a letter to the editor regarding those rascally Republicans and their desire to require a Photo ID in order to vote. Ralph Bush of Arroyo Grande simply listed all the activities that require such an ID. One would believe that most or all of these activities are required for modern human life in the United States, so one has to wonder what rock some people are living under that they engage in NONE of these activities. First, let's list them:
UPDATE JULY 6, 2012: The San Luis Obispo Tribune newspaper ran a letter to the editor regarding those rascally Republicans and their desire to require a Photo ID in order to vote. Ralph Bush of Arroyo Grande simply listed all the activities that require such an ID. One would believe that most or all of these activities are required for modern human life in the United States, so one has to wonder what rock some people are living under that they engage in NONE of these activities. First, let's list them:
- purchase liquor or cigarettes
- board a plane or train
- apply for insurance
- donate blood
- apply for a credit card
- cash a check
- visit someone in jail
- volunteer at the local public schools (you even have to get fingerprinted and criminal background check)
- volunteer at the local homeless shelter
- receive services at the DMV
- I would HOPE that you need to show ID to receive government benefits, such as Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment, Disability, etc. though I have no firsthand knowledge of such requirements
- Somebody also pointed out that you need a Social Security Number to collect Social Security, so somehow Ms. Applewhite had to provide her Social Security Card to receive Social Security, did she not? Who did she sue when she was required to do that? Surely that disproportionally affects the elderly as well?
- volunteer at the local public schools (you even have to get fingerprinted and criminal background check)
- volunteer at the local homeless shelter
- receive services at the DMV
- I would HOPE that you need to show ID to receive government benefits, such as Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment, Disability, etc. though I have no firsthand knowledge of such requirements
- Somebody also pointed out that you need a Social Security Number to collect Social Security, so somehow Ms. Applewhite had to provide her Social Security Card to receive Social Security, did she not? Who did she sue when she was required to do that? Surely that disproportionally affects the elderly as well?
Anyways, I'm sure there are many more. Some believe that those that object to showing ID to vote want to allow those who are not eligible to vote or have died to vote anyways. Its time for me to jump back in the ring.
The bottom line is that some political groups want those who are ineligible to vote or are dead to be able to vote one or more times. Voter fraud is statistically small but it does occur. Voting is perhaps our most sacred right in this country, and those who do not have the right to vote should not; those who do have that right do not consider it an inconvenience to prove it.
SHOULD VALID GOVERNMENT ID BE FREE: If that were the only objection to Voter ID, I'd say yes. However, this is a political issue, and those who are against Voter ID would still be against it, even if IDs were free. My answer would be no: government has costs, and to the degree possible and reasonable, people should pay for the government services they use. Should there be an exception for the poor? Okay, I'd go along with that, but it would not change the issue in any significant way, in my opinion.
The bottom line is that some political groups want those who are ineligible to vote or are dead to be able to vote one or more times. Voter fraud is statistically small but it does occur. Voting is perhaps our most sacred right in this country, and those who do not have the right to vote should not; those who do have that right do not consider it an inconvenience to prove it.
SHOULD VALID GOVERNMENT ID BE FREE: If that were the only objection to Voter ID, I'd say yes. However, this is a political issue, and those who are against Voter ID would still be against it, even if IDs were free. My answer would be no: government has costs, and to the degree possible and reasonable, people should pay for the government services they use. Should there be an exception for the poor? Okay, I'd go along with that, but it would not change the issue in any significant way, in my opinion.
ORIGINAL POST (DECEMBER 2011): Last night, both my boys were finally home from college, and I went to the local grocery store to pick up some last minute food supplies - young men in the 19 to 21 year age group like my boys love to eat more than they love us, so we make sure that when they are home, all the food groups are available. This time of year, that includes egg nogg and fudge! Surprise! At checkout, the grocer asks for ID - provided in the form of my driver's license - the same ID that I need to carry with me to drive to the store. This is no different than the 30-some-odd states that currently require some form of ID to vote.
Yet, the some politicos are up in arms up about the ID requirement, calling them a "tidal wave of assaults on the right to vote". Really?
For more, see this article: Holder's Voter ID Fraud
