Well, ok, that's overstating it a bit, but the New York Times, the bastian of left wing hope for change, definately dislikes the idea of voters having to.... prove that they can vote.
Frankly, I support this measure. I feel it is vital to not only prove that you can legally vote there, but have to provide proof that you can even legally vote!
But, let's take a look at the article and see if we can't diffuse some of the wording:
The battle over voting rights will expand this week as lawmakers in Missouri are expected to support a proposed constitutional amendment to enable election officials to require proof of citizenship from anyone registering to vote.
There is no battle over voting rights. The battle is over voting fraud. A battle over voter rights would be a discussion as to whether or not convicted felons have their right to vote restored after they have served their time in prison. Showing ID to prove that you live where you say you live (or are even here legally) is not an issue of voter rights, but an attempt to cut back on voter fraud. However, making people who do not vote legally sound like they are doing something wrong would REALLY hurt the New York Times' case.
Sponsors of the amendment — which requires the approval of voters to go into effect, possibly in an August referendum — say it is part of an effort to prevent illegal immigrants from affecting the political process. Critics say the measure could lead to the disenfranchisement of tens of thousands of legal residents who would find it difficult to prove their citizenship.
Of course, there is no problem proving that you legally reside here. Birth Certificate, Passport, Naturalization Papers.... those are all easy to get. (EVERYONE ought to have an official certified copy of their birth certificate or their Naturalization Papers. To NOT have a copy is irresponsible.) Again, those who oppose such legislation are actually just shilling for those who CANNOT prove they live here legally because they do NOT live her legally. Whine and seethe all you will, but if someone is here illegally, the LAST thing they have is a 'right to vote'
In Arizona, the only state that requires proof of citizenship to register to vote, more than 38,000 voter registration applications have been thrown out since the state adopted its measure in 2004. That number was included in election data obtained through a lawsuit filed by voting rights advocates and provided to The New York Times. More than 70 percent of those registrations came from people who stated under oath that they were born in the United States, the data showed.
Of course, it would never occur to the New York Times that a person willing to commit voter fraud may be lying when they say they were born in the United States. People Lie, I know it is hard to believe. Unless you, you know, deal with people . . . . ever.
Democrats have already criticized these requirements as implicitly intended to keep lower-income voters from the polls, and are likely to fight even more fiercely now that the requirements are expanding to include immigration status.
In the interest of not having people's heads explode, I'm not going to comment about that bit... I'm just going to point out that it is the Democrats that are angry that illegal immigrants may not be able to vote in 08, and they're willing to use poor people to cover that fear.
The Missouri secretary of state, Robin Carnahan, a Democrat who opposes the measure, estimated that it could disenfranchise up to 240,000 registered voters who would be unable to prove their citizenship.
WHo is it that is unable to prove their citizenship? Every natural born American can request a copy of their Birth Certificate. Every Naturalized Immigrant can get a copy (or was already issued one) of their naturalization papers. What group is the ONE group that is unable to prove they are here legally?
Critics say that when this level of documentation is applied to voting, it becomes more difficult for the poor, disabled, elderly and minorities to participate in the political process.
I fail to see how being poor, handicapped, old or not white has anything to do with an inability to get a certified copy of your birth certificate (which is what this article means by 'original birth certificate') or naturalization papers. One could make a case for the poor being unable to afford a passport, but many states offer your birth certificate for very little cost, as inexpensive as 8 dollars in the state I had to request mine from. This argument doesn't hold water. Once again, the left is trying to play the "Poor Me" Race card, Minority Card and Poverty Card.... All for the sake of fighting efforts to reduce voter fraud.
Supporters of the measures cite growing concerns that illegal immigrants will try to vote. They say proof of citizenship measures are an important way to improve the accuracy of registration rolls and the overall voter confidence in the process.
Which is why it is being fought.
Of course, no hit piece is complete without a Case Study of sorts. In this one, it is Lillie Lewis, a St. Louis Resident who is unable to get a birth certificate from MIssissippi due to her age. The state just doesn't have it on file. Of course, no one seemed to ask her why she is just now trying to get one. I'm 28 and I've had an official copy since before I could read.
“The requirement is having a devastating effect on our voter registration work in Latino communities because so many citizens simply don’t have a passport or original birth certificate,” said Michael Slater, deputy director of Project Vote, a liberal advocacy group that is working with Acorn, a national organizing group, to sign up new voters in Arizona.
ACORN, you'll remember, is the group that got caught in multiple states having LOADS of Voter Registration cards hidden away, rather than filed as required, each one of them marked as "Independent" or "Republican" (Hmm, which primary Party does that leave?) Of course, as always, the Top Notch New York Times reporter failed to ask if there was any connection between the inability to prove citizenship amont Latinos in Arizona and the legal or illegal nature of said people in a border state with rampant illegal immigration issues.
But then, ACORN could just lie. Again.
I think the major issue is the use for a picture state ID. The issue is that, as of now, those things cost money and, for the absolute bottom of the rung citizens, it isn't practical. Make those things free and a lot of complaining will go away.
"Don't blame me. I voted for Kodos."
Homer Simpson
Imagine all of the money that could have been spent on charities designed to get Picture IDs for free for the poorest of Americans that has been, instead, spent on whining and railing against fighting voter fraud.
I am so bold so as to even suggest that if they were free, there'd still be the same opposition to having to prove citizenship in order to vote.
If you have to do that, it REALLY cuts down on voter fraud.
One only has to look at the history of Democrats in IL to see why efforts to fight voter fraud might be held up.
What about social security cards, which also prove citizenship?
--Mike
Check out the Topic of the Week
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Too many are fradulent.
In truth, the ONLY purpose the Social Security card is to serve is to ensure that when you pay or collect social security, money is tracked as being paid to you, or stands as proof that you paid money.
That it is used for everything from video store membership accounts to loan account numbers to de facto identification for anything from the government is out of pure laziness and, quite frankly, is quite dangerous.
I would support a federal photo ID, even if it has to be free, that each person uses when they vote, apply for unemployment/welfare or use in conjunction with other government programs.
No requirements to have it on you or with you, except that you need to show it in order to do what I list above. To qualify, you need to present a copy of a bith certificate or official copy of your naturalization papers, or a passport.
Heck, I'd even kick in money for a charity to fund for copies of the birth certificates, if someone is too poor to kick in 10 bucks for such a VITAL document.
Have a magnetic strip and an ID number on the top that corresponds to the state rolls that shows your address so they can verify that it is not a fake. Scan the card, match up the picture on the card with the picture on your screen and match those up to your face, then boom... voter fraud gone.
Look for calls for things like that to be deemed 'racist'
I don't know about other states, but in Ohio and Pennsylvania, you need two things to get a license or state ID:
your Social Security card
your birth certificate
There's also a few others, such as passports and whatnot, but those typically also require a birth certificate, which is why they're accepted to begin with.
Also, in order to get a Social Security card, or to have your name changed on it, again, you need your birth certificate.
I think I also needed my birth certificate to get into college, too, but I don't entirely remember.
Now, I could understand if someone lost their certificate in, say, a house fire or some other disaster (since not everyone can afford a fireproof safe), but wouldn't that be something you look to replace as soon as you realize that it's gone?
I am treated as evil by people who claim that they are being oppressed because they are not allowed to force me to practice what they do. ~D. Dale Gulledge
I agree.
However, when one becomes dependent, they also tend to lack the ability to plan ahead, as the mindset changes to one of "The government does that for me." (As was seen in New Orleans in Katrina, where the masses were socked in despite constant calls to evacuate, because 'there were no busses.' followed by years now of complaints that the government has not 'done enough')
I would wager that the vast majority of Americans are not prepared for emergencies. Probably just a couple days of food, most of which will spoil in the first day with no power. No water stored up. No supplies.
Too many are too concerned about what's on the next Reality TV show, or what the local gossip is from TMZ.... Base responsibilities are overlooked.
Good point.
My husband and I have had a few discussions regarding how the next revolution would happen. At one point, it came up that the economy would fail and everyone would have to go back to sustaining themselves (basically, living off the land). We determined that most of the population would die soon after (for various specific reasons, but most of it stemming from their general lack of survival skills and dependence on society-based materials, such as money and government).
I am treated as evil by people who claim that they are being oppressed because they are not allowed to force me to practice what they do. ~D. Dale Gulledge
In Oklahoma, I've voted twice.
Neither time have I had to show ID. In fact, one of those two times, they didn't even check to see what name I signed by.
I tried to show id and they looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears.
I submit that a more important issue of voter fraud in this country is the electronic voting machine that leaves no paper trail. Whether the machines were created by businesses that contribute money to one or the other party is unimportant. Where's the democracy in a machine that is hackable?
Earth First: we'll destroy the other planets later.
Two word reply:
Hanging Chads.
Explination:
There will always be calls of voter fraud. Frankly, messing with ballots is kind of a silly way to do it, given how easy it is to just truck people in from a nursing home, have them lie about who they are, then give them some jello or cigs on the way back to the nursing home.
Or, for that matter, illegal immigrants. "You'll come and vote and say you are this person, or I'll tell ICE where you are...."
Or, felons. "You can't vote, but I'll help you vote as this person and then pay you 100 bucks for your trouble."
Seems to me, they don't need to take the TIME to mess with the voting machines.
I will agree that the 'no paper trail' issues annoys me. The voting machines should shoot out a piece of paper with your vote choices on it for you to look over, then slip into a ballot box that scans and electronically counts it.
That way, if there is a problem, the ballots can also be handcounted.
Though, I'm evil enough to sugges that there ought to be a test in order to vote. Nothing more difficult than is required for legal immigrants to get citizenship.
That is pure evil. Well done.
Earth First: we'll destroy the other planets later.