Democrats Defeat Harmful Voter ID Amendment: Repubs Continue to Play Politics With Right to Vote

[demobabe]

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

Democrats Defeat Harmful Voter ID Amendment:
Republicans Continue to Play Politics With Right to Vote

DNC Press

Washington, DC - Yesterday, Democrats united to defeat a harmful Republican amendment that would have imposed a highly restrictive voter ID law. The amendment to the Senate immigration reform bill would have created a modern day poll tax which could disenfranchise millions of Americans, specifically seniors, minorities, youth, urban and rural voters and persons with disabilities. All of these groups are less likely to have government issued photo ID's and would be forced to bear an unnecessary burden just to exercise their fundamental right to vote.

The defeat of this amendment comes on the heels of recent revelations that the Bush Administration attempted to pressure U.S. Attorneys to pursue politically motivated cases of voter fraud, despite evidence showing no proof of widespread voter fraud. As part of their consistent pattern of putting partisan interests ahead of the people's business, the Bush Administration and the Republican National Committee have led a coordinated campaign to undermine voting rights over the past five years.

Full article here: http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/alerts/253

[Rex_Goodheart]

1. Er..

"The amendment to the Senate immigration reform bill would have created a modern day poll tax"

That's a bit of an exaggeration. Getting a photo ID would probably be a one-time event. Is that really such an onerous burden?

[Vincardog]

4. A lot of low income people never had and can not afford a picture ID.

Fighting "Vote Fraud" is jim crow.

[demobabe]

10. Definite Jim Crow

Not only is there a cost issue, but potential for an intimidation factor. What if you have outstanding parking tickets or anything else legally related... I remember hearing about signs posted in minority voting districts warning voters that if they vote in the wrong place, their children would be taken away from them (true, really).

It's always some kind of discriminatory trick, and they keep coming up with more of them all the time.

[IndyOp]

5. The elderly, people who don't have cars because they live in a city

and/or are poor and people who move around a lot (college students, the homeless) are less likely to have photo IDs with addresses that match their address when they registered.

The Indiana GOP determined that by passing our onerous voter ID law -- about 4% of Republican voters were be disenfranchised, but 8% of Democratic voters would be prevented from voting.

Nothing should prevent a citizen from casting their ballot -- one ballot at the appropriate location.

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. Yes. It would have been a major burden for people who have no money to buy it.

Instead of buying the ID card...they just wouldn't vote and THAT is what the repukes were hoping for.

[blondeatlast]

7. The reading requirement in the '60s worked because so many poverty-stricken, uneducated

people of every color (but predominantly Black) were embarrassed and so didn't go to the polls.

Same thing here--and anyone who thinks this isn't designed to keep Hispanic voters away is delusional.

No American should be held back from exercising their civil rights.

[monktonman]

8. I bought a new car...

I paid a sales tax only once.
Does that mean it wasn't a tax????
or is that an exaggeration?

[Rex_Goodheart]

9. Show me where...

Republicans said that voters would have to pay for their ID cards. Until then you really have no point.

[demobabe]

11. It is one more barrier that will DEFINITELY disenfranchise voters - specifically Democrats

Regardless of cost, this is still one more burden that will cause fewer Democrats to vote.

It is specifically against the Voting Rights Act, Section 2 that is meant to enforce the 15th Amendment:

SEC. 2. No voting qualification or PREREQUISITE to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure shall be imposed or applied by any State or political subdivision to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color.

You might say this is being applied equally to all citizens, therefore is fine, but that's not true. The people most affected by this will be minorities, through cost, or reluctance to get an ID because of potential for financial hardship - do you think you're going to want to go to a federal office if you have outstanding parking tickets or warrants? Unfortunately, minorities and poor people make up a bulk of those in our jail systems, and are more likely to vote Democratic for want of social reform.

[Vincardog]

2. They need to kill this immoral bill. Why do we need 20 Million more workers? To drive Down WAGES.

[blondeatlast]

3. Excellent. K&R. nt

[SeattleGirl]

12. Good for them! As a person who has very little income at this time,

I applaude this move. One should not have to be rich to vote (though of course, the fucking Repukes think that is just the way things should be.)

[demobabe]

13. kick

:kick::

[pampango]

14. Many here support a national ID of sorts to help resolve whether

someone is legally employable to give employers a simple, enforceable way to hire legal workers.

Is there a way to combine this type of ID, since everyone would have to have one in order to work, with a voter registration ID?