Voter ID Requirements – Read This
Grrr…
I’d heard rumblings about the voter ID case currently being head by the Supreme Court. It’s made me upset, angry, and a little sad for the state of America. It goes like this:
Newsweek has a (surprisingly) good article on what’s going on. Read it.
A lot of people ask, “So, what’s wrong with requiring people to have a photo ID to vote?” The answer is that there’s a lot wrong with it. Never mind that the federal government has never prosecuted someone for impersonating someone else at a polling place (thus, what’s the real purpose of this law?). Never mind that this bill is completely politically driven (the Republicans stand to benefit dramatically from the disenfranchisement of those groups who would be most severely affected). Forget about the fact that this does nothing to address absentee/mail-in voter fraud (no IDs required for this far less secure type of voting). And put aside, for now, the fact that this law would disproportionately affect the poor, black, and elderly.
The key issue here is that all citizens of a true democracy are self-empowered with the right to vote. It’s a right that the people own; the government should not pretend to bestow this right upon us. This law promises to protect us against voter fraud crimes that have not been proven to exist, and would disenfranchise millions of voters. How is that a philosophically and democratically sound law?
In opening statements, Justice Anthony Kennedy (often the swing vote on the current court) asked, “You want us to invalidate a statute on the ground that it’s a minor inconvenience to a small percentage of voters?”
My answer to Justice Kennedy is YES. If a law makes it highly inconvenient to near impossible for whole groups of people to exercise their right to vote, then that law is wrong. I don’t care if the group of people is only 1,000 or 100 in number. Even if it were necessary to sacrifice just one person for this law of false-protection to exist, I’d believe it was wrong. Every single person should have the right to vote in free elections.
And, speaking of free elections… IDs cost money and often require endless paperwork, bureaucratic hurdles, days off work, etc. These are things that some working poor people can’t spare. And what about the fact that not every person in America has a driver’s license? Dense urban centers are full of middle and low incomes folks who rely on public transportation their whole lives, never needing a car or a license. Suddenly demanding that these folks get an ID or license to prove their identity flies in the face of their right to participate in free elections.
This reeks of the same Republican meddling as the Giuliani-sponsored California Electoral College initiative. In that case, Giuliani’s pals tried to sponsor a bill that would split California’s electoral votes, effectively dealing the Democrats a huge electoral blow in 2008. (I blogged about this issue here and here.)
In this newest Rovian scheme, hundreds of thousands if not millions of poor, black, elderly, and urban citizens would suddenly be disenfranchised. Take note that these are all strong constituencies for the Democratic Party. Doesn’t it make you wonder whether this is a (not so) subtle attempt to weaken the Democrat’s voter numbers, all under the guise of voter fraud, safety, and security.
Sure, some may claim that the disenfranchisement would only be temporary. That people would adapt and be ready for the next election following 2008. But that’s not good enough. 2008 matters. Every election matters. No one should ever be prevented from voting. And that’s what’s happening here. Specific groups of people are being targeted and will be prohibited from casting their votes if this law is upheld. This is unacceptable. Even worse, it’s Un-American
Even if you could somehow convince me that this law had its merits, I would still argue that it requires a phased implementation. And I would insist that federal dollars and huge amounts of state and federal effort be spent to ensure that all those who don’t currently meet the photo ID requirements, be educated and assisted with getting the proper ID.
This is a serious issue. We should all be watching carefully. If our government starts attempting to revoke our inherent right to vote, we need to protest. What rights will they attempt to remove next? The right to vote and many other fundamental rights are at the heart of a strong democracy.
Our government exists because we the people imbue it with power. Not the other way around. We cannot accept a government that attempts to take away the rights of its people. We the people have inherent power. We loan that power in good faith and trust to our government. If our government has betrayed that trust or forgotten that dynamic, then we must remind them.
We must stand and make our voices heard. We must protect our democracy, our rights, and our vote.
Related reading: Jesse Jackson Jr. on The Right to Vote
