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Holy, moly, what is the big deal over providing ID to vote, for crying out loud? It seems you need ID for practically everything these days, even to purchase a fishing license, if I'm not mistaken.
I believe, damn straight, you need an ID to vote and if you are against showing an ID, well, my first reaction is, there must be something not right in the woodpile, so to speak.
A fishing license is not a right. A bank account is not a right. "Practically everything" you need ID for is not a right. Voting is a right, something you can't be denied, just because you exist, or just because you are a citizen (depending on the right). When the state wants to put an impediment on a right, a strong reason is required.
If there were rampant voter impersonation fraud, then the public interest may justify the impediment on the right, but voter impersonation fraud almost never happens because it's the most difficult and least effective way to change the outcome of an election. Vote fraud is pointless unless it changes the outcome, and that's nearly impossible to do so by voter impersonation.
This law will forseeably affect certain types of people disproportionately, which, along with it being an impediment to a right, requires an even higher level of justification. Remember that not everyone lives in the big city where they can get a discounted bus fare to ride to the DPS office and get a free voter ID card required by the law.
In Texas, voting is recognized as so important that you're privileged from arrest when voting and when going to and return from a voting place, except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace (Texas Constitution Article 6, Section 5). This keeps those in power from discouraging or preventing people from voting through law enforcement. If the right to vote is that important, then it's too important to restrict with new requirements lacking overwhelming justification.
A fishing license is not a right. A bank account is not a right. "Practically everything" you need ID for is not a right. Voting is a right, something you can't be denied, just because you exist, or just because you are a citizen (depending on the right). When the state wants to put an impediment on a right, a strong reason is required.
If there were rampant voter impersonation fraud, then the public interest may justify the impediment on the right, but voter impersonation fraud almost never happens because it's the most difficult and least effective way to change the outcome of an election. Vote fraud is pointless unless it changes the outcome, and that's nearly impossible to do so by voter impersonation.
This law will forseeably affect certain types of people disproportionately, which, along with it being an impediment to a right, requires an even higher level of justification. Remember that not everyone lives in the big city where they can get a discounted bus fare to ride to the DPS office and get a free voter ID card required by the law.
In Texas, voting is recognized as so important that you're privileged from arrest when voting and when going to and return from a voting place, except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace (Texas Constitution Article 6, Section 5). This keeps those in power from discouraging or preventing people from voting through law enforcement. If the right to vote is that important, then it's too important to restrict with new requirements lacking overwhelming justification.
Voting is a right as well as a privilege. There will always be those who attempt to use fraud if it might gain them what they desire, and it doesn't matter to them if it is a right or not.
There are rules that are in place regarding rights. It's simply not just a broad assumption. So again, what's the big deal on showing proof that you are indeed abiding by the rules already set in place pertaining to voting?
If it has to do the the discounted bus trip to the DPS office, I fail to see an excuse such as that even mentionable. For one thing, it sounds like something that might have taken place 'back in the day' and that far back would have involved poll tax, therefore no free voter's card as you called it. I'm quite sure it is a much easier process today with internet, telephone, and mail service.
If you're legitimate to vote, you have the ID to prove it and most people who are legitimate don't even think twice about it.
Voting is a right as well as a privilege. There will always be those who attempt to use fraud if it might gain them what they desire, and it doesn't matter to them if it is a right or not.
There are rules that are in place regarding rights. It's simply not just a broad assumption. So again, what's the big deal on showing proof that you are indeed abiding by the rules already set in place pertaining to voting?
If it has to do the the discounted bus trip to the DPS office, I fail to see an excuse such as that even mentionable. For one thing, it sounds like something that might have taken place 'back in the day' and that far back would have involved poll tax, therefore no free voter's card as you called it. I'm quite sure it is a much easier process today with internet, telephone, and mail service.
If you're legitimate to vote, you have the ID to prove it and most people who are legitimate don't even think twice about it.
BTW Voter fraud is not that uncommon.
You can't call the DPS and ask for an ID if you don't have one. That's the whole freaking point. It puts a burden on the poorest and least able people, who can't afford to take a day off from work, and who may not even have cars to drive to the DPS.
No, everybody doesn't have ID already. I heard a story on the radio about how 10% of eligible voters in one Southern state had no ID.
Voting is a right as well as a privilege. There will always be those who attempt to use fraud if it might gain them what they desire, and it doesn't matter to them if it is a right or not.
There are rules that are in place regarding rights. It's simply not just a broad assumption. So again, what's the big deal on showing proof that you are indeed abiding by the rules already set in place pertaining to voting?
If it has to do the the discounted bus trip to the DPS office, I fail to see an excuse such as that even mentionable. For one thing, it sounds like something that might have taken place 'back in the day' and that far back would have involved poll tax, therefore no free voter's card as you called it. I'm quite sure it is a much easier process today with internet, telephone, and mail service.
If you're legitimate to vote, you have the ID to prove it and most people who are legitimate don't even think twice about it.
BTW Voter fraud is not that uncommon.
There are rules in place regarding rights, but only when there's a need for those rules to protect the public interest.
If someone lives 50+ miles from the DPS office (there are such places) and doesn't drive, he may be unable to get there.
If there were rampant voter impersonation, then the state should pass such a law and provide that it would be assured that each registered voter who doesn't have a state-issued identification card have an opportunity to get one. After, say, 6 months of the free voter ID being available, have local officials in each county find as many as possible of the registered voters who haven't signed up and see to it that they have the opportunity to request and receive the required identification card. You give them your residence location when you register, so most of the people would be easy to find, even if in a remote area. New voter registrations would have an integrated process for requesting the card if needed. Just requiring people to go out and get the card ignores the fact that some can't.
Most people wouldn't mind showing identification; I personally wouldn't. I've shown my driver license before when I wanted to vote and didn't have my registration card. But we have to account for the disparities that exist, and acknowledge that not every person has the privileges we have. Depriving people of the opportunity to vote on the basis of their economic or situational hardship isn't an acceptable solution. If the vote fraud problem is so severe that the state is willing to accept the burden and assures that people have the opportunity to get the required card, then I'd find the law acceptable.
A fishing license is not a right. A bank account is not a right. "Practically everything" you need ID for is not a right. Voting is a right, something you can't be denied, just because you exist, or just because you are a citizen (depending on the right). When the state wants to put an impediment on a right, a strong reason is required.
Actually, voting is not a right. But, if you can find it in the US Constitution where it is given in the Bill of Rights, be my guest.
I need to register via the proper channels to vote. I can not just walk up to a poll anywhere I wish without following the proper procedures and cast a ballot. Hence, it's not a right. You were so there in your analogy starting out, then veered off for some reason.
(In B4 mentions of the Voting Rights Act...which bars discrimination to those whom have been granted the privilege to vote. It does NOT inherently give one the "right" to vote.)
A fishing license is not a right. A bank account is not a right. "Practically everything" you need ID for is not a right. Voting is a right, something you can't be denied, just because you exist, or just because you are a citizen (depending on the right). When the state wants to put an impediment on a right, a strong reason is required.
Oh yeah? Well I have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms but in order to exercise that right I have to:
Take a long class and pass an exam
Submit to an FBI background check
Pay an expensive application fee
And even after all that I still cannot exercise my right to bear arms while voting.
So these folks can't be arsed to get a simple I.D. in order to vote? Cry me a F'in river.
Actually, voting is not a right. But, if you can find it in the US Constitution where it is given in the Bill of Rights, be my guest.
I need to register via the proper channels to vote. I can not just walk up to a poll anywhere I wish without following the proper procedures and cast a ballot. Hence, it's not a right. You were so there in your analogy starting out, then veered off for some reason.
(In B4 mentions of the Voting Rights Act...which bars discrimination to those whom have been granted the privilege to vote. It does NOT inherently give one the "right" to vote.)
Voting isn't a federal matter. Elections are conducted by states and local governments. The US Constitution does not specify qualifications for voters. In Article 1, Section 2, regarding voters for representatives, it says: "the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature." The qualifications of electors (voters) are determined by states.
As for right to vote, that's addressed in four amendments.
The Fourteenth: "...But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State..." This mentions, but does not specify or require, maleness as a qualification.
The Fifteenth: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude..."
The Nineteenth: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex..." This negates maleness as a qualification.
The Twenty-sixth: "The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age..."
The US Constitution does not establish the right to vote or qualifications for the right, but it does assume that the right exists. Qualification is defined by the states, subject to the constitutional amendments regarding race, sex, and age.
The Texas Constitution, in Article 6, Section 2, states: " Every person subject to none of the disqualifications provided by Section 1 of this article or by a law enacted under that section who is a citizen of the United States and who is a resident of this State shall be deemed a qualified voter..."
The "right of citizens of the United States to vote" in the US Constitution (administered by the states) applies under the Texas Constitution to all citizens who are residents of the state and are not disqualified.
I have been voting in Texas for over 40 years with a voter identification card, no i.d. required.
That was the rule in place before Republicans started to look for ways to prevent democratic voters from voting. That is all this new voter i.d law is. A concealed carry permit is acceptable i.d, but a student i.d. is not?
There is no voter fraud. Collin Powell today said “You can say what you like, but there is no voter fraud. How can it be widespread and undetected?”
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