Voter Suppression: Feds Challenge Texas Voter ID Law

I think the idea of voter ID sounds good on the surface. But when you consider the number of people who don't have or are unable to get the required ID and the actual amount of voter fraud that takes pace, it looks like having a voter ID does more to prevent eligible voters from voting than it does prevent voter fraud. The amount for fraud is apparently very very small but the number of eligible voters that won't be able to vote because of the law will be much greater. While preventing fraud is good thing, is it worth it to turn all those people away just to prevent a few cases of fraud? Does the law do more harm than good? I think so.

 

I think it's embarassing we have so many citizens unable to produce identification when it's needed. I agree with not denying the vote over this bureacratic problem, but the State needs to get more proactive about solving the identification problem.

In my authoritarian fantasyland, every citizen has a National ID card that holds voter, driver, gun-owner, selective service, and every other status one holds with the Federal or state governments. I know people are afraid of something like that for good reasons, but it would be infinitely more efficient that what we're doing now. Besides, Google's already consolidating all that information about us anyway.

 

It really is not hard to get an ID. I remember getting a state ID in high school (~'02) and it took two pieces of paper and about 2 weeks.

 

There have been problems in other states that have implemented similar laws. There are many stories about it. I remember a specific one about an elderly woman in Tennessee (I think) who couldn't get an ID because they wanted her birth certificate. She was born at home in the 1920s and she didn't have one. In Wisconsin, you get your state ID from the DMV. After they passed the law, the Republicans cut funding and reduced hours of operation at DMV's in Democratic districts so lines would be longer and it'd be harder to get an ID. Then you're required to show your birth certificate. If you don't have one, you much pay the state to get a copy of it which essentially makes it a poll tax. People who don't have copies of their birth certificate now have to pay money in order to get the ID they need to vote. There have been many instances of eligible voters without ID who haven't been able to get it.

And then you have the problem of people who are simply unaware the law exists. I'm not sure when Texas passed its law. But while I've been aware of Voter ID laws in other states, I don't think I knew about the Texas law until a few weeks ago. Not a problem for me since I have a drivers license, but I'm sure there are many people who don't have ID who aren't going to be aware of the change in the law until they go try to vote in which case it will be too late.

I also don't know what Texas law is regarding registration time periods. But requiring ID basically ends same day registration (if it still exists in Texas) for people who don't already have it.

 

I believe this was modeled after the Indiana voter ID law that was already upheld by the Supreme Court.

Holder will have to argue the same law in Texas is racist.

But the intent is not to overturn the law, just prevent it from being implemented before November.

 

He doesn't have to show it's racist - just that it impacts minorities in a disproportionate way, intentional or not. If that's the case, it doesn't pass muster with the Voting Rights Act. Indiana is not subject to that issue.

 

Tough call. Voters must be protected from being censured as well as from illegal voters. I don't see how it is possible for Texas to pass any voting law that doesn't disenfranchise some voters.

 

Need an ID for the monthly check, no problem, but you can't dig one up to vote?

 

Will these people without IDs will have one when it comes time to collect social security and other government-sponsored benefits?

 

I will only endorse Voter IDs if every person in the state/country is easily able to get one. Spending money and/or being only available at the DMV doesn't count.

 

Just to add to this. Indiana is around 80-85% White. Texas isn't even 50% White anymore. We're a majority minority state so its a completely different story here and there's a much stronger case to made that such a law places undue burdens on minorities.

 

How is it harder for minorities to get an ID?

 

Minorities are more likely to be poor and thus unable to get to a DPS office (some counties in Texas don't have one and there are places in Texas where you would have to drive 150 miles). If one doesn't have a car, doesn't have gas money, can't take the time off of work, and might not have the money to drop on the DL or ID fees, then they will likely just forego voting rather than go to the effort.

That is the whole point of a voter ID law, to get Democratic constituencies to simply give up on voting.

 

lol

the cynical left at it again

and what makes you think the Republicans can't win a few votes from the poors? The way Obama is screwing up this country, I'd guess that a number of them will turn to the GOP.

 

I'm happy that you are able to laugh at voter suppression efforts, most of us take such things seriously.

I posted factual information. There is hardly any cynicism at all in my post, just the cold, hard reality that the working poor live with every single day.

They already win the votes of the poor they have deluded into consuming their "news" from the echo chamber, but until they start addressing the economics of poor people in a real way, the GOP has to rely on suppressing the vote as much as possible.

Says the man who hasn't removed his head from the bubble in years.

 

Seriously

Can the liberals even have one post without hurling insults?

#anotherwinfortexxx

 

If you consider that an insult, you need to go back to insult school.

Factual information =/= an insult.

ETA: An "insult" would have been "says the man who hasn't removed his head from the GOP's a$$ in years."

 

Let's look at the DOJ letter in detail shall we?

Boom. Right off the bat, the DOJ calls BS on the justification, as well they should.

So, the State of Texas is cherry-picking stats to justify first one position and then another. I'm shocked. No, really, I am shocked at how stupid they are if they really thought they could get away with using selective numbers.

Whichever set of numbers you use, the conclusion is the same.

Huh. Wonder why that is.

OK, military and concealed gun owners, you guys can vote. Native Americans and college students, you can't. I'm sure this determination has something to do with voter fraud and nothing to do with which groups might vote more for Republicans.

Poll tax.

Come on down to the DMV and get your vote on. What? No car? Ah, your vote probably won't matter anyway.

Hey, let's count on the majority of voters thinking it's easy to drive down to the local DMV.

So, you have a person who wants to vote. Economically, they're near the poverty line. Let's be generous and give them a vehicle. It is likely they are still going to have to take off during work hours, maybe drive a long way, and pay a poll tax on the documents they need. Democracy for the win!

So, we don't educate the populace or the election officials about the new law. What could go wrong there? I wonder what the demographics are of election officials in the State of Texas? Surely they would all be willing to work with a poor Hispanic or African-American to make sure their vote counted. OK, maybe not. Well, surely the conscientious citizen who volunteers to be a poll worker is ready to help the law be implemented fairly, right?

Ooops. Oh well, I'm sure it will all work out when the Martinez family arrives to vote.

Anyway, to sum up:

This is no arcane argument over legalese. This is a naked attempt to disenfranchise voters in Texas who are likely to vote against Republicans. Good job by our Department of Justice in detailing the unAmerican approach Republicans have taken here. All Texans should be appalled and hold their legislature and governor accountable. No American should be denied the right to vote. Ever.