In the mind of E.J. Dionne, requiring identification equals to "rigging an election."
Yes, seriously.
The laws are being passed in the name of preventing “voter fraud.” But study after study has shown that fraud by voters is not a major problem — and is less of a problem than how hard many states make it for people to vote in the first place. Some of the new laws, notably those limiting the number of days for early voting, have little plausible connection to battling fraud.
These statutes are not neutral. Their greatest impact will be to reduce turnout among African Americans, Latinos and the young. It is no accident that these groups were key to Barack Obama’s victory in 2008 — or that the laws in question are being enacted in states where Republicans control state governments.
If a Republican were to say, publicly, that African Americans and Latinos are not capable of obtaining identification, they would be declared racist in a second flat.
Dionne claims that voter fraud is not a "major problem", I beg to disagree.
Just looking at the previous WuA pieces on this subject finds that in Connecticut, 300 deceased citizens actually cast votes after they died. One of which, voted 17 times after he died. Other reports have shown dead, imprisoned or imaginary people added to voter rolls, people having multiple applications submitted in the same name. Example after example has been shown, for years, about voter fraud.
Pirate's Cove points to a study showing 64,000 issues of possible voter fraud, but Dionne claims it is not a "major problem?"
Here is a novel idea, how about we require identification at the polls?
29 states have some sort of voter ID requirements due to voter ID laws. (Newsflash for Dionne, not all the states are "Republican" states with conservative officials)
Ok, so the idea isn't novel.
Identification is required to buy liqueur, beer, wine, cigarettes. ID is required to get on a plane. ID is required to rent a hotel room. ID is required to drive. ID is required when you write a check. Starting to get the point?
As to Dionne's racist attitude that minorities are somehow less capable than majorities of obtaining identification therefore requiring them to do so is "rigging" the election against Democrats,, the Supreme Court ruled that Indiana's voter ID law was constitutional and the law did not impose unjustified burdens on people who are old, poor or members of minority groups and less likely to have driver’s licenses or other acceptable forms of identification.
Moving right along, other complaints from Dionne are about limiting the time of early voting, ending same-day registration and making it difficult for groups to register new voters.
Last one first, groups registering new voters. One word : ACORN. 'Nuff said.
Limiting the time of early voting. I vote early and if they limited that my vote would be cast later is all. If they cut it totally for all but military members, then I would just trudge right on up to the polling booth and cast my vote. Doesn't matter to me one way or another.
Exception there should be the military since many of them are overseas and should be able to cast ballots, after all they are fighting to defend our country, their vote should always count.
Same day registering slows the polls down though. Since most places where you can cast your ballot have an open and close time, anything that clogs up the process should be avoided at all cost so everyone can cast their ballot.
How hard is it to register to vote before an election?
Well, USA.Gov makes it pretty freaking easy.
Bottom line is that any laws that prevents potential voter fraud, in the eyes of Democrats like Dionne, automatically is assumed to go against Democrats.
Why is that? The claim by Dinonne that it suppresses minorities is nothing short of racist, by assuming that just because one is a minority they are incapable of obtaining ID, incapable of registering earlier than election day, is one of the most racist assumptions I have seen and should offend every member of a minority group.
My questions, which I have asked before, is why Democrats are so against measures that would assure the integrity of an election?
Why are Democrats so against preventing voter fraud?
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