There will always be people on the fringes of society that feel intimidated about voting. Even if it's just the conspiracy theorists! So the trick becomes where you will draw the line, not IF you're going to draw the line..
Yes, absolutely, there will always be a line. Unless voting is compulsory and not voting is a verifiable punishable offense, and I don't see that as a voting rights utopia. Although there is always a line, I do think there is something wrong if it moves in the wrong direction- and by that of course the direction of less representation by those in the fringes or close to the fringes.
Given that one of the reasons a lot of people in my demographic (18-24 white middle class) don't vote is that we feel our vote is useless. Such a feeling is compounded by the implications of voter fraud, as well as the feeling that a lot of people are voting that have NO IDEA WTF IS GOING ON. I'm not saying we should deny ignorant citizens the right to vote! But from that view point, yah you know what? If someone is too ignorant/lazy to go get an appropriate ID to vote, why SHOULD I care? That's just one less vote from someone who would place an uneducated vote likely based on the appearance of the candidate or (more likely) what party they were...
Yes this is basically the argument that's at the heart of the matter- the ignorant stupid voter who doesn't even care enough to learn enough about the voter id requirements and how to get it, let alone read up on he candidates and issues. IMO, the voter fraud argument is a sham to cover the real reasons underlying this because admitting the real reasons can be unpleasant and people do their best not to do this. I really appreciate your willingness to discuss it.
Now let's discuss the ignorant/lazy voter. Odds are, the real distinguishing factor between him or her and someone who others wouldn't even suspect is ignorant or lazy is social class. Just because someone has money and has all the possible id's necessary for voting by default (like how someone who drives a car will have a valid driver's license) it doesn't mean this person is educated on the issues and candidates. All it means is that this person drives a car, has a driver's license and therefore will never by touched by voter id regulations.
I definitely think that ID laws are okay in general. I think that the states requiring them should ALSO make sure acceptable forms of ID are as broad as possible (the example of the utility bill above is a good one), or if they are going to tighten down, they need to improve accessibility to acceptable forms of ID (ex. opening ID centers in accessible areas). .
Yes, I think this is a decent way to go- if you are going to tighten voter id laws you absolutely have to do everything possible to make sure that anyone who could vote before will be able to vote again. This will take a lot of resources.
As far as just not knowing about the state laws, I see no reason why that should be a problem. You're not registered by default to vote, so when you go in to register they can just have a poster or a pamphlet or something.
The knowing thing- it's not that hard to mislead or intimidate people who aren't that confident of their voting rights in the first place. On one hand it's tempting to recall Jim Crow type examples, but this type of thing is done today. I linked to an example.
How does requiring photo ID disenfranchise the black/minority community?
- 15/01/2012 05:14:16 PM
2110 Views
From what I understand ...
- 15/01/2012 05:34:39 PM
1227 Views
but you need a photo ID for so many other things
- 15/01/2012 05:42:06 PM
1099 Views
Well.
- 15/01/2012 05:53:04 PM
1244 Views
The SCOTUS disagrees with you.
- 16/01/2012 03:14:57 AM
1080 Views
I didn't even need to show a voter regestration card last time I voted *NM*
- 16/01/2012 11:45:23 PM
763 Views
That is kind of pathetic.
- 17/01/2012 06:45:19 AM
1015 Views
It "disenfranchises" whoever only barely brings him- or herself to vote as it is.
- 15/01/2012 05:34:50 PM
1103 Views
That really only reinforces the idea to me that this is just people looking to fight about something *NM*
- 15/01/2012 05:45:37 PM
604 Views
I think that's an exaggeration, but to play devil's advocate...
- 15/01/2012 05:41:10 PM
1042 Views
it doesn't strike me as a very big layer to add. *NM*
- 15/01/2012 05:43:37 PM
599 Views
Someone presents a poll worker a non-DL photo ID.
- 15/01/2012 05:48:50 PM
1115 Views
i suppose that would get complicated if you tried to make it nice and flexible. *NM*
- 15/01/2012 06:09:13 PM
816 Views
It doesn't, really. The issue gets politicized due to a long memory of "Jim Crow".
- 15/01/2012 06:19:37 PM
1206 Views
Yah, my mom brought up Jim Crow laws. It's a fair point, at least in regards to the reaction
- 15/01/2012 06:22:36 PM
1121 Views
This is a remarkably calm and reasonable political discussion. What's going on? *NM*
- 15/01/2012 08:05:30 PM
626 Views
It is not a black and white issue
- 16/01/2012 01:07:14 AM
1128 Views
I prefer to think i'm magical. *NM*
- 16/01/2012 01:20:49 AM
612 Views
I don't see any cat nearby, thus no magic was used *nods* *NM*
- 16/01/2012 01:28:50 AM
645 Views
that's too obvious.
- 16/01/2012 02:48:29 AM
1107 Views
You did not just compare a cat to a rabbit
- 16/01/2012 03:07:49 AM
1111 Views
have you ever had a rabbit?
- 16/01/2012 03:25:26 AM
1152 Views
A cat would never lower itself assumming the form of a fluffy rabbit
- 16/01/2012 12:49:26 PM
1199 Views
that's just what they want you to think.
- 16/01/2012 02:34:48 PM
1046 Views
Viscous does not mean Magical
- 16/01/2012 02:45:10 PM
1227 Views
- 16/01/2012 02:45:10 PM
1227 Views
Actually i'm pretty sure my rabbits scratch me because they're furry bastards. *NM*
- 16/01/2012 04:28:57 PM
625 Views
well for one thing she didn't start out by insulting people who disagree with her
- 16/01/2012 02:09:24 AM
1087 Views
Not that I care much either way, but please, answer this:
- 15/01/2012 09:26:23 PM
1172 Views
definitely not. However, ID cards are free in South Carolina.
- 15/01/2012 09:33:06 PM
1257 Views
You could walk. *NM*
- 16/01/2012 06:31:58 AM
608 Views
Oh I could, theoretically. Although this year, my poll is a good 7 miles away
- 16/01/2012 08:45:42 AM
1265 Views
7 miles away, isn't that illegal? *NM*
- 16/01/2012 05:35:50 PM
605 Views
probably, but not really at the same time. It's my own fault regardless.
- 16/01/2012 10:46:06 PM
1160 Views
Illegal? My polling location is > 7 miles from my permanent residence.
- 17/01/2012 12:19:21 AM
1114 Views
No, and there's is no place in the US that is the case
- 16/01/2012 12:11:36 AM
1170 Views
It disenfranchises the dead/illegal aliens/people who vote multiple times...
- 16/01/2012 02:01:47 AM
1206 Views
Short answer: Yes. (Let me know if you want the long answer.) *NM*
- 16/01/2012 07:52:36 PM
722 Views
that would be interesting. *NM*
- 16/01/2012 08:45:24 PM
632 Views
By that, I assume you want to know. (But probably not as interesting as you think.)
- 17/01/2012 02:46:16 PM
1132 Views
I don't see how it does
- 15/01/2012 10:22:29 PM
1164 Views
Re: I don't see how it does
- 15/01/2012 10:57:20 PM
1110 Views
I believe most states also offer a non-drivers ID issued by the DMV
- 16/01/2012 12:12:09 AM
1058 Views
Cool. I wonder if Canada has those. I should check into that. *NM*
- 16/01/2012 12:35:39 AM
549 Views
Also passports work too in most places. *NM*
- 16/01/2012 06:59:51 PM
650 Views
those are far far from economical or practical compared to state IDs *NM*
- 16/01/2012 07:12:30 PM
516 Views
It is a catch 22 situation, the free id is not a perfect solution
- 16/01/2012 12:53:11 AM
1228 Views
Also you can't claim voter fraud is a big problem
- 16/01/2012 12:57:18 AM
1141 Views
can you prove that voter fraud is not a problem?
- 16/01/2012 02:04:52 AM
1083 Views
In 5 years of investigation, 120 people were charged national with voter fraud, 86 were convincted
- 16/01/2012 02:33:07 AM
1302 Views
That's smoke and mirrors
- 16/01/2012 01:51:34 PM
1215 Views
It seems you didn't read the article, or understand its point
- 16/01/2012 02:39:39 PM
1118 Views
You are still ignoring the fact that it is almost impossible to catch people on the current system
- 16/01/2012 03:52:42 PM
1105 Views
I suspect I know a good deal more of this subject than the author of your 5-year old article
- 16/01/2012 05:37:54 PM
1111 Views
Question for you
- 16/01/2012 06:01:09 PM
1178 Views
I'd prefer photo-ID only but I don't see too great a need.
- 16/01/2012 06:37:13 PM
1306 Views
becuase they would then be limited to voting once and all of ACRON's work would be wasted *NM*
- 16/01/2012 01:46:06 AM
720 Views
Not to mention it might stop some of those pesky dead people that keep showing up. Every Year. *NM*
- 16/01/2012 02:44:42 PM
706 Views
Hey now. Zombies are people too, and deserve to have their opinions noted. *NM*
- 17/01/2012 10:23:15 PM
621 Views
I guess you havn't been watching the Walking Dead *NM*
- 18/01/2012 07:09:34 PM
636 Views
Nate's one of those Farmer Hershel types. *NM*
- 18/01/2012 10:02:48 PM
641 Views
Just a guess but I don't think things will end well for the farmer *NM*
- 19/01/2012 07:09:45 PM
705 Views
If provided gratis, it does not; otherwise, it is a poll tax (illegal under federal law.)
- 16/01/2012 02:39:40 AM
1032 Views
Re: How does requiring photo ID disenfranchise the black/minority community?
- 16/01/2012 02:42:28 PM
1169 Views
I do think that fraud/raising barriers to vote need to be weighed against each other.
- 16/01/2012 06:20:23 PM
1113 Views
I remember the Bush/Gore Fiasco back in 2000, Florida and Democrats pissed off the overseas military
- 16/01/2012 06:56:39 PM
1111 Views
I'm not reading the article but...
- 17/01/2012 09:48:27 AM
1105 Views
maybe there's no excuse in your area
- 17/01/2012 03:05:53 PM
1053 Views
I think when you get to such extreme examples, the point often becomes moot.
- 18/01/2012 07:26:10 PM
1032 Views
Re: I think when you get to such extreme examples, the point often becomes moot.
- 21/01/2012 02:44:56 AM
1276 Views
What? I'm the only one who cares?
- 18/01/2012 02:14:28 AM
1239 Views
Yes, just you, the rest of us have been discussing baseball this entire time *NM*
- 18/01/2012 02:41:25 AM
627 Views
I'm the only one who cares with fervor in a non nuanced way ok? *NM*
- 18/01/2012 03:07:07 AM
623 Views
imo, fervor has no place in political discussion
- 18/01/2012 02:35:56 PM
1090 Views
And yet, it finds its way or it's not politics.
- 18/01/2012 06:28:08 PM
1095 Views
That doesn't mean that's the best or most productive discussion manner
- 18/01/2012 06:59:09 PM
1230 Views
- 18/01/2012 06:59:09 PM
1230 Views
Strong feelings on a topic don't have to translate to fervent discussion, all caps style.
- 18/01/2012 08:50:45 PM
1171 Views
What?
- 18/01/2012 03:57:10 PM
996 Views
What about those who don't have an id and have been voting fine before?
- 18/01/2012 06:06:19 PM
1255 Views
the problem with that last point is...
- 18/01/2012 09:05:43 PM
1092 Views
Yes.
- 18/01/2012 09:32:25 PM
1277 Views
That example is a lot different to what I'm talking about though.
- 18/01/2012 10:51:21 PM
1125 Views
It's not that different and it's a concrete example of something that happened quite recently.
- 18/01/2012 11:43:24 PM
1351 Views
but my point is that it wasn't the government making those calls
- 19/01/2012 12:09:17 AM
1054 Views
What's your real question?
- 18/01/2012 05:07:30 PM
1081 Views
Question mark notwithstanding, there was no question.
- 18/01/2012 06:16:46 PM
1155 Views
Be outraged. Be passionate. Be surprised.
- 19/01/2012 05:42:37 PM
1288 Views
I've had enough, looking forward to insulting everyone again in a couple months or so.
- 19/01/2012 06:06:19 PM
1178 Views

