The Problem with Voter ID

[Pyperkub]

Couldn't find a thread dedicated to this, so here's the real world perspective on Wisconsin's Voter ID law:

On September 22, he went to the DMV to get a photo ID for voting, as required by Wisconsin’s strict voter-ID law. He brought his Illinois photo ID, Social Security card, and a pay stub for proof of residence. But he didn’t have a copy of his birth certificate, which had been misplaced by his sister in Illinois, so the DMV wouldn’t give him an ID for voting. “I’m trying to get a Wisconsin ID so I can vote,” Moore told the DMV. “I don’t have my birth certificate, but I got everything else.”

Under Wisconsin law, the DMV should’ve given Moore a credential he could use for voting within 6 business days. But that never happened. They told him to “drive down there [to Illinois] and get [a birth certificate] and come back.” That would cost Moore money he didn’t have. If he entered what the state calls the ID Petition Process (IDPP), it would take 6-8 weeks for him to get a voter-ID and he most likely wouldn’t be able to vote by Election Day. ..

...Nine percent of registered voters in Wisconsin don’t have a valid voter-ID and many are still struggling to get the documents they need to vote in November. It appears that Wisconsin is violating multiple court orders by not promptly giving eligible citizens free IDs or certificates for voting. This is particularly concerning since early voting began this week in cities like Madison and Milwaukee and thousands of Wisconsinites are casting ballots.

Way to disenfranchise almost 10% of registered voters Wisconsin!

[Jeff V]

Voter ID laws are specifically intended to disenfranchise voters. While the laws might make provisions for recourse, it behooves those supporting such laws to wrap up actual execution in as much red tape as possible so such voters can't manage to enfranchise themselves.

[tjg_marantz]

Mainly disenfranchise black voters.

[em2nought]

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/24-th ... le/2534254

[Fitzy]

FFS. He had ID, including a state issued drivers license. Making people jump through ridiculous hoops is done solely to keep some people from voting. You can try and pretend that's not racist if you want, but it's a stretch to conclude it was done to prevent illegal voting.

[Default]

Way to defeat your own argument with your own graphic.

[TheMix]

No kidding. Reading comprehension FTL.

[Skinypupy]

I need to volunteer at one of those "Non-Prophet Orgs". The ones with a prophet just have too dang many rules.

[gilraen]

My friend from Germany asked me why voter ID laws are such a big deal in the U.S. "How do you go through life without having some form of photo ID?" I had to explain to him that those laws are specifically designed to exclude most common forms of identification that their target demographic might possess.

And the reason the conversation started in the first place because he observed that they get more coverage of U.S. elections now than they do of their own.

[em2nought]

I had to provide all that stuff to get my mom a new ID when she moved, and also to get myself one when I moved. We both had to go back twice till we had everything that they asked of us. You are supposed to update your information right away when you move. If it's too much of a burden I've got no problem with taking it out of someone's first gov't support check of whatever kind along with money to drug test them while we're at it. Fail the drug test and we'll still give you the ID, just not the rest of the benefits. Your lifetime democrat and republican politicians are the ones that made it harder to get an ID ever since 9-11 instead of, I dunno, nuking Saudi Arabia maybe.

I need to volunteer at one of those "Non-Prophet Orgs". The ones with a prophet just have too dang many rules.

Yeah, I see that now, and it's darned funny!

[Skinypupy]

If it's too much of a burden I've got no problem with taking it out of someone's first gov't support check of whatever kind along with money to drug test them while we're at it. Fail the drug test and we'll still give you the ID, just not the rest of the benefits.

Yes, because that's been proven to have such great results and be such a savings to taxpayers. Er...um...

Besides, making sure kids go hungry because mom or dad can't kick their habit is fun!

[em2nought]

Yes, because that's been proven to have such great results and be such a savings to taxpayers. Er...um...

Besides, making sure kids go hungry because mom or dad can't kick their habit is fun!

That's the beauty in taking it out of their benefit, no taxpayer expense. If mom or dad has that much of a habit maybe the gov't needs to use the funds to place the children somewhere better instead. I'm not absolutely sure about that though as there are plenty of horror stories on "Law and Order: SVU". A large portion of people just plain suck I guess.

[Skinypupy]

So all the money spent to do all the drug tests (which catch the miniscule percentage of users) doesn't count as a "taxpayer expense"?

[Zarathud]

We should aspire to being assholes rather than helping people because it will soothe em2's butthurt over imaginary problems.

What a country!

[Skinypupy]

We should aspire to being assholes rather than helping people because it will soothe our butthurt over imaginary problems.

Pretty sure you just summed up the entire GOP platform in one sentence

[em2nought]

So all the money spent to do all the drug tests (which catch the miniscule percentage of users) doesn't count as a "taxpayer expense"?

Sure, but it comes out of what we are already giving away this way. If they want to work ten hours of community service to pay for their testing that would work for me too. You can't just keep on giving away other people's money indefinitely, just like you can't keep printing money indefinitely. Hey, if you can't afford your ID, I'd be fine if you did community service to pay for that too. Pick up trash, we'll weigh your bags at the end of the day and fund your account accordingly.

[GreenGoo]

You can't just keep on giving away other people's money indefinitely

Yes, you literally can.

[Default]

[Isgrimnur]

Texas

The Trump administration plans to abandon the federal government’s longstanding opposition to a key portion of Texas’ toughest-in-the-nation voter ID law, a U.S. Justice Department spokesman said Monday.
...
Justice Department spokesman Mark Abueg said the agency was preparing a brief detailing its rationale for the move. He said that although the Justice Department will no longer argue that the law was intended to discriminate against minorities, it doesn’t plan to withdraw from a portion of the lawsuit that argues that the law had the effect of discriminating against them.

[Max Peck]

Texas

The Trump administration plans to abandon the federal government’s longstanding opposition to a key portion of Texas’ toughest-in-the-nation voter ID law, a U.S. Justice Department spokesman said Monday.
...
Justice Department spokesman Mark Abueg said the agency was preparing a brief detailing its rationale for the move. He said that although the Justice Department will no longer argue that the law was intended to discriminate against minorities, it doesn’t plan to withdraw from a portion of the lawsuit that argues that the law had the effect of discriminating against them.

"I am shocked at this turn of events!" said no one ever. So is this the point where the ACLU steps up to save the day?

[Fireball]

The Republican Party doesn't want poor people or minorities to vote. This is not news.

These bills are supported only by people who don't realize what they do, don't care about it, or think that's fine. The former can be educated. The middle should be shunned. The latter are beneath contempt.

[Zarathud]

The Trump Administration wants to make the weakest argument possible so that the courts rule to uphold the Texas law.

Shame on you, Jeff Sessions.