Saturday, September 22, 2012

Texas Republicans And Voter Suppression: Voter ID Laws

Texas has been right in line with the trend of Republican-led state legislatures who have been frantically passing voter suppression laws to try to keep minorities and people who are poor and unlikely to vote Republican from the polls.  Fortunately, some of our courts remember their judicial duty to protect the constitution and all.

In August, a federal judge blocked the Perry-backed Senate Bill 14, a voter ID law, which required voters to present one of five kinds of valid ID (only specific, picture IDs, not voter registration cards) at the polls in order to vote. 

While no one has been able to point to evidence that in-person voter fraud is an actual thing, it is known that many, many Texans are in possession of none of the IDs that are allowed.  Many Texans also do not have the money to obtain such IDs.  

It's weird to see Republicans gadding about asking why this is a big deal as IDs are needed to cash checks, rent movies and cars, etc. and surely everyone has them.  Do the Republicans really not realize that our state - in fact, our country - is chock full of people who do not have the income to do any of those things?

They realize.  Their lifestyles depend upon it.

These laws are in no way truly intended for the purpose of preventing fraud.  They are for the purpose of voter suppression, plain and simple.  

I would never try to get someone I disagreed with not to vote - that is just terrible.  Everyone needs to vote - everyone.  That's the only way democracy works.  What the Republicans are doing is truly wicked.  They may as well crown a king and be done with it.

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