I accept, I even believe, that conservatives really do love our country and that they want to be patriotic. But it seems to me that they don't always strive for logical consistency in their positions.
In a number of states in the past year, GOP controlled legislatures have passed and/or are trying to pass a range of restrictions on and regulations of voting and voter registration.
In a number of states in the past year, GOP controlled legislatures have passed and/or are trying to pass a range of restrictions on and regulations of voting and voter registration.
On the one hand, conservatives argue that business regulations stifle business. They argue that we should decrease or even eliminate such regulations.
At the same time, they actively promote increased regulation of voting in our country.
Since voting is at the core of democracy, by their own logic, they are stifling democracy.
It seems to me that stifling democracy is directly opposed to their intent and desire to be patriotic.
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The matter is not that recent laws requiring citizens to prove their eligibility to vote by showing proper identification stifles democracy, but rather, it is to secure that each vote is protected and honored.
ReplyDeleteWhen one applies for a passport, proper identification is required. When one seeks to operate a vehicle on the public roadways, licensing and the issuance of identification is required.
Should we, the citizens, not request that each person wishing to vote be properly identified as a citizen eligible to vote? If not, then my vote could be negated by the one or hundreds of fraudulent votes cast by those who are not eligible to vote.
We have referees and commissions and the like that request proper documentation to be certain that a 13-year-old doesn't play baseball or soccer in the 10-year-old league. Shouldn't we be as vigilant for the most sacred of our rights as citizens and affirm the sanctity of our votes by requiring that a citizen provide identification before voting?
>>Should we, the citizens, not request that each person wishing to vote be properly identified as a citizen eligible to vote?
ReplyDeleteYes. But who says photo id is the only "proper" way to prove identity?
The Bush admin went out looking for voter fraud and came up with less than 100 convictions. Nation wide. Less than 1 millionth of 1 percent of the votes cast for president in 2004
This simply isn't a real problem - The GOP leaders are passing laws which will keep thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, from voting to "solve" a problem that isn't really a problem. (For example, in Wisconsin, the governor was looking to close down DMV offices in predominantly democratic areas and expand hours in predominantly republican areas. I don't know if he was able to actually do that - but that demonstrates that the concern isn't really with fraudulent voting, the "concern" is with people voting for Democrats)
>>If not, then my vote could be negated by the one or hundreds of fraudulent votes cast by those who are not eligible to vote.
Why do you assume your vote would be "negated?" You seem to think that all fraudulent votes will be for "the other party."
Presumably, fraudulent votes would be divided 50/50, with no aggregate effect on your own vote.
But maybe you're a Democrat and think that all people voting fraudulently would be Republicans?
>>We have referees and commissions and the like that request proper documentation to be certain that a 13-year-old doesn't play baseball or soccer in the 10-year-old league. Shouldn't we be as vigilant for the most sacred of our rights as citizens and affirm the sanctity of our votes by requiring that a citizen provide identification before voting?
Yes, we are. And there is NO evidence that the systems used in most states have failed to prevent any significant degree of voter fraud
PLUS -- many of the restrictive regulations don't have anything to do with preventing "voter fraud" - they don't have anything to do with identification - for example cutting back on early voting and absentee voting periods won't do a thing to prevent voter fraud, but will make it harder for people in the armed services and the elderly to vote.