Interesting Conversation on Voter Id

[justashooter 430]

I have no problem with ID as long as government agencies are required to take a pro-active role in ensuring every eligible voter can get the documents he/she needs. If the approach is one of "here's a hoop, jump through it to prove you're worthy" then that I have a problem with.

pennsylvania has a voter ID law that is being protested by the obama "justice department", which claims that it is unfiar to "blacks". when the law was announced bussing to DMV was offered, ID's are given out free to people who state that they can't afford one, and box lunches were even provided.

how is it that someone is too poor to get a free one and still has a job they can't take time off from?

[Teddy B 17,252]

I have no soft spot for the elderly. I just want to see us enable participation in the electoral process. We can't make people vote but we can eliminate barriers and if we're going to create a new hoop for people to jump through (get an id), I want to see us put our money where our mouth is and actually help people who are willing to ask for help. Some people (the truly apathetic) will never even ask for help getting a voter id so they're not the issue.

Regarding paying - I'm not suggesting we pay for documents for people who can afford them. But if you're poor and you take the effort to show up at a (say) social security office to ask for help getting a voter id, I'd like to see government make it happen. If we create a new requirement, it's ethical to help those who ask for help meet that requirement. JMHO.

Or any documents an individual might need to get that document.

Agreed! But no soft spot for the elderly? Grouch!

[natty bumppo 297]

pennsylvania has a voter ID law that is being protested by the obama "justice department", which claims that it is unfiar to "blacks". when the law was announced bussing to DMV was offered, ID's are given out free to people who state that they can't afford one, and box lunches were even provided.

how is it that someone is too poor to get a free one and still has a job they can't take time off from?

PA forgot the free beer

[rocks 494]

pennsylvania has a voter ID law that is being protested by the obama "justice department", which claims that it is unfiar to "blacks". when the law was announced bussing to DMV was offered, ID's are given out free to people who state that they can't afford one, and box lunches were even provided.

how is it that someone is too poor to get a free one and still has a job they can't take time off from?

What about the documents required to get the ID? They aren't covered here. You need an ID to get a birth certificate and a birth certificate to get an ID.

[DandT14 272]

I see no need for a voter ID card. It's more just another way to waste money. If people can't manage to get themselves a state ID, they won't manage to get themselves a voter ID card. In fact, less people will get Voter ID cards because they won't need it for anything else. I don't want less "real" voters voting.

I have worked with everyone from the developmentally disabled (I'm talking people so low functioning that they can't walk down the street alone) to the elderly. They can all get IDs. When people are so old that their birth certificate isn't readily available, there are systems to deal with it. They all get SSN's, don't they?

Edited August 1, 2012 by DandT14

[rocks 494]

I see no need for a voter ID card. It's more just another way to waste money. If people can't manage to get themselves a state ID, they won't manage to get themselves a voter ID card. In fact, less people will get Voter ID cards because they won't need it for anything else. I don't want less "real" voters voting.

I have worked with everyone from the developmentally disabled (I'm talking people so low functioning that they can't walk down the street alone) to the elderly. They can all get IDs. When people are so old that their birth certificate isn't readily available, there are systems to deal with it. They all get SSN's, don't they?

Why doesn't the SS office automatically send one to everyone who is eligible to vote? Problem solved.

[^_^ 5,021]

Why doesn't the SS office automatically send one to everyone who is eligible to vote? Problem solved.

Not everyone has a postal address.

[DandT14 272]

It's a non issue which is being drummed up to better the GOPs chances in 2012. If this was about the integrity of the vote, then why does none of the voter ID laws address any of the few and far between cases of voter fraud that have been observed? And why would the GOP leave the absentee ballot alone altogether. Hint: Absentee ballots favor Republicans. This is about manipulating the elections. Nothing more.

I agree, the entire subject is about manipulating elections. And I think that should piss us all off, no matter which side you favor.

And yeah, the absentee ballot thing is a bit of a farce. I always vote absentee, and considering how much trouble the USPS has getting my mail to me lately, anyone could be snagging my ballot at this point.

[DandT14 272]

Why doesn't the SS office automatically send one to everyone who is eligible to vote? Problem solved.

Like the other person said, we can't eliminate the homeless from voting.

I don't want another stupid card that costs money to produce. There will have to be another gov't agency to deal with it, more gov't employees, and more poorly managed money. It's totally unnecessary.

Trust me when I tell you that poor people, elderly, and minorities can and will get IDs. I work with all of the above. And I think having to show your ID to verify you are who you say you are when you go to vote should be a given.

[JohnR! 5,495]

1343841501[/url]' post='5574974']

I agree, the entire subject is about manipulating elections. And I think that should piss us all off, no matter which side you favor.

And yeah, the absentee ballot thing is a bit of a farce. I always vote absentee, and considering how much trouble the USPS has getting my mail to me lately, anyone could be snagging my ballot at this point.

It's an election year. As usual the GOP is grandstanding and posturing. How about they went about and created the jobs of which they spoke during the last elections?

Edited August 1, 2012 by Gegel

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I agree, the entire subject is about manipulating elections. And I think that should piss us all off, no matter which side you favor.

And yeah, the absentee ballot thing is a bit of a farce. I always vote absentee, and considering how much trouble the USPS has getting my mail to me lately, anyone could be snagging my ballot at this point.

Not only that but the elections office has no way of determining whether it was actually you who cast the vote.

[rocks 494]

Like the other person said, we can't eliminate the homeless from voting.

I don't want another stupid card that costs money to produce. There will have to be another gov't agency to deal with it, more gov't employees, and more poorly managed money. It's totally unnecessary.

Trust me when I tell you that poor people, elderly, and minorities can and will get IDs. I work with all of the above. And I think having to show your ID to verify you are who you say you are when you go to vote should be a given.

I won't trust you, sorry. It's simply not true. In a world where everyone has a disposable income, that might be true. That isn't this world.

Why can't polling stations have a list of SSN's eligible for voting, as each person votes the SSN is crossed off (via computer obviously). Everyone knows their SSN, right?

Not only that but the elections office has no way of determining whether it was actually you who cast the vote.

This is a problem, yes.

[kytwell 179]

Why can't polling stations have a list of SSN's eligible for voting, as each person votes the SSN is crossed off (via computer obviously). Everyone knows their SSN, right?

Forgot my social security number, after walking in the 112F heat uphill both ways to work. Fell in a ditch on the side of the road walking, because there's no sidewalks. I can't get a replacement SS card without birth certificate or photo ID. Can't get photo ID without birth cert or SS. Remember I have no work ID either, no SNAP card, no military service,no house with utility bills and no living relatives to verify who I am.

DISCLAIMER:

This post contains sarcasm

[Teddy B 17,252]

Forgot my social security number, after walking in the 112F heat uphill both ways to work. Fell in a ditch on the side of the road walking, because there's no sidewalks. I can't get a replacement SS card without birth certificate or photo ID. Can't get photo ID without birth cert or SS. Remember I have no work ID either, no SNAP card, no military service,no house with utility bills and no living relatives to verify who I am.

DISCLAIMER:

This post contains sarcasm

You must be from Mississippi.

[Ban Hammer 13,555]

Pretty much. You must not have lived in the south.

i'm from texas.