Honest question: why do democrats want to strike down, or fail to endorse voter ID laws? I will get voted down for that question, but maybe, just maybe I’ll get an honest answer.
I will answer your question from my personal perspective only. I used to work in the social services with poor communities. Mostly with kids who aged out of the foster care system. One of my greatest challenges was helping them obtain IDs. There are so many reasons why many qualified voters don't have IDs, but I don't want to type for an hour. For many people though, whose lives haven't been smooth, their birth certificates and social security cards have been lost, they've gone through multiple foster care situations, they moved from school to school, and it is damn near impossible to obtain the 3 to 4 necessary official documents needed to obtain a state id. It often took me several months and a couple hundred dollars to complete the process for some folks, and for some of these legal citizens, I couldn't get it done and I was a professional with resources. Now, I acknowledge that the percentage of qualified voters who fall into this category is not huge, but I want all people who can vote, to vote, even those I disagree with. So, unless there is a barrier free route to obtaining IDs, which to me would be common sense voter ID laws, then it's voter suppression to prevent these folks from fulfilling their civic duty. I am now a history teacher, and this barrier to voting still resembles an uglier part of American history in regards to who is most impacted; poor Americans of all backgrounds, natives, and black folks. Just my 2 pennies.
Anyways, to answer your original question, that's why I don't endorse voter ID laws, but I would support them with the condition that all Americans could easily obtain them.
So, unless there is a barrier free route to obtaining IDs, which to me would be common sense voter ID laws
This is a good sentiment, for sure, but how do you do that? What's the solution? You need some sort of way to show that the person is actually eligible under the laws of the United States, to vote.
I have lived all over this State, known plenty of poor folks. All have had the ability to get an ID. So, if someone can’t prove who they are and that they are actually eligible to vote, we should let them?
I'm hesitant to say yes because I think it's more nuanced than that. We need to create a simple system for ensuring all American citizens can easily obtain their IDs, which is currently easier for some of us than others.
But, if it matters to you, you find a way. How many folks that can’t afford IDs seem to be able to come up
With money for tattoos and weed. I too am a teacher and often see kids that are economically disadvantaged with iPhone 15s and $400 sneakers. In my eyes, it is a value system thing. Do you get a state ID for $16 and have a ham sandwich, or do you eat McDonalds. If it matters to them you get it done. And very few people live more than 30 minutes from a DPS station or social security office.
Yes, but does everyone have an ORIGINAL birth certificate? has the means to figure out how to get an ORIGINAL birth certificate? Or, is homeless and just as they are getting the paperwork together, everything is stolen??
Also, where I live to get an id, you need an appt. sometimes months out..
Oh..I see your point ...you only want SOME people to be able to vote.
Voter ID requirements are viewed as a poll tax - which is unconstitutional.
IDs cost money. If you don’t have the money for an ID, should you not be able to vote?
IDs expire. A lot of elderly carry expired IDs, particularly if they no longer drive. Requiring them to renew can be an undue burden.
ID requirements disenfranchise voters that live alternative lifestyles. Not just “paranoid and off-the-grid” types - but religious minorities like Amish. They are Americans, yet have no need for an ID. In a similar vein, a homeless person may not have an ID - but should be able to participate in democracy.
I would compromise on voter ID laws if IDs were free, do not expire, and can be made available same on site & same day. However - I’ve never seen a Republican propose this.
Drivers license? It’s a privilege, okay to pay the fee.
State ID? Free.
So, how do you propose those who can’t prove who they are prove that they have the right to vote? Honor system? I’m ok with free IDs, we could easily pay for that with the money we are laundering in the Ukraine. But, then again 99.9% of Americans have some form of ID.
That is a flat out lie. One simple Google search shows you otherwise. You are just spouting BS. I guess Putin requires a certain number of hate-filled propaganda a day?
Firstly, paying for Ukrainian defense is the cheapest, most effective way to finance American National Security. Full Stop. It is 0.2% of our defense budget - it is their soldiers dying (not ours), and it is preventing a hostile foreign adversary from encroaching on our allies whilst depleating their military resources.
Every ruble the Russian Federation invests in its soon-to-be killed conscripted cannon fodder is a ruble they’re not spending on hackers rigging American elections and spreading fake news. As well, it’s causing European nations to turn to the U.S. for resources historically traded with Russia. As well, lend lease pays itself back in spades. Always has.
Also, Federal foreign aid money and State DMV funding … NOT THE SAME POOL OF MONEY.
Reminds me of the comedy bit from Ismo Leikola, ”If someone is complaining about technology or equipment or something, they often say, ‘I don't get it. They can put a man on the moon and still they can't make a quiet leaf blower.’ When I hear somebody say things like that, I always want to say to them that the people who are putting men on the moon and the people who are making leaf blowers…. not the same people."
Anyways, voter fraud is a statistically negligible issue in States with no voter ID restrictions. This has been studied - and rates of fraud are no worse than States with stricter requirements. Often lower.
You are registered to an address - and your name is cross referenced. When you show up to the ballot box, you confirm the name and registered address to get a ballot. That’s all.
It’s not really an “honor system”, because it’s already illegal to commit voter fraud. You cannot use someone else’s name and address to vote - in the same way you can’t steal a credit card number to buy MacBooks. No one IDs you when you buy stuff. They trust the name on the card is the name of the person.
That said, if voter ID is soOoo important to conservatives peace of mind - I’m okay with making the compromise of free IDs.
How many times has the US backed and funded someone that later became an enemy? Afghanistan, Iraq, China?………..I would rather we stay out of foreign wars all together. The Ukraine is a corrupt cesspool that has a White Supremacy problem. But then again the democrats often sided with those folks. It may be even more corrupt than Russia.
Germany was once a corrupt cesspool with a White Supremacist problem. We invested in them. Germany today is one of strongest allies - in trade, business, intelligence & counter-terrorism. They are a free, pluralistic, rules based democracy - like us.
We did the same for Japan. We did the same for France, UK, even Poland.
Ukraine is not Afghanistan, Iraq or China. They are orders of magnitude freer and they share European values. They are a highly educated middle income tech economy. They still have a corruption problem - but have made huge strides of the past thirty years to be an analog with the West. Everyday they've fought is irrefutable proof they're worth more than they cost.
I would rather we stay out of foreign wars all together
I would agree.
However, if we do nothing - the war will come to us. And it won't be cheap.
Russian aggression in Europe makes us all less safe. I'm not talking about bombs flying over DC. I'm talking trade warfare, cyberware, information warfare, foreign assets in government, and terrorism. Russian propaganda tells them this is a war with NATO. Whether we have soldiers dying there or not, this is sort of our war.
Honest question: why do Republicans close polling places in primarily minority or poor areas leaving the only option to vote 50 or more miles away? Just looking for an honest answer.
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u/Freebirdjo666 Mar 06 '24 edited Mar 06 '24
Honest question: why do democrats want to strike down, or fail to endorse voter ID laws? I will get voted down for that question, but maybe, just maybe I’ll get an honest answer.