Posted on 9/23/2005, 5:42:10 AM by neverdem
WE agreed to lead the Commission on Federal Election Reform because of our shared concern that too many Americans lack confidence in the electoral process, and because members of Congress are divided on the issue and busy with other matters.
This week, we issued a report that bridges the gap between the two parties' perspectives and offers a comprehensive approach that can help end the sterile debate between ballot access and ballot integrity. Unfortunately, some have misrepresented one of our 87 recommendations. As a result, they have deflected attention from the need for comprehensive reform.
Our recommendations are intended to increase voter participation, enhance ballot security and provide for paper auditing of electronic voting machines. We also offer plans to reduce election fraud, and to make the administration of elections impartial and more effective.
Most important, we propose building on the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to develop an accurate and up-to-date registration system by requiring states, not counties, to organize voter registration lists and share them with other states to avoid duplications when people move. The lists should be easily accessible so that voters can learn if they're registered, and where they're registered to vote.
Some of our recommendations are controversial, but the 21 members of our bipartisan commission, which was organized by American University, approved the overall report, and we hope it will break the stalemate in Congress and increase the prospects for electoral reform.
Since we presented our work to the president and Congress, some have overlooked almost all of the report to focus on a single proposal - a requirement that voters have driver's licenses or government-issued photo ID's. Worse, they have unfairly described our recommendation.
Here's the problem we were addressing: 24 states already require that voters prove their identity at the polls...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
^
JIMMY CARTER and JAMES A. BAKER III
Talk about an Odd Couple...
Greyhound requiring employees to screen for illegal immigrants
From time to time, I’ll ping on noteworthy articles about politics, foreign and military affairs. FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.
Funny, I just read somewhere within the last few days that Mr. Carter was against photo ID's. I'll have to look for the article.
So why should the rest of the country lower its standards to those of Chicago?
???
Well I'm opposed to "independent" commissions. I thought we elected Congress to provide oversight of government.
He is against cards that have to be paid for by people on the government teat.
He wants them to be free.
Which A.O.K with me.
Congress would still have to pass any law requiring photo ID and any other recommendation. If found to be unconstitutional, Congress would need super-majorities to enable the passage of an amendment.
I used to be against the NAZI-like notion of "Give me your papers", but between voter fraud from illegals and the threat from terrorism, when I already have a state issued drivers license with my mug on it, I don't care. It may also help to reduce all of the demented, who seem to vote more than the general population, having ballots cast in their names.
IIRC, it is free for those who affirm that they can't afford them in Georgia.
That is what I thought too.
But apparently some section of Georgians are required to pay $20 for a 3 year and $30 for a 5 year picture ID.
Jimmah wants them to be free for everybody I guess.
Which certainly makes me think my Georgia Drivers license should be free when I next go to renew.
What I can't understand is the notion that people don't have photo ID in the first place. They have to have at least a DL or a non-drivers ID card to cash their welfare checks, so if they're that poor they have to have ID to get paid, I hope.
Great Point.
Also why is outrageous to require a photo ID to VOTE but Jesse Jackson and his ilk have never protested a Blockbuster Video store for requiring photo ID to rent a video?
Apparently the Dems have been heavily invested in voter fraud for so long they simply cannot abide losing this "resource."
I believe that any "voting reform" should include being able to pass a simple civics test of, say, three questions randomly chosen from a pool of, say, one-hundred questions. For example, "Who is the Vice President of the United States?", "Can you name your Congressman or Congresswoman?", and "Justices of the Supreme Court are elected by the people - - true or false?"
If a properly registered person can answer two out of three of those type questions correctly, then that person may vote. (I know, I know - - the Democrats would NEVER allow half their "base" to be disqualified in this manner, but hey, it still makes sense to require voters to have slightly more clue than a poodle.)
I wonder how much welfare fraud would also be uncovered this way? But I also wonder why there would be millions who cannot be expected to pay $20 after 40 year war on poverty, especially when the same people are fed up with the war on terror after only four years. Sholdn't we have an exit strategy for Johnson's war?
"He is against cards that have to be paid for by people on the government teat.
He wants them to be free.
Which A.O.K with me."
But they will just raise the cost of the drivers license or something to cover the "free" card.
rats beaten on this one too. Taking away their voter fraud means victory for us in many districts.
Thanks for the ping!
As a citizen of the State of Georgia, I really do not care. Voter fraud is ENORMOUS in the Democratic Party and if me paying a $100 for my drivers license with help to reduce and discourage such fraud, I will gleefully pay the $100.
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