Critics: Proposed Ga. law amounts to a poll tax

Google ^ | 03/13/2009 | KATE BRUMBACK

[FreeAtlanta]

Critics: Proposed Ga. law amounts to a poll tax By KATE BRUMBACK – 3 hours ago

ATLANTA (AP) — A proposed Georgia law would require prospective voters to prove citizenship, a practice opponents say would keep the poor, elderly and minorities away from the polls as taxes and literacy tests once did.

It's been more than 40 years since the Voting Rights Act was signed, barring voting practices used throughout the South for years to keep poor blacks from voting. Today in Georgia, registering to vote is simple: check a box on an application affirming you are a citizen.

However, both chambers of the Georgia Legislature approved a bill earlier this month that would require people to provide a birth certificate, U.S. passport, naturalization papers or other documents proving citizenship. ...

[CarmichaelPatriot]

Sounds like a pretty common-sense thing to me, what with there being 20 million or more people in this country illegally.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The Democrats consider all the people in old-folks homes to be their voters.

Come in, give them some ice cream and fill out the ballot for them.

That's how it's done.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

So the poor, minorities, and the elderly aren’t citizens of Georgia then?

[Above My Pay Grade]

“A proposed Georgia law would require prospective voters to prove citizenship, a practice opponents say would keep the poor, elderly and minorities away from the polls....”

Should read:

A proposed Georgia law would require prospective voters to prove citizenship, a practice opponents say would keep illegal aliens, out of state residents, the deceased and voters who fraudulently vote multiple times (IOW, the Democrat base)away from the polls....”

[Clock King]

I am so sick of the poor, black people (rich and poor), and latinos, etc. being treated as if they are stupid low level monkeys. They are not. They full-fledged humans with the same responsibilities and rights as everyone else. If a white person can get off their butt and provide ID for a home purchase, a cruise, a club outing, then so can a black or elderly.

[HoosierHawk]

Michael Kang, a law professor at Emory University who specializes in voting issues, said it's hard to tell what an Obama Justice Department will decide on Georgia's law. Citizenship is not a constitutional requirement for voting, he said, but courts have tended to allow states to limit the vote to citizens.

Huh? Can some one explain this to me.

[xcamel]

“critics” would be wrong, and probably illegals.

[Travis T. OJustice]

Well, if they can force me spend money to exercize my 2nd ammendment rights, before i even purchase a weapon and/or ammo, why not my right to vote? Seems reasonable to me.

There should be a minimum competency test, too.

[KansasGirl]

[A proposed Georgia law would require prospective voters to prove citizenship, a practice opponents say would keep the poor, elderly and minorities away from the polls as taxes and literacy tests once did.]

Ummm, why is it hard for the poor, elderly, and monorities to prove citizenship?

[The Sons of Liberty]

Now if we could get the Usurper in the Oval Office, masquerading as President, to provide similar documentation.

[alancarp]

Gee, this is supposed to be the law for getting a job, getting a driver’s license...

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Liberals say that about everything.

That, and if you don’t pay millions of tax dollars to subsidize “art” which offends most and which nobody likes:

That’s censorship.

But the “fairness doctrine”, isn’t censorship.

Go figure.

[autumnraine]

I guess the King will override one of his Lordships rules.

[MrB]

And if the democRats are so worried about it,

spend some ACORN money on IDs

[CurlyDave]

Lets just rephrase this and say if they can’t find their birth certificate, they can’t vote.

The state has a legitimate interest in finding a balance between potentially preventing a small number of elderly citizens from voting and allowing voter fraud.

Both are bad, but the balance has been too far over on allowing voter fraud for too long. It is time to bring things back to an even keel.

[The Duke]

The premise here is a bit of a ....

[FreepShop1]

would keep the poor, elderly and minorities away from the polls as taxes and literacy tests once did.

They should bring back the literacy test. No American who can't read English should vote.

[2harddrive]

Here in Texas, we have a “Pole Tax” that impacts dancers in strip clubs who dance around a pole.

[Retired COB]

Sounds like a pretty common-sense thing to me, what with there being 20 million or more people in this country illegally.

I think maybe they should add the old fashioned literacy test to see if people trying to vote understand what a political office can do, who's running, what the various parties stand for in general, etc.

While I'm dreaming, I'd like to see all references to the candidate's political affiliation removed from the ballot. That way the public would have to know the candidates and what they stand for. I would like to totally eliminate straight party votes that can be made by checking one box on the ballot. That just encourages the voters to stay stupid.

[Red_Devil 232]

Is this different than the Photo ID Law required by Georgia?

[infidel29]

It's been more than 40 years since the Voting Rights Act was signed, barring voting practices used throughout the Southby democrats for years to keep poor blacks from voting.

I get so tired of that part being misrepresented.

[Oldpuppymax]

You mean Georgia wants to pass a law requiring people to prove that they are legally eligible to vote? A deliberate attempt to make election fraud more difficult??!! WHY THE BA$TARD$!!!

[ElayneJ]

That’s exactly the way it’s done.
For a party that’s supposed to be “inclusive” the dems sure malign their voters - the poor, minorities, and the elderly can’t produce proof of citizenship? Well, unless they’re not citizens they should be able to provide proof. What are they - helpless and clueless?
I know the real plan is to get as many illegal votes as possible, but in the process the dems are sending the message that only a select few people are competent and everyone else is a dolt. Why on earth don’t the rank-and-file democrats revolt against this?

[umgud]

A proposed Georgia law would require prospective voters to prove citizenship, a practice opponents say would keep the poor, elderly and minorities away from the polls as taxes and literacy tests once did.

How do they collect their welfare and other gov't services? How do they cash checks?

[Michael.SF.]

Can some one explain this to me.

Not am explanation, per se, but an alternative idea. First here is what the 24th Amendment says, in part:

Poll Tax Barred. Ratified 1/23/1964. History

1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Here is what we do:

Charge a $100.00 fee for entry to a polling station. We then wave the fee for anyone who submits proof that they are a citizen.

We are in compliance with the above 24th Amendment, then correct?

Seriously though, if voting rights are not limited to US Citizens, why then are US Citizens specifically mentioned in the 24th Amendment?

The guy quoted in your post is wrong.

[Madistan]

Maybe every voter should get a voucher for a Drivers License?

[BykrBayb]

I can think of one member of a minority group who would be prevented from voting under this rule.

[devistate one four]

Acorn has been hired to take care of the poor and elderly. They can take them to the polls or anywhere else they need to go.

[fwdude]

A proposed Georgia law would require prospective voters to prove citizenship, a practice opponents say would keep the poor, elderly and minorities ACORN constituents away from the polls as taxes and literacy tests good common sense once did.

[rbbeachkid]

Are you telling me that minorities and the poor can’t dance? I thought only rich white guys couldn’t dance.

[HoosierHawk]

Thanks.

[dorothy]

This may help explain Prof. Kang:

As Emory Law associate professor Michael Kang teaches his course this fall election law, he can't help reflecting on the influence of a similar class he took as a student at the University of Chicago Law School—taught by Barack Obama.

Kang was one of a dozen students in the fall of 1998 enrolled in Obama's course titled "Constitutional Law: Equal Protection and Due Process." ...

Kang’s research focuses on voting rights, race, redistricting, campaign finance and direct democracy.

Source; http://www.emory.edu/home/news/releases/2008/09/teacher-learned-in-obama-classroom.html

[Strutt9]

"Lets just rephrase this and say if they can’t find their birth certificate, they can’t vote."

I wish all states would require proper ID for voting. Don't the poor have to show some proof when they receive thier welfare, clothing allowance, medicaid etc? It does not have to be a birth cetificate... it can be legal government document of some kind. I don't have a birth certificate and never had one, being as I was not born here in the U.S. I had to go through hoops to prove I am who I say I am... Citizenship papers helped to get drivers licence & passport. So, if the poor and minorities don't have any id... how the heck do they get welfare funds?

[HoosierHawk]

Wow. Thanks.

[2harddrive]

LOL!

[canaan]

I’m not an attorney, but my guess is they would say that what you have posted says that citizens can’t be prevented from voting. It doesn’t say that non-citizens can’t vote...