Obama Administration Blocks Law Requiring Texas Residents to Show Photo ID Before Voting

foxnews.com ^ | 3-12-12

[Sleeping Freeper]

The Justice Department is objecting to a new photo ID law in Texas for voters, saying the state has failed to demonstrate that the the law is not discriminatory by design against Hispanic voters.

The department's head of the civil rights division, Tom Perez, wrote a a six-page letter to Texas' director of elections saying that Texas has not "sustained its burden" under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act to show that the new law will not have a discriminatory effect on minority voters. About 11 percent of Hispanic voters reportedly lack state-issued identification.

Perez wrote that while the state says the new photo ID requirement is to "ensure electoral integrity and deter ineligible voters from voting" the state "did not include evidence of significant in-person voter impersonation not already addressed by the state's existing laws."

Perez added that the number of people lacking any personal ID or driver's license issued by the state ranges from from 603,892 to 795,955, but of that span, 29-38 percent of them are Hispanic.

"According to the state's own data, a Hispanic registered voter is at least 46.5 percent, and potentially 120.0 percent, more likely than a non-Hispanic registered voter to lack this identification," Perez wrote.

[Qwackertoo]

Perry should tell Holder and Obama to take a hike. No photo id no ballot and no vote.

[edcoil]

If they require voter id then all voters mush show id not just some so the burden would be equally shared by everyone.

This is just more division from the executive branch.

[biff]

I would dearly love for a state, any state, would tell Holder and Obama to got straight to hell. Do what is best for that state regardless.

[VikingMom]

Excuse me but how can you be “potentially 120%” less likely to have ID? Do they just pull numbers out of their backside because they think they sound impressive?

[Rightly Biased]

The last desperate punches of a bested man.

How is showing an ID racist..

I understand illegals but otherwise I just don’t get it.

[corbe]

If I didn’t know better, I’d think Obummer HATES Texas. Didn’t he just pull Millions out of a Houston Fundraiser? /s

[crosshairs]

That’s because Texas is crawling with illegals. I believe Kansas now requires a photo id. I haven’t voted recently, but it seems I’ve read that.

[jayrunner]

What percentage of Texans are citizens of Mexico?

Did you read about the 35 year old man beating up a 67 yr. old man during a concert at the Chicago Symphony?

What a bunch of bums occupy our nation’s capital and our president’s home town.

[Carry_Okie]

About 11 percent of Hispanic voters reportedly lack state-issued identification.

So nice of them to tell us the scope of the illegal alien vote. If I were Texas, I'd sample that population right away and provide the DOJ all the data it needs. Model it backwards for the consequences on prior elections. Then enforce the law and let them squeal.

[laxcoach]

“saying the state has failed to demonstrate that the the law is not discriminatory by design “

Rather than the state trying to prove a negative, shouldn’t the justice department be trying to prove that it IS discriminatory?

And, how can anyone survive without ID of any kind in the modern world? Seems impossible to me. You can’t cash a check. You can’t use a credit card. You can’t have a conversation with a police officer without being asked for ID. The idea that people don’t have ID and are actually citizens lacks credibility to me.

[FrdmLvr]

0bamao trampling the 9th and 10 amendments again!

[AtlasStalled]

I guess this means that Team Obama is banking on fraudulent voting to carry him into re-election in November.

[Terry Mross]

The liberals have sure gotten away with a lot by using the race card. Now you have to prove that you’re NOT a racist. And you have to prove that a new law is NOT racist. That’s like boner proving he’s NOT going to cry.

Where does it say in the constitution that the president gets to decide which state laws are valid and which are not?

[RitaOK]

The time has passed where we comply and cooperate with tyrants. Expect Perry to tell them to shove it. We need some open resistance and soon.

[grobdriver]

If I didn’t know better, I’d think Obummer HATES Texas.

That's OK - most of us Texans hate him back.

[Marguerite]

Texas should reply to Obama “We don’t care what you think”, and implement its law.

What can Obama do, other than stomping his girly feet in distress?

It’s time for Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience.

[nurees]

I’ve shown I’d in Ohio for years...gladly pull it out each time.

[Captain Peter Blood]

We have to show ID for almost anything now, but not voting?
Why is it the Liberal Dems refuse to want to do this and keep trying to cheapen Citizenship? What they fail to realize is that there are no real gains for them or anyone else by allowing fraudulent voting.
Trading some kind of short term shortsightedness for Pyrrhic victories will not help this country or them in the long term.

[cyclotic]

Two weeks ago, I was at a conventipon at one of the Disney hotels in Orlando. I had to show photo ID to get into the parking lot. I commented to the guard that most of my State Legislators don’t think I need this to vote, why should I have to show it to him just to park my car. Not to mention shoing it to board an airplane and get my hotel room, and rent the car.

[Envisioning]

Is it time YET?!?

(((ping)))!

[cumbo78]

Under the reserved powers of the Constitutution, elections are to be conducted by the states. IMO, in order for the Feds to step in, they must prove that the state law is a violation of CIVIL rights. The Feds are claiming the State of Texas has to prove a negative. That’s not the way it works. Gov. Perry should indeed tell Holder to stick it.

[Terry Mross]

I’m beginning to believe these fundraisers are bogus. They’re getting their money from only a few sources. It was probably whispered to everyone at the fundraiser “You don’t have to pay. But don’t tell anyone else.”

[Joe the Pimpernel]

It does discriminate against illegal Hispanic voters.

[Java4Jay]

About 11 percent of Hispanic voters reportedly lack state-issued identification

Perry should shove it back and ask to show where it’s discrimination. What is the basis DOJ’s claim?

Go get an ID if they want to vote. Men and women paid the ultimate price to give and defend citizens the right to vote.

[b4its2late]

Who could’ve guessed this? (I think any of us...)

[Georgia Girl 2]

They tried the same thing in GA. We told them to kiss our grits. I just had to show ID to vote on March 6th.

[GreaterSwiss]

So can a hispanic college student refuse to show an id at the bar?

[RC2]

Kinda goes back to states rights doesn’t it? Interesting concept that they don’t understand states rights. It’s a well known fact though that if you want to control the federal government, you have to control your individual states.

[nutmeg]

The time has passed where we comply and cooperate with tyrants. Expect Perry to tell them to shove it. We need some open resistance and soon.

I agree, Rita. Hope we hear from Gov. Perry soon. This is outrageous...

[Ironfocus]

By what authority do they “block” this law? This is a state issue. The states really need to start taking a strong stand against the DC dictatorship, and tell ‘em to come prevent election officials from showing away those that don’t have ID. They will get laughed out of Texas.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Sleeping Freeper, additional:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2857942/posts

[Java4Jay]

Will be interesting to see how Perry handles this

[Carry_Okie]

Expect Perry to tell them to shove it.

I think my plan is a good one: First gather and publicize the data that for certain will prove the DOJ contention is a bogus attempt to preserve a fraudulent vote.

Then tell them to shove it.

[Pride in the USA]

ping

[dead]

Under these rules, vampires can’t vote. And hispanics, apparently.

[madison10]

I just heard on the radio that the 0 administration failed to get the law stopped. Which is it?

[Carry_Okie]

By what authority do they “block” this law? This is a state issue.

The Voting Rights Act via the Fourteenth Amendment.

[liberalh8ter]

I'm hoping that Newt talks to Rick about this and your scenario is exactly what happens. IMO, the DOJ is providing a little dog and pony show, here. It's all smoke and mirrors and they know it.

[DoughtyOne]

Whites have to do it.
Blacks have to do it.
Asians have to do it.
Hispanics can’t do it? Say what?

What makes them so inferior that they can’t comply with this?

I don’t consider them inferior. Do you consider them inferior?

Who considers them inferior? Oh that’s right, Barack Hussein Obama and his flying monkeys.

Get over your racists inclinations Mr. President. Come on, you can do it. Bring that baby blanket and binkie with you and crawl right into the 21st Century with the rest of us.

[bgill]

Texas Secede!

[Dead Corpse]

At one point in time, about 5-6 years ago, the Austin American Statesmen ran an article saying that half the Cities Hispanic population was illegal. Considering that Hispanics are also the population Majority in Austin, this is a travesty...

Show ID. Beer, smokes, EBT cards, you need ID. This isn't "racist", it's just common sense.

They know it. We know it. This is a conspiracy to perpetuate a fraud. Period.

[shadeaud]

Do all members of the government have to show their Id's when they fly. I know plastic mama pelosi has her own jet, but what about the rest who have to fly commercial. Does chuckie shumker have to show his id.
When these people vote, do they have to show id?

[equaviator]

“the state has failed to demonstrate that the the law is not discriminatory by design against Hispanic voters”

The term “voter” is extremely loosely used, isn’t it?

Just what IS a voter, anyway?...

You’re not a voter unless you’ve already voted, right? If you’re an authentic would-be voter, you still have to be legally registered, right? And even then, if required, you’d still have to show photo ID and/or registration card, SS card or what have you, right?

Unfortunately, illegitimate voters make it through and their votes get counted.

I’m not a fighter pilot but I’ve played one in a few computer flight sim’s over the years...

I’m not a NASCAR driver but I’ve played one in a few computer auto racing sim’s...

I’m not an illegal alien standing in line hoping to vote in
US elections but apparently, I CAN play one in real life and that’s no bullsh*t.

There’s something REALLY wrong with that.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

What can Obama do, other than stomping his girly feet in distress?

Send in Federal Thugs and start a civil war.

[Brown Deer]

Perez added that the number of people lacking any personal ID or driver's license issued by the state ranges from from 603,892 to 795,955, but of that span, 29-38 percent of them are Hispanic.

According to 2010 census data:
Texas: Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin 37.6%

So, Perez states that fewer than that are lacking identification, but then goes on to say:

"According to the state's own data, a Hispanic registered voter is at least 46.5 percent, and potentially 120.0 percent, more likely than a non-Hispanic registered voter to lack this identification," Perez wrote.

So, where is he coming up with these numbers?

[GlockThe Vote]

How did these people register to vote in the first place if they have no id?

[rainee]

Even using the data most favorable to the state, Hispanics disproportionately lack either a driver’s license or a personal identification card,” Thomas Perez, head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, wrote in the letter to Keith Ingram, the director of elections for the Texas Secretary of State.

*The DOJ is blowing smoke..they’re only sampling driver license data or personal ID but here are the forms of acceptable ID’s to vote in Texas:

•a driver’s license or personal identification card issued to the person by the Department of Public Safety or a similar document issued to the person by an agency of another state, regardless of whether the license or card has expired;
•a form of identification containing the person’s photograph that establishes the person’s identity;
•a birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes the person’s identity;
•United States citizenship papers issued to the person;
•a United States passport issued to the person;
•official mail addressed to the person by name from a governmental entity;
•a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter; or
•any other form of identification prescribed by the Secretary of State.

[magritte]

It’s a damned shame when voting is treated just like a trip to the movies. Wait, even kids have to show ID to get into a R-rated movie.

Hope Gov Perry tells them to stuff it.

[crosshairs]

What can Obama do, other than stomping his girly feet in distress?

Send in Federal Thugs and start a civil war.

Which is exactly what he wants. Dang, gonna have to cancel the election. Country is torn apart. Sorry folks.