Most common form of identification for the run-of-the-mill democrat.
Posted on 06/28/2002 6:07:02 AM PDT by End Times Sentinel
Legislation would force voters to show ID at polling places
By Amy Worden HARRISBURG - House Republicans have approved a bill that would require residents to present identification before voting, infuriating Democrats and civil rights activists who describe it as a "poll tax" that would disenfranchise voters. The measure's sponsor, Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R., Butler), said it was aimed at curbing voter fraud, not preventing legitimate citizens from voting. "We were concerned about the fraud that is alleged to have taken place in areas of Pennsylvania," Metcalfe said. "We don't want to harm anybody's ability to vote." The measure, which requires voters to present a voter-registration card or photo identification at the polls, was added to a Republican-sponsored bill concerning poll workers' compensation. The bill passed the House late Wednesday on a party-line vote and now goes to the Senate. Democrats said they were blindsided by the late amendment. They disparaged it as a blatant political move designed to hold down voter turnout in Democratic strongholds in a year when Pennsylvania residents will pick a governor, and an attempt to shut out low-income, elderly and minority residents from the voting process. "This is a violation of the equal-protection clause of the Constitution," said Rep. Mark Cohen (D., Phila.). Eleven states have laws requiring some type of identification at the polls, but only South Carolina requires a photo ID and has no option for voters without identification. The other states requiring IDs, such as Delaware, have "escape hatches," Cohen said, allowing voters the option to sign an affidavit testifying to their identity at the polling place. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, voters need only show that their signatures match the ones in the voter rolls. Opponents said the proposal would create a "poll tax" because residents who do not drive would need to pay for a photo ID. Rep. Babette Josephs (D., Phila.), said the ID system would intimidate urban voters who may not have driver's licenses, and thus suppress turnout. "We have many senior citizens in our state who have voted without incident in most, if not every, election since turning 18," Josephs said. "Now we'll be turning them away. This is not how the Democratic electoral process is supposed to work." Pedro Rodriguez, executive director of the Action Alliance of Senior Citizens of Greater Philadelphia, said the bill puts an "extra burden" on the elderly and their ability to vote. "We find that to be really offensive," he said. "To say you will solve voter fraud with a photo ID is ridiculous. The way to prevent it is to have inspectors and an informed citizenship." Metcalfe said the Democrats were using seniors as "a straw argument" to defeat the bill. "Every one of us has seniors in our districts," he said. "It's not unreasonable to ask for ID the same way you ensure safety on the highways by requiring a driver's license." Metcalfe said most counties have agreed to issue new voter-registration cards at no cost to individuals who have lost them. In a fiery floor debate on Wednesday, Democratic lawmakers charged that the bill was an election year attempt by Republicans to sideline Philadelphia voters, who overwhelmingly supported Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed Rendell in the May primary. "This is an outrageous attempt to steal the election," Cohen said. "This shows Mike Fisher can't win on a fair vote." Fisher is the Republican gubernatorial candidate. Cohen and others said the bill threatens civil-rights laws established over the last 50 years. "This will make Pennsylvania in 2002 look like Mississippi or Alabama in 1952," he said. "At a time when states and the federal government are looking at making it easier to vote and establishing more reliable voting procedures, this can only be seen as an attempt to disenfranchise people," said Larry Frankel, legislative director for the American Civil Liberties Union in Pennsylvania. Republicans said the bill represented a non-partisan effort to wipe out fraud. "We need to do what we can to do to protect the integrity of every true and honest vote," said Steve Miskin, a spokesman for House Majority Leader John Perzel (R., Phila.), who cited a recent study by the Republican National Committee that found tens of thousands of duplicate registrations in Pennsylvania. If the bill becomes law, Democrats said, it would likely be struck down by the courts. "Absolutely, this will be challenged," Cohen said. "Anytime [similar bills] have been challenged in other states, they've been found to be unconstitutional."
Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau
The way to prevent it is to have inspectors and an informed citizenship."[Said Pedro Rodriguez]
So, exactly what would the inspectors inspect if no I.D. is required? Is Mr. Rodriguez naive enough to think that the reason citizens vote more than once is because they don’t know it is wrong? Or maybe he just thinks we’re dumb enough to believe that is the case.
Republicans said the bill represented a non-partisan effort to wipe out fraud.[ said Steve Miskin]
Come on Miskin, you’re sounding as bad as Rodriguez. If the vote was split down party lines, then quite obviously it isn’t “non-partisan”. The Democrats have long come to rely on bolstering their power by vote fraud, changing… well, enforcing the rules late in the game will seem like a blow below the belt to those who can’t think rationally.
This shows Mike Fisher can't win on a fair vote. said Rep. Mark Cohen
Actually, what it shows is that Republicans believe that Mike Fisher CAN win on a fair vote.
It’s simply laughable that the dems believe that the electorate of PA would think that this measure is some type of ploy to keep loveable old minorities struggling to reach the polling stations in their walkers from casting a ballot. Well, actually, almost no one challenged the fact that we had a 98.6 turn out in the 2000 election in Philadelphia. Maybe they’re not that stupid after all…
Owl_Eagle
”Guns Before Butter.”
Most common form of identification for the run-of-the-mill democrat.
Democrats are LIEberals.
I got a voter registration card when I registered, showing my state and federal district numbers. Everyone gets one, so it is not a burden to present it at the polls. However, since it is nothing more than a cardboard printout, it is easy to forge, so those good dead Demoncrats can continue to vote. They need a better way to purge the rolls of ineligible voters across the state.
Methinks that the whole anti-ID/ anti-picture ID mantra from the Dummycrats is because they are afraid that their historical method of stealing elections will be undermined.
This outcry is absurd. We have an ID requirement in Kentucky and the most commonly used - asked for by polling officials - is our photo ID drivers licenses.
The Penna. Dems just don't want anything to get in the way of their voter fraud system IMHO.
Please also note, that at least in Delaware county, there is the "voter's affidavit" to sign, after the registrar has checked your name off the voting rolls, indicated that you showed up to vote on the master card book, then you sign the affidavit, which, then proves you have, indeed, voted in the election. There is already plenty (at least here, in my precinct, (Upper Darby) where basically everyone knows everyone else, most all have been here for years, and are known to all the poll workers anyway.
This is more Dumoflop lieberals trying to vote the dead, as usual (gee, how else do you have 165% of voters voting, as reported (with perfectly straight faces), in certain Philly precincts, by the big 3 agitprop outlets here.
I'm all for showing the darn license, you have to do it a lot when using a credit card (fraud protection there) so why not voting? Won't bother me a bit!
Thanks, brityank for passing the info along.
Greg
"This is a violation of the equal-protection clause of the Constitution," said Rep. Mark Cohen (D., Phila.).
Sure, sure.
And any voter who doesn't live within a short walking distance of the polling place would have to pay bus fare or would have to pay for gas in their car to get to the polling place, thus creating a "poll tax", right?
I don't think that the State of Pennsylvania is hiring a bunch of bouncers for November.
Exactly. 99% of legitimate citizens have some form of picture I.D. And if they do not, guess what? They have all the way until November to make sure they get one! And the DNC can start sending out notices to every registered Democrat right now making them aware. They could also set up a fund from their contributions to pay for an I.D. for anyone who can not afford one($20), you know, instead of spending the money on lavish hotels, limos and vacations.
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