…the U.S. Supreme Court has already upheld a similar strict photo voter ID law in Indiana, according to S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson. Because of that, Wilson said he plans to ask the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to overrule the Justice Department’s decision.“Nothing in this act stops people from voting, and I think the court will rule in South Carolina’s favor,” Wilson said in a prepared statement.
Supporters of the law, including Haley, have said the purpose of South Carolina’s voter ID law is to prevent voter fraud, such as someone who lives in another state claiming to be a voter in South Carolina.But in his letter to the S.C. Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez noted that “the state’s submission did not include any evidence or instance of either in-person voter impersonation or any other type of fraud that is not already addressed by the state’s existing voter identification requirement and that arguably could be deterred by requiring voters to present only photo identification at the polls…..”
Well, as the say in Chicago, “Vote early and vote often!”
I was watching the local Greenville, SC news last week and the Salvation Army was giving out Christmas packages. At the end of the story the local anchor said in order to receive a charity package, “you must present a government issued photo ID.”
I don’t see how anyone functions without an ID in the modern world. I mean, you have to show ID to buy beer, cash checks, or apply for any Federal or State aid.
[i]I don’t see how anyone functions without an ID in the modern world[/i]
They don’t. Pure trojan horse. The left whines about the hordes of minorities who will not be able to vote. But they never show any statistics (nor will Eric Holder’s DOJ require them to) to back up those claims.
Of these supposed folks who might not have an ID; how many are here legally? Of the legal ones; how many vote now? So, for a tiny fraction which may not exist in the first place, the voter ID law is trashed.
I think it is the left telling us that they can’t win elections unless they have the means to cheat.
is there a lot of fraudulent voting in South Carolina? How bad is the problem?
Nice try Capt. Deacon Warren, but 3 minutes of online research demonstrated that statics are indeed reported. To provide one citation, consider this NYTimes story on the law:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/24/us/justice-department-rejects-voter-id-law-in-south-carolina.html
Your “tiny fraction which may not exist in the first place” is actually “81,938 minority citizens who are already registered to vote and who lack†such identification. Those are the numbers supplied by the state of South Carolina, btw. Are you really prepared to stand by your words and claim that 81,000 registered voters who most certainly do exist are merely a “trojan horse.”
It seems the right is telling us that they worry about their ability to win future election unless they have the means to suppress minority voters.
[i]81,938 minority citizens who are already registered to vote and who lack†such identification[/i]
Then when they go to get ID in the free ID program that the state is setting up (per the original story) we will see how many of them are actually eligible to vote. If all 81,938 qualify as citizens of the state they will get to continue to exercise their right to vote. How good for them.
And all voters in SC will be assured that their elections are being conducted in an ethical and honest manner. How good for the folks in SC. We in MS are looking forward to the same thing.
As far as KL’s snarky comment on the right: look to history back to the civil war to see who suppressed minority rights. It was not conservatives; can we say “Robert Byrd?” as one rather modern example?
Again, nice try… the “free ID” program may be free, but the necessary documents to apply for one are not. No compassion for the poor, who may have been born in a time (segregation) and in circumstances (at home, or with the help of a mid-wife) and may not have easy access to a birth certificate, for instance. In addition, one wonders if these measures are necessary to prevent “fraud,” why anyone should consider the elections that have taken place under present law (in which, if I am not mistake, conservative candidates have faired rather well) should be considered legitimate.
Regarding your lack of appreciate for my final comment, I will see you one “Robert Byrd” (my, my, how long will he need to be in the grave before conservative commentators stop dusting off this ancient retort) and raise you one “Southern Strategy.” Byrd, at least, recognized his errors and repented for them. If only all the erstwhile Dixiecrats presently in the GOP would do the same!
Seriously, I cannot see how one of the greatest forces AGAINST fraudulent elections in the 20th century, namely the NAACP, doesn’t carry more weight in this discussion. After all, when people are unjustly excluded from the polls, then that is just as much voter fraud as multiple votes or ballots cast by non-citizens. Our elections should be fair, transparent, characterized by high levels of participation, and free from unnecessary hurdles. This law doesn’t help matters at all.