Dispelling Voter ID Disenfranchisement Myth!
Some of my liberal friends would have you to believe that requiring Photo ID’s for voting would disenfranchise millions upon millions of voters and take away our right to vote. I disagree! Requiring Photo ID’s is a simple way to help ensure less fraud in elections. As we witnessed in 2004 and 2008 with the presidential elections, and even now with JoAnne Kloppenburg, voter fraud is a problem. Photo ID is at least one positive attempt to make sure the state of Wisconsin is actively working towards error free elections and fraud at the polls.
I admit I was back and forth on this issue until I went through a 30 day experimental trial of seeing exactly how many times I used my photo ID in any of my life dealings. Actually I was surprised at the times when I didn’t need it and then there were some times while shopping that I was upset it was not asked for. (I think when you spend over a certain amount the seller should ask to see your photo ID and should not settle for a swipe and even giving cash back all without asking to verify your identity, but that is for another day). Continuing on, I had to use ID at the bank obviously, for ALL government business, for my rental space contract renewal, for my car, the library, the doctor’s office, hospital visits-even the ER demands photo ID!! Seriously? Anyway, I also had to use my photo ID for WIC (Woman, Infants and Children program), registering for classes, for purchasing certain items at the gas station, and for a whole host of things that I thought were a bit silly, like a stop at local eatery (the bill was about $5 and I’ve spent more there in the past and was never asked for ID, so I guess it depends on who’s taking the debit card). None the less, there I was pulling out my ID over and over again. I even had to scan my ID and email and fax it to a couple of places for internet shopping or again with government business. It is a rather new ID but it looks worn already. I don’t consider myself some crazed shopper or an “on the go” type of person so I have to say in this society we are very dependent on photo ID’s. That being said why is it such an injustice to ask everyone to show up with a photo ID to vote?
This week the Wisconsin legislature has been working on this bill. The bill’s authors, Republican Rep. Jeff Stone and Sen. Joe Leibham, have modeled their bill after Indiana’s Voter ID law, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. According to the Supreme Court case upholding Indiana’s Voter ID bill, “99 percent of Indiana’s voting age population already possesses the necessary photo identification to vote under the requirements.”
Since we have many similarities to Indiana I am going to conclude we share this same population finding. We already have photo ID’s in most cases!
And to clarify, the Wisconsin bill does have a provision to provide free identification for some Wisconsinites.
So Let’s Dispel the Most Common Myths
1. We would disenfranchise the Elderly:
Many of our elderly use Badger Care/Title 19, Medicare/Medicaid, and other government programs like Meals on Wheels. They are more likely to visit the doctor regularly, use debit and credit cards (they are the only ones with good credit left in some cases!). They tend to require medical equipment and services that all requires, you got it, photo ID’s.
Elderly poor are included in #2.
2. We would disenfranchise the Poor:
Which poor, the poor receiving government services, Qwest, Badger Care, W2, or the other poor, the ones who ????
What I am saying that is if you are poor, we already require photo ID. This means somehow our poor folks out there are already disenfranchised daily trying to get food, medical support, and other government services. So without trying to sound like a heartless …itch, I am asking how are we disenfranchising the poor unless the day of an election they suddenly became poor?
I see very few of the “poverty pimps” in the trenches when the poor are standing in ridiculous lines and trying to get government services, meals, food, clothing, or shelter. Try going to SDC and getting assistance and see how disenfranchised they are for real. They are treated like scum, have to wait all day for a 5 minute interview to be made to feel less human and worse (some of those people at SDC are very miserable individuals), anyway… they go to other venues for assistance and still we have them stand in lines, treat them horribly and now we want the world to show compassion when they vote only? Give me a break!! Have you been to Vliet Street lately? In addition to photo ID’s you also need birth certificates, immunization records, and a few other items if you want specific services so that argument holds no merit with me. One thing you don’t need to have to apply for benefits in this state is the ability to speak the language of our country. Just an aside!!
I would also think if one were that poor, to the point of starvation, maybe voting is the least of their worries. I do think that would stop a few van drops from picking up the homeless from their dinner lines and common hangouts to go and vote for smokes or cash as we have seen in the past. Oh yes and that was Democrats who did that right? Yep it was!
“Constance Milstein, a platinum-card Democrat, flew into Milwaukee a few days before the election to help Gore-Lieberman workers trade packs of cigarettes for votes at a homeless shelter.”
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2000/12/10/loc_bronson_marlboros.html
3. We would disenfranchise Those of Other Cultures:
As a bi-racial female, my physical appearance is that of a person of non-Caucasian background. I can tell you that anyone of color who does not have ID is walking a dangerous line in certain situations. With certain common racist practices, in a most segregated state/city, and given the fact that we are of color, we get asked for ID more frequently than our Caucasian counterparts. That is a fact. So why are more Blacks than whites walking around without photo ID’s? Why more Blacks in particular do not have photo ID’s speaks to a long list of issues. We are also the same group that uses a big portion of government services so how can this be? If you need photo ID’s for government dealings, but yet we have 1/3 more Blacks walking around without them? Seems odd to me, but I am sure someone will point out what I am missing.
Our Hispanic Friends: The number of illegal aliens in the state of Wisconsin according to The Pew Hispanic Center says the state has 75000 to 115000 illegal immigrants. There is a tie between Wisconsin and Ohio for the 10th position on the most desirable states for illegal aliens to relocate to: 20 thousand more illegal immigrants reside in each of Wisconsin and Ohio. This is a 20% increase, and the eleventh highest in the nation. So would it be so wrong to wonder and want verify that you are a legal citizen? Maybe this could help us cut down on the number of tax dollars we spend taking care of illegals each year as opposed to taking care of natural born citizens which according to everyone from Obama to Walker we simply cannot do anymore. We are running out of money, actually we have been out of money; we are now screwing up our kids futures.
http://newworldorderdawning.lefora.com/2010/11/07/top-10-states-being-invaded-by-illegal-immigrants-/
So yes I know it is not PC to think out loud like this but better to be honest and say what I know many people think. Are illegal immigrants voting? Are they voting for candidates who will help them get in and stay in this country and thus take more of our discretionary spending? For example, Blacks are seeing less and less scholarship $$ as they have to now divide this money more and more particularly with illegal aliens. Is this fair? And really I don’t mean to sound racist but how are we discouraging illegal behavior and fraud?
4. We would disenfranchise Young People:
Exactly what young people? Couldn’t be students because last I checked they needed photo ID’s to get loans, scholarships, and grants, and to arrange living on/off campus. Possibly the average 18-25 year old that is not quite sure what they want to be or is hindered by life circumstances would be a candidate for a “pass over” on this. This might be the only group I might consider as they need to be encouraged to vote and to get ID’s. But then again there is a provision to get free ID’s. Darn, back to photo ID’s for you!
As we saw with college students in the state protests, they sure have a lot of time on their hands, are quite inventive, and are so passionate about causes that affect them. So maybe they can make time to put their actions to something useful like getting an ID. We also have a high number of binge drinkers in our state universities so I am assuming they are all of drinking age and show photo ID’s regularly right? Yeah sure!
5. Where’s The Proof?
Those who disagree on photo ID requirements say there is no wide spread proof of voter fraud and election tampering.
However I can think of many incidences in this state that require our immediate attention to this problem. JoAnne Kloppenburg being the latest victim of election fraud!!
“There are legitimate and widespread anomalies, and widespread questions about the conduct of (the Wisconsin Supreme Court) election, most visibly in Waukesha County, but also in counties around the state.”
JoAnne Kloppenburg on Wednesday, April 20th, 2011 in remarks at a news conference.
http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/apr/29/joanne-kloppenburg/joanne-kloppenburg-says-anomalies-were-widespread-/
She and/or her legions of supporters, fans, and the like cited voter fraud and election tampering in her loss to Prosser. And yes she lost!! Now she is wasting money going after nuns and bs that is wasting more and more money. But more power to her!
I saw on my own FB page, read in the Journal/Sentinel and listening to all the talk shows how much fraud people saw. “It made me sick and we need to do something about it!” one man told a talk show host on a popular radio talk show.
Even the Milwaukee Police Department way back in 2004 documented rampant voter fraud. Being a logical thinker, if it was very bad then and nothing has been done since, what must it be like today? EVEN WORSE!
Here is the MPD published report:
http://media2.620wtmj.com/breakingnews/ElectionResults_2004_VoterFraudInvestigation_MPD-SIU-A2474926.pdf
So the next time someone gives you this tired mantra about disenfranchising voters, go buy a pack of smokes, or try to do some banking, or even try to get a damn library book and then tell me how it felt! Where your feelings hurt? Did you feel violated? Were you embarrassed? Did you feel like your civil rights were hindered?
Peace Family,
WW
Interesting Statistics from which I based my categories
Wisconsin’s population is substantially less likely to have a state-issued identification. Those without state-issued photo identification and who would need to obtain one under the Wisconsin Voter ID bill include:
- 23 percent of all elderly Wisconsinites over the age of 65
- 17 percent of white men and women
- 55 percent of all African American males and 49 percent of African American women
- 46 percent of Hispanic men and 59 percent of Hispanic women
- 78 percent of African American males age 18-24 and 66 percent of African American women age 18-24
[Driver License Status of the Voting Age Population in Wisconsin, 6/05]
http://www.brennancenter.org/page/-/d/download_file_50902.pdf
“We Are The Drum – A Rhythm In Wisconsin” 2012
