Show Me state says Show Me some ID
Posted on May 12, 2008
Recently there has been an uproar because the Supreme Court finally upheld the legality of requesting an ID from a person before allowing him to vote. This is a common sense item but I have always known that common sense is not that common. The fight over IDs to vote has been a long one with liberals and the ACLU leading a charge against the idea that a person has to prove he is who he says he is in order to participate in one of our most important civil duties.
The claims are always the same. Lower income people and the elderly will be disenfranchised. This process is designed to keep certain groups from voting. The arguments continue as to how it is wrong to require people to show ID before voting. We are constantly told that the very same people who have IDs to cash welfare and Social Security checks will not have an ID to vote. The real reason that IDs are opposed is that the requirement makes it harder to cheat and that is one thing that the opposition cannot tolerate. The left is afraid that its dead population will no longer be allowed to vote…
I wrote about this [at my site] after the Supreme Court decision and I indicated that I thought a person should have to prove he is a citizen before he can register to vote. This is another common sense item. Voting is a right that is limited to citizens so it only makes sense to ensure that citizens are the only people participating. Unfortunately, many states are lax in this area so a great number of people are voting even though they have no right to do so. Anyone who thinks this is OK has no respect for the law.
Missouri, the “Show Me” state has taken the ID issue one step further and is introducing legislation that would require people to prove they are citizens before they can register to vote. This measure would be placed on the ballot and voters would decide for themselves. This is absolutely great and not only is it a great exercise in democracy but it will fix a problem that has been ignored for quite some time.
Of course, there are people (guess who) who oppose this and cry about how many people will be disenfranchised. This argument has as many holes in it as does the ID to vote arguments. People are required to show they are citizens to get a Passport. There are many documents accepted for people who do not have Birth Certificates and there are ways to show citizenship. People who want to do this have a means to do so, they just have to be willing.
I am sure that this issue will make its way to the Supreme Court but I do not see how it can lose. You must be a citizen to vote so it only follows that one must prove citizenship in order to register to vote.
I have a real problem with people or organizations that think it is too much of a burden to ensure one of our most important civil rights is protected. I wonder why it is that these same groups will fight tooth and nail to protect a woman’s right to choose but refuse to fight hard for the people’s right to fair and honest elections (the people’s right to choose).
Maybe it is because fair and honest is not in their vernacular…
Source:
New York Times
Big Dog is a guest writer at Stop the ACLU. His blog, Big Dog’s Weblog, deals with political and military issues as well as topical news.
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8 Responses to “Show Me state says Show Me some ID”
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The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the – Web Reconnaissance for 05/12/2008 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
Not all citizens have an ID, those that do not have an ID should be allowed to vote. This would stop people that do have the right to vote from voting, that doesn’t sound like a good thing for democracy to me.
It’s also fairly difficult to get an ID if you’re over 21 years of age. I have personally been through several ID issues and it really isn’t fun.
That isn’t to say that it’s a bad idea in general; but certainly the laws to get an ID as an actual citizen over the age of 21 need to be changed before voting requires one.
Taking away a persons right, a person that has legal right to vote, it not and will never be right. And that will undoubtedly happen if ID’s are required at the voting booth.
It is easy to get an ID. We must use an ID to fly. Are you suggesting we let people fly without one? You need an ID to cash a check, once again I ask the same question.
The same people who say they cannot get an ID get one for government assistance and they do not cry about needing one to cash a welfare or SS check.
You have a right to vote and the state has a duty to ensure that the right is not being abused.
BTW, the Constitution says we have a right to keep and bear arms but that does not mean states cannot require us to prove we are old enough to purchase one.
Voting is reserved for citizens and it is up to the state to ensure only citizens vote, pretty simple.
I would like to know of one case where someone could not get an ID. Perhaps some homeless guy who has a mental disorder but he won’t vote anyway. I just have never heard of anyone having a problem getting an ID. You need one to get a job
And therein lies one of the problems.
Living in the State of Missouri, the last time I renewed my driver’s license, the State required me to prove I was a US citizen. To do so, I had to obtain a certified copy of my birth certificate from the State of California. After signing and having an affidavit notarized, I sent it to the State of California and about 6 weeks later, the certified birth certificate was in my hands. It did cost me $30 to obtain the document and I had to plan ahead to make sure I did not have my driver’s license expire but it was not that difficult.
And it is probably a good idea to have a certified copy of your BC anyway…
“This would stop people that do have the right to vote from voting, that doesn’t sound like a good thing for democracy to me.”
It does nothing to interfere with the right of anyone to vote. There is no legal impediment to obtaining identification. The IRS requires two forms of ID to be presented on a government form in order to hire an individual for a job. Does that take away my right to work?? As far as a healthy democracy is concerned, I find it far more troubling that every vote cast by a non-citizen, or person otherwise disqualified, cancels out the vote of a qualified citizen.
Actually, it can be difficult to obtain ID, especially for the elderly. You don’t need ID to cash a check at the bank you’ve been using for many years and until the state’s records catch up to their requirements, a bank statement or other proof of residence needs to be sufficient. It can be very hard, if not impossible to get a copy of your birth certificate if you are an older American. That doesn’t mean you are suddenly not enough of a citizen to vote.
Sarah,
The Passport website describes how to handle situations where a birth certificate cannot be obtained.
Given the number of elderly that fly to and from Florida, I find it hard to believe that getting an ID is that difficult.
I would concede though, that if you have been voting here for decades maybe you should be grandfathered as far as the citizenship rules. Still, a photo ID is needed and not hard to obtain.