I do not like the argument that voter fraud is so minimal it is not significant. How can you prove or disprove that? The only information would be word of mouth as far as I can tell. So we accept everyone's word as true?
gryphonms wrote:
We're expected to accept everything that comes out of the big "O"s pie-hole as true.
And look where that's got us...
So, what is the problem that voter ID will solve?
The only one I can think of is the problem of too many poor, elderly, rural, and yes, minority, people voting in an election.
Even if I grant you that it MIGHT be some sort of a problem -- I can't begin to conceive that it might possibly be enough of a problem as to risk pissing off so many people as to make it an issue. The Republican party (of which I'm a member) has its priorities so fn twisted right now that I can scarcely believe it.
I'm still kind of confused about what we're worried about here.
You know that to vote, you have to be registered, it isn't like you just walk up to any old voting booth and mark your choices.
What we're talking about is registering to vote under multiple different names/addresses, then going to each physical polling location and voting. That is a LOT of effort. It's much easier to just get the homeless people to register and vote (which is technically their right). Interestingly, the "fix" for both "fraud" (which is likely minimal, since it's a pain in the @ss) and "homeless people voting" is the same thing, require a drivers license.
I mean seriously... if you want to fake votes these days you don't do it through multiple votes. You hack the Diebolt machines.
Because both parties usually have poll watchers at most precincts. I'm sure if it was robust at a particular precinct or widespread, we would hear about it. Lawsuits being such that they are.
cacman wrote:
No more so than from someone on the opposite side of the isle.
The Republican party (of which I'm a member) has its priorities so fn twisted right now that I can scarcely believe it.
dstieger wrote:
It would seem that if one wants to persuade a person or groups of people they would offer them something palatable. Right now, the Repubs are considered the party of the rich, the Dems the party of the minorities. Neither party seems to be the party of what remains of the middle class.
There are to repositioned assets thus providing more benefits with the same amount of $$$'s. For example, instead of cutting the number of troops, invest unemployment benefits into the military budget. Create a stronger military while providing wages for those not working.
Instead the two parties create rift and discontent to inflame and polarize.
I don't see the need for voter ID laws. I think they are a solution looking for a problem.
Ron
Is this a states rights thing?
Do you believe that states other than the one you are living in, should be required to have voter ID laws?
Seems like everyone has some pretty strong opinions on something which is only theoretically going to impact them if it is happening in their state.
Lets take this one step further. If you think it should be mandatory for every state to have voter ID laws, doesn't that go against the whole "state's rights" and "minimal federal oversight" idea?
And, lets take it one more step. IF this is supposed to be a nationwide voter ID requirement.... would a state ID be appropriate? I would think the only thing which should sufficiently fulfill a federal requirement, would be a federal ID. A passport.
Now... I know what you're thinking... if we require a passport to vote, West Virginia won't be able to elect anyone. But that's fine... If they can't be bothered to get a passport, they really don't deserve to exercise the rights.
This is what you should really be concerned with in the 21st century. There were machines interpreting dem votes as rep votes a couple years ago, now they're interpreting rep votes as dem votes.
The crap this thread is whining about is way too manpower intensive to actually achieve a significant gain.
Nowadays you either make sure the "calibration" is off on the touchscreen and hope no one is going to verify their vote was properly recorded, OR you find a more clever way of having the computer tally the votes in a manner other than how they were cast.
Anything that casts doubt on the validity of the voting process must be dealt with and resolved lest it undermine confidence in the process. This argues both sides of the ID issue.
Remember, at any one moment there are registered voters that believe in voodoo, every crazy conspiracy theory you have ever heard of and both the democrat and republican parties.