Say what? PA Voter-ID law upheld?
You really have to wonder just where Commonwealth Judge Robert Simpson has been living. How on earth could he let the new voter-ID law stand saying in essence that no one in Pennsylvania who wanted to vote would be affected by the government photo ID requirement? And this was after the pro-ID law side presented no evidence, none, that there had been any cases of voter impersonation fraud in the past.
I’m sitting here scratching my head trying to figure out Judge Simpson’s logic. Of course as my honey repeatedly tells me, logic is not really useful in trying to figure out human behavior. My problem is that it’s the way my own brain works – logically that is. I have also been told by others (not my honey, he’s smart enough to realize there may be consequences) that I can be infuriatingly sane.
Now the voter ID law goes to the PA Supreme Court. This is a court I’ve heard that now has six justices, three Democrats and three Republicans. Hmmm. Wonder how justice will work out there?
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Ok, so no evidence that there is voter fraud warranting this, significant evidence it will affect lower income and minority voters come Novembers, and in case you didn’t believe that one of the GOP state party members was kinda enough to explicitly state that it would hand Romney PA, and even if there was voter fraud, this would likely do nothing to prevent it. Truly, PA has become an interesting example of conservative politics run amok.
What the judge said was he couldn’t issue a preliminary injunction against the law’s being implemented. His review of the evidence presented led him to conclude that absentee ballots and provisional ballots for those without photo ID guaranteed their votes will be counted. If there is a problem with either, judicial review is available to correct a wrongful dismissal of a vote in his opinion.
Is it that you have no understanding of the burden of proof in this case at all or are you purposely ignoring it? To overturn a law you have to show a court why it is unconstitutional, not have the State defend the reasoning behind a law. More on that there is absolutely no evidence that any particular demographic is unduly effected by any of the voter law that have been passed. Yep several election cycles and guess what it didn’t seem to make any difference at all but repeating that it will seems to be what some consider “proof” regardless of facts.
This is just not true. Several States have passed these laws and have gone thru several election cycles and stats just don’t hold up what you are claiming. But why bother with facts when rhetoric is available.
The only real fraud is the GOP pretending voter fraud is any sort of genuine problem.
http://www.theroot.com/blogs/voter-id/study-reveals-small-fraud-rate-elections
We all know this only partisan bullsquat designed to repress non-reactionary voters.
Re: “No Ticket – No Laundry!” Voting Requirements
Regarding citizens’ new voting-related requirements like I stated earlier, is the ‘sticking point’ – I totally agree with the politicians’ favoring this and their premise: that it is a fact that many, many poor, minority and senior citizens do not have; and therefore cannot produce even a basic photo ID.
Most favor ID for voting, of course – that’s obvious. However, at the same time – filling out and signing a voting ballot with a valid address and the forms that locality sent to your home; is a most definitely a basic right that these governments owe to their citizens.
By the same token, someone shouldn’t have to fork over a picture ID for the same municipalities to some elected autocratic dictatorial official; in order for the firefighters from that area to plug in and then turn on the hoses and put out the fire because you do not have valid and up-to-date home insurance photo ID.
Or to pick up grandma when she keels over – just because a particular political party believes it is inconvenient or that you may not have your valid, paid-up and current health insurance card and a photo ID. That’s obvious. Most people would like everyone to have a valid insurance card. Making it the REQUIREMENT is that sticking point.
Nobody is currently disputing that they NEED and ID for a more convenient life in our modern society. These affected people are nearly all; likely not showing their ID because they most often do not HAVE one available – not because of ‘the refusal to offer’ one – as is now being ‘required’ in more and more places.
Additionally, not having the ability to have/carry any basic valid ID on you AT ALL can have other unintended (even dire) consequences as well. In our neighborhood an elderly man passed out in the street one time a while back and someone saw him and called an ambulance.
He wasn’t from that area and evidently had absolutely nothing inside his wallet that identified exactly who he was or where he was from or most importantly in this case, who to contact in an emergency.
Unfortunately, hospitals can actually do precious little for someone who finds themselves in this precarious type of situation – without being able to ascertain past medical information or the even knowing the persons name. In this case, the local TV station covered this and luckily his children came forward and were able to find him, thank goodness
Not having an ID can severely jeopardize a person’s ability to do many of these things – not to mention not being able to cast a ballot in states that require a citizen produce one beforehand. Therefore I think it would also be more prudent to place more of the emphasis on offering more assistance to these fine folks; as well as addressing their voting requirements.
Additionally, I entirely agree that these laws are being enacted by those who have absolutely no concern whatsoever as to why the people have no ID at all… and that they are being entirely disingenuous, regarding the ‘proven to be fantasy’ claims of even the remote possibility these laughable proclamations regarding any rampant ‘multiple voter’ fraud.
Making it the REQUIREMENT is that sticking point – these laws are being enacted by those who don’t care as to WHY the people have no ID at all; but only because those affected by the law do not vote for their party.
If these affected citizens were potential voters were right-leaning voters, the Republicans would be sending interns as volunteers in stretch-limo bus service to their homes and offering to assist in pulling the voting levers for them. (lol)
They are pushing these laws simply to limit the voting ability of demographics that typically vote Democrat. We know this not just from common sense and the fact over the last decade we have come to expect craven political garbage like this from the GOP, but because several GOP members have been caught actually admitting it. And I thought that gerrymandering was awful, good grief.
If that’s so it’s been spectacularly ineffective. There have been votes and stats just don’t agree.
Florida, Zephyrhills, 46% democrat,48% republican, more than 5 homes with over 45 registered voters in each home. One had over a hundred.
That is enough to require EVERYONE to need ID to vote. You would allow anyone in the world to vote at your local election without saying anything? C’mon now you can’t say wait until it’s a problem nor can you say America was built on lack of responsibility. You need a license to fish in most states. Those who say it’s a republican thing could be accused of trying to get the illegal vote tendered, after all those usually swing Democrat in these times.