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OrwellwasRight

(5,170 posts)
Sun Jun 24, 2012, 08:51 PM Jun 2012

Artur Davis: Voter ID Laws Don't Disenfranchise Anybody

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In case you missed this earlier this week, which was probably easy to do unless you subscribe to the Heritage Foundation's Youtube Channel (ick) or caught it on CSPAN radio like I did, Artur Davis gave a nauseating interview to the Heritage Foundation explaining why he is now a Republican. It included all the usual stuff about how Democrats are out of touch with mainstream America, the healthcare bill sucked, Obama broke his promises, etc.

What really galled me of all the horrible things he said, however, was when he talked about how all the new Voter ID laws don't disenfranchise anybody. Unfortunately, as you can tell if you watch this clip, this is an edited interview. They played a longer version on CSPAN radio which was even worse than this. His reasoning included that he himself "needed an ID to get into a recent TV interview," that "we all need them to get on an airplane," and that he "could not go to work in Washington without showing an ID." The final one is a blatant lie. He used to work at the US Capitol, which everyone can get into without showing an ID. Why? Because we have a constitutional right to petition the government. They can't screen us out by requiring that we have an ID on us, and they don't (massive security, magnetometers, and X-ray machines, yes, but ID no).

Likewise, we don't have a constitutional right to get on a plane or into a TV station, but we do have a constitutional right to vote, so those are not even comparable (as a former member of the Judiciary Committee and Harvard Law Graduate should know). These comparisons to "we all show our ID every day" kill me. Yes, if you live a certain lifestyle, you may show your ID many times a day. But if you are 85, let your driver's license expire 10 years ago, do not travel out of the country or by plane, or write checks, you may not have any government issued photo ID. I.e., these people assume "all Americans" are middle class, so they cannot comprehend someone who isn't. It's bullshit.

I was just appalled and wanted to throw up at how much he has abandoned the people he used to represent.

19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Artur Davis: Voter ID Laws Don't Disenfranchise Anybody (Original Post) OrwellwasRight Jun 2012 OP
Sad. Just pathetic.. ananda Jun 2012 #1
I wonder which right-wing astroturf group started writing him checks? marmar Jun 2012 #2
All of them? eom OrwellwasRight Jun 2012 #11
He has now fully converted to the Dark Side. n/t BumRushDaShow Jun 2012 #3
He has fully embraced Satan Angry Dragon Jun 2012 #4
He sure has jumped into being an R with both feet. OrwellwasRight Jun 2012 #10
Every time an African American says something like this madashelltoo Jun 2012 #5
The airplane canard. freeandequalpa Jun 2012 #6
Actually, my boss told a story about how he got on a plane once after forgetting his ID. OrwellwasRight Jun 2012 #9
BTW, welcome to DU! OrwellwasRight Jun 2012 #12
It's doubtful an ID requirement to fly would pass constitutional muster Major Nikon Jun 2012 #13
Oh the irony . . . OrwellwasRight Jun 2012 #15
he's a puke......n/t la la Jun 2012 #7
Davis has also alligned himself with the True The Vote Tea Baggers. n/t Jumping John Jun 2012 #8
What a sad human being ProudToBeBlueInRhody Jun 2012 #14
Or just a huge desire to stay in office OrwellwasRight Jun 2012 #16
the great news is he left the party. fuck him. like you said, no one saw his shit. spanone Jun 2012 #17
TSA Rules allow you to fly without Photo ID Gothmog Jun 2012 #18
Exactly. OrwellwasRight Jun 2012 #19

OrwellwasRight

(5,170 posts)
10. He sure has jumped into being an R with both feet.
Sun Jun 24, 2012, 10:37 PM
Jun 2012

Has not seemed to hold on to any Democratic beliefs at all.

madashelltoo

(1,685 posts)
5. Every time an African American says something like this
Sun Jun 24, 2012, 10:19 PM
Jun 2012

I desperately want to stomp on their throat. Prayer and therapy. Prayer and therapy.

freeandequalpa

(45 posts)
6. The airplane canard.
Sun Jun 24, 2012, 10:26 PM
Jun 2012

I repeatedly hear proponents of these photo ID laws claim that you need a photo ID to board an airplane. In addition to the valid reason noted by the author -- that the people likely burdened by the law are those that are doing little if any traveling -- the claim is simply factually incorrect. Just ask the TSA:

"We understand passengers occasionally arrive at the airport without an ID, due to lost items or inadvertently leaving them at home. Not having an ID, does not necessarily mean a passenger won’t be allowed to fly. If passengers are willing to provide additional information, we have other means of substantiating someone’s identity, like using publicly available databases."

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable_documents.shtm

OrwellwasRight

(5,170 posts)
9. Actually, my boss told a story about how he got on a plane once after forgetting his ID.
Sun Jun 24, 2012, 10:36 PM
Jun 2012

Several people did not believe him. But I figured it HAD to be true because you could not force people to stay in Miami if they flew there and had their wallet stolen. There obviously have to be ways around the requirement. Thanks for posting. But these VOTER ID laws generally don't have equivalent exceptions, and treat voter as a privilege, not a right. Too bad people like Davis like to talk about the Constitution, but don't care much about what it actually says.

Major Nikon

(36,814 posts)
13. It's doubtful an ID requirement to fly would pass constitutional muster
Sun Jun 24, 2012, 10:42 PM
Jun 2012

Freedom of movement is a right guaranteed by the Constitution.

OrwellwasRight

(5,170 posts)
15. Oh the irony . . .
Sun Jun 24, 2012, 11:05 PM
Jun 2012

It's an implied right. Imagine it having greater protection, than, oh, say, the 15th Amendment.

OrwellwasRight

(5,170 posts)
16. Or just a huge desire to stay in office
Sun Jun 24, 2012, 11:07 PM
Jun 2012

and rake in generous donations from Koch Bros. et al. It's like an addiction with some of these elected officials. They think the office belongs to them and not to the People.

Gothmog

(143,999 posts)
18. TSA Rules allow you to fly without Photo ID
Mon Jun 25, 2012, 08:40 AM
Jun 2012

The actual TSA rules allows one to fly without a photo id http://www.huffingtonpost.com/debbie-hines/voter-id-laws_b_1247008.html

A comparison of these strict state photo voter ID laws to the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) requirements to fly show it is harder to vote than it is to fly. Republican proponents of strict photo voter ID laws argue that the same documents are needed to fly. Everyone does not fly. And TSA is more flexible in its approach to airport security screening than the strict photo voter ID laws. TSA's web site states that where photo government documents are not available, there are other ways to verify the identity of the traveler. TSA will allow airport travelers to fly where the required documents are missing. A traveler can pass through security and fly if they do not own a driver's license, state photo ID or passport. According to TSA,

"Not having a {photo} ID, does not necessarily mean a passenger won't be allowed to fly. If passengers are willing to provide additional information, we have other means of substantiating someone's identity, like using publicly available databases."

OrwellwasRight

(5,170 posts)
19. Exactly.
Mon Jun 25, 2012, 10:32 PM
Jun 2012

And one of those things is protected by a constitutional amendment and one isn't. Guess which is which.

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