Dean: Restrictive Indiana Voter ID Law is a Manufactured Problem by Republicans Based on Fear

[cal04]

Dean: Restrictive Indiana Voter ID Law is a Manufactured Problem by Republicans Based on Fear Not Facts

Jan. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Supreme Court heard arguments on Indiana's undemocratic voter identification law. While there has never been a report of voter impersonation fraud in Indiana, real voters -- seniors, students, veterans, minorities and low-income families -- have been disenfranchised at the polls because of this restrictive requirement.

Indiana's voter ID law is a manufactured problem by Republicans based on fear, not facts -- just another example in a long list of Republican efforts to suppress the right to vote. Republican strategist and Mitt Romney advisor Paul Weyrich was honest about the Republican tactics, telling a training session for 15,000 conservative preachers in Dallas:

"I don't want everybody to vote. Elections are not won by a majority of the people. They never have been from the beginning of our country and they are not now. As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down." http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=22222

"This case underscores the lengths to which Republicans will go to manufacture a problem based on fear, not facts," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "Undemocratic voter ID laws are just another part of a broad Republican effort to undermine our fundamental right to vote. For years, Republicans have orchestrated voter purges, inconsistently administered election laws, and politicized the Department of Justice for partisan gain. Manufacturing this problem is another Republican scheme to steal the election, just like they are trying to with the California Electoral College initiative.

"But make no mistake: Democrats will not be caught off guard in November. We believe that the more people who vote, the better it is for democracy and our country. We will not let Republicans steal another election. We've launched an unprecedented voter protection effort to protect each and every American's right to vote and have that vote counted. The American people have waited far too long for a Democratic president to bring honest leadership back to the White House."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20080109/pl_usnw/dean__restrictive_indiana_voter_id_law_is_a_manufactured_problem_by_republicans_based_on_fear_not_facts

[madfloridian]

1. Recommended...and more from the DNC blog today.

http://dnc.org/a/2008/01/photo_ids_and_t.php

"There's been a big problem across the country with Republican attempts at suppressing the vote. But why do they claim to support it? To combat "voter fraud" -- but there's never been a report of voter impersonation fraud in Indiana.

We can, however, point to people disenfranchised at the polls because of this law. It's undemocratic.

We'll see what happens. But we're not just sitting back, we've launched an unprecedented voter protection effort make sure your vote is counted"

[cal04]

2. Court seems to back Indiana voter ID law

The Supreme Court appeared ready Wednesday to uphold the nation's strictest requirement that voters show photo identification before casting a ballot.

The justices are faced with a partisan dispute that echoes the bitterly divided decision that sealed the 2000 presidential election for George W. Bush. Now, as then, the court seemed divided along ideological lines.

Wednesday's arguments were over a challenge to an Indiana law, passed in 2005, that is backed by Republicans as a prudent way to deter voter fraud. Democrats and civil rights groups oppose the law as unconstitutional and call it a thinly veiled effort to discourage elderly, poor and minority voters — those most likely to lack proper ID and who tend to vote for Democrats.

But Justice Anthony Kennedy, often a key vote on the court, did not sound persuaded that the challengers had made their case.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_go_su_co/scotus_voter_id_5

[Kurovski]

3. K&R. (nt)

[formercia]

4. It's more about selling expensive identification systems

by well-connected corporations.

The goal is to have everyone in the country buy expensive track-able ID's and the government pay for computer systems to keep tabs on everything we do, everywhere we go and everyone we interact with.

Then, total control over the population will be in effect.

Welcome to the American Gulag, a prison without walls.

[newfie11]

5. I remember the last governors race in SD

The reservations votes were going Democratic. It is traditional that food be served at meeting places on the Reservations. This was blocked by the republicans on the excuse this may sway the vote. When the Indians did come Republicans were taking pictures of license plates and people at the polling place. Word spread and the numbers at the polling place dropped. So the new republican governor was elected and the Indian vote was scared off.

[formercia]

6. I bet the GOONS were taking names

and manning the roadblocks to intimidate people.

A lot of people have disappeared on the res. There's a lot of unmarked graves.

People should read 'Agents of Repression' to get a feeling of how intimidated the native Americans have been.

The boys would like to control the whole country the same way.

[tbyg52]

9. Bingo!

Same reason (or one of them) that we're currently saddled with the damn DREs.

[RuleOfNah]

7. What about 2/5/2008 in CA?

"But make no mistake: Democrats will not be caught off guard in November."

http://www.democrats.org/a/2008/01/dean_restrictiv.php

What about the Tuesday February 5th, 2008 Presidential Primary in California?

The following qualified political parties filed the requisite statement notifying the Secretary of State that they adopted a party rule permitting unaffiliated voters to request their party ballot in the February 5, 2008 Presidential Primary Election to participate in the primary election for partisan offices:

* Democratic Party, letter dated September 19, 2007
* American Independent Party, letter dated August 23, 2007

http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_decline.htm

All Independent voters in California can vote (D) in the Presidential Primary but not (R), which seems lopsided.

[mod mom]

8. Exactly. No prosecutions in Indiana yet they think they must have this law.