Should voters be required to show photo ID?

[derspiess]

Anyway, as I mentioned there are organizations that are working to help voters get IDs.

Well that's good. What organizations are these?

Cost of Freedom Project, protectingourvote.com, League of Women Voters.  I'm sure there are lots of local grassroots groups as well.

[Jacob]

Yes. And provide an ID that is sufficient for the purpose that everyone can get.

But of course it's easier to assume that I want to deny people the vote and I wouldn't think of expecting you to do something that's not easy.

Well, if you spent your time agitating for access to government resources, including ID cards for people who don't have them, then I'm sorry that I missed that.

If you're pushing for a great big voter registration drive and working to remove access barriers to voting, and the ID card is just a component of that and the inherent barrier in having to jump through another hoop is ameliorated by other steps to get people engaged, then I'm very supportive of your goals.

It's the people who just want to put in ID card requirements and who think that any barriers that raises to voter participation are fine because "those people just don't care" or "those people shouldn't vote anyways" that I take issue with.

But if you're advocating a comprehensive attack on barriers to voting, then I'm very much supportive.

[derspiess]

Oh, wait... nevermind. 

Are you talking about voter registration or helping voters get IDs?

[Valmy]

Fines for voter registration?  "You forgot to fill in section 14a, please pay the fine"?

I cannot say I am that surprised.  Both parties have been working to make it really hard to run for office for decades, if not centuries, so trying to make it harder to vote isn't that big of a stretch.

[Maximus]

Are you talking about voter registration or helping voters get IDs?

It could be the same thing.

[derspiess]

agitating for access to government resources,

Lolz I love left-wing speak.

[derspiess]

Fines for voter registration?  "You forgot to fill in section 14a, please pay the fine"?

Once again, I think you're reading something that's not there.

[Valmy]

Once again, I think you're reading something that's not there.

which requires groups that register voters to turn in completed forms within 48 hours or risk fines

So I imagined the word 'completed' there?  Further why exactly am I supposed to give either political party the benefit of the doubt that they have the best of intentions here until proven otherwise?  Their track record endlessly suggests they will eagerly make elections as unfair as possible.

[derspiess]

So I imagined the word 'completed' there?

I think what the article is trying to say is that these organizations are required to submit the forms no later than 48 hours after they're completed.  I don't think it's saying that the state will be handing out fines for line 14a being blank.

edit: here it is stated a little differently:

http://www.thegrio.com/politics/new-florida-voting-law-slows-voter-registration-groups.php

As a part of a wave of new voting laws passed across the country by GOP-controlled governors and state legislatures, Florida enacted a provision last year that mandates voter registration groups turn in the forms of newly-registered people within 48 hours or face fines of $50 for each late form. The laws have worried groups like the League of Women Voters, who argue they could face heavy fines for not complying with the provision.

[Neil]

You know, I'd been avoiding this thread because I'd been expecting it to be full of Raz retardation, but it's actually kind of interesting.

[FunkMonk]

Oh, wait... nevermind. 

Are you talking about voter registration or helping voters get IDs?

In a state that requires an ID to vote, they're effectively the same thing.

Of course there are other ways to get an ID, but discouraging voting drives means there's one less way to get one.

[derspiess]

CC, we've had a discussion that involved this very concept many, many moons ago regarding the phenomenon of health issues of inner city denizens.  You will not find any sympathy for their disadvantages here.

That's okay.  You can sleep at night knowing your boy Marion Barry is fighting the good fight.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/mike-debonis/post/marion-barry-stands-by-remark-that-asian-businesses-ought-to-go-from-ward-8/2012/04/05/gIQAP2TlxS_blog.html

[derspiess]

Oh, wait... nevermind. 

Are you talking about voter registration or helping voters get IDs?

In a state that requires an ID to vote, they're effectively the same thing.

Of course there are other ways to get an ID, but discouraging voting drives means there's one less way to get one.

Not sure I follow.  You can help someone get ID separately from helping them register to vote.  There's no liability AFAIK with helping them get their ID.  There is some liability in Florida now with having voter registration drives, or at least there is with inefficiently handling completed voter registration forms.

[garbon]

CC, we've had a discussion that involved this very concept many, many moons ago regarding the phenomenon of health issues of inner city denizens.  You will not find any sympathy for their disadvantages here.

I fully expect that to be the case.  It reminds me a bit of the dust up BB and I had many moons ago over some of the causes of unemployment.

Well what's the option? Force grocery stores and other places that sell "good" foods to keep stores open in unprofitable areas?

[derspiess]

CC, we've had a discussion that involved this very concept many, many moons ago regarding the phenomenon of health issues of inner city denizens.  You will not find any sympathy for their disadvantages here.

I fully expect that to be the case.  It reminds me a bit of the dust up BB and I had many moons ago over some of the causes of unemployment.

Well what's the option? Force grocery stores and other places that sell "good" foods to keep stores open in unprofitable areas?

I think the ultimate problem is consumer demand (or lack thereof) for healthy foods in those areas.