History Forum / General / British History / September 2006

Typical Of The Democrats.

Even Here In Hawai'i We Have To Show Photo ID Cards In Order To Vote.

DSH
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House bill to require voter ID

By Charles Hurt
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
September 21, 2006

The House yesterday passed legislation that would require voters to show a
valid photo identification in federal elections over the overwhelming
objections of Democrats who compared the bill to segregation-era measures
aimed at disenfranchising Southern blacks.

Appalling!  They want to enfranchise tens of thousands of people who are not
eligible to vote.  -- DSH

The Federal Election Integrity Act was approved on a nearly party-line
228-196 vote. Republicans backed the bill 224-3, with three nonvoters;
Democrats opposed it 192-4, with five nonvoters. They were joined in
opposition by the House's one independent member.

The bill, which faces an uncertain future in the Senate, is part of a
Republican effort to complete before the November elections a package of
proposals aimed at curbing illegal immigration and its effects on ordinary
Americans.

The so-called "Voter ID" bill, aimed at stamping out voter fraud, would
require voters in federal elections to provide picture identification by
2008 and provide proof of U.S. citizenship by 2010. It was among the
recommendations made last year by the bipartisan Commission on Federal
Election Reform, headed by former President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, and
former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, a Republican.

Why wait until 2010 to require proof of U.S. Citizenship?  -- DSH

"Effective voter registration and voter identification are bedrocks of a
modern election system," they wrote in their final report.

But Democrats, siding with groups that work on behalf of minorities and
illegal aliens, called the bill a "modern-day poll tax" and said it would
place an insurmountable burden on voters and infringe upon their voting
rights.

Twaddle! -- DSH

Rep. Brian Bilbray, California Republican, countered that the real
infringement upon voting rights would be allowing fraudulent votes by the
dead or illegal "to cancel out legitimate votes."

"That is the violation of the Voters Rights Act that we have not
addressed," he told colleagues before the vote.

Democrats, who have long demanded reforms to the federal voting process,
yesterday dismissed Republican concerns about voter fraud.

"Show me the examples of the problem you're trying to solve," demanded
Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat who accused Republicans of
trying to appeal to the "fear and -- yes, perhaps -- the prejudices of
people."

A Republican cited a study by Johns Hopkins University that found 1,500
dead people who had voted in recent elections. Mr. Hoyer belittled the
study, saying no criminal convictions for voter fraud had been won in any of
those cases.

Mr. Bilbray pointed out that such convictions might be obtained if
proper identification were required.

Voter fraud is not something you can come back to after the fraud is
committed," he said. "The person who voted for those dead people is long
gone by the time it comes up on the record."

Bingo! -- DSH

Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, Florida Republican, urged support of the bill
because, she said, it would prevent illegal aliens from voting in U.S.
elections.

"It's outrageous and inexcusable that voters do not have to show proof
of citizenship in order to vote in an election," she said. "Illegal
immigrants are populating this country at an unprecedented number, and it is
unjust and unfair to citizens of this country that noncitizens should have a
hand in electing federal officials."

Rep. Alcee L. Hastings, Florida Democrat, said he's more concerned about
discouraging voters than he is about illegals voting.

"Nonparticipation in the election process is more of a problem in this
country than noncitizens trying to vote," Mr. Hastings said.

Rep. John Lewis, Georgia Democrat, called the bill a "modern-day poll
tax" and charged that the bill "is nothing less than voter suppression."

Nonsense!  It's designed to suppress only people who are not entitled to
vote. -- DSH

He also reminded the Republican chamber of its overwhelming support in
July for renewing the Voting Rights Act, although many conservatives off
Capitol Hill warned that portions of it are no longer necessary.

"Just three months ago, this body passed the reauthorization of the
Voting Rights Act of 1965, admitting the sad fact that voter discrimination
is still the reality," said Mr. Lewis, who said requiring identification at
the polls is "an attack on the voting rights of millions of Americans."

John Lewis is a fraud, a charlatan and a liar.  -- DSH

Across the Capitol in the Senate, Democrats continued to slow-walk
legislation approved by the House last week to construct 700 miles of
fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. The chamber voted yesterday 94-0 on a
procedural motion to take up the bill.

Despite universal approval for taking up the legislation, Democratic
leaders refused to grant "unanimous consent" agreements to speed up the
process.
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Yep, stalling, foot-dragging and stonewalling...

DSH

Lux et Veritas et Libertas

Vires et Honor