Comments on: Voter ID Now Required in Texas But Good Luck Getting One

By: Lilredhead

Lilredhead — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 02:59:00 +0000

Okay republicans, you wanna play that game? I see many, many lawsuits coming to our state AG.

By: tiboregon

tiboregon — Sun, 30 Jun 2013 18:28:00 +0000

I don’t know the demographics of Texas, but I’d venture to say that it would be sparsely populated (conservative most likely) counties that wouldn’t have a “DMV”. Have the republicans shot themselves in the foot with this one?

By: Cthulhu0818

Cthulhu0818 — Sun, 30 Jun 2013 15:08:00 +0000

In reply to Zen Diesel. Which the GOP will fail....

By: Badgerite

Badgerite — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 19:43:00 +0000

The rest of the VRA is still intact, is it not? Lawsuits can still be brought based on disproportionate impact, it is just that pre-clearance by the DOJ is not required for any state to make changes to its voting requirements. So I say, let the lawsuits begin and with a vengeance. Make Texas have to spend a lot of money and time trying to defend this bullshit in court. Organize and mobilize. Take whole busloads of people to the DMVs .

By: chris ellis

chris ellis — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 15:02:00 +0000

Conservatives love to slow down government and make sure every aspect of a bill is considered…unless it will prevent their opponents from doing something they don’t like, such as voting, or aborting, or getting medical insurance.

By: chris ellis

chris ellis — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 15:00:00 +0000

a literal poll tax, not available in your nearby county, and they don’t even know how long it will take to get it. So many will be unable to get it; but then that’s the point, isn’t it?

By: Mark Letham

Mark Letham — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 13:57:00 +0000

The same $h!t happens in Pennsylvania when the Voter ID law was enacted before the 2012 election. The repubs just wanted to ram a bill bill through but couldn’t figure out the mechanics of it. Then the repub leader told every one it was to make sure minorities couldn’t vote. I still don’t know if I need my ID to vote here or not.

By: Christopher Foxx

Christopher Foxx — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 08:39:00 +0000

In reply to beulahmo. As a non-Texan (thank god!) I feel the same way. Freedom Riders II!

By: Christopher Foxx

Christopher Foxx — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 08:38:00 +0000

In reply to 1933john. That's a 1%-er answer. If someone can't afford $22 for a birth certificate, why would you expect then to be able to afford a lawyer?

By: nathkatun7

nathkatun7 — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 04:42:00 +0000

In reply to Joyce M.

Joyce, you are absolutely right about Poll-tax when it comes to state and local elections. Fortunately, however, the 24th Amendment explicitly prohibits the use of poll-taxes in federal elections to deny citizens the right to vote. That is to say that under the Constitution, no state can require citizens to pay a poll tax in order to be able to vote for the President and Vice-President of the United States, or members of Congress in both Houses. But the 24th Amendment makes no mention of state and local elections.

What people forget is the enormous importance of local and state elections. This is especially crucial when it comes to the election of people to serve as governors or members of state legislatures. Republicans, unlike Democrats, have been extremely focused on the importance of Sate and local elections. It’s state legislatures and governors that get to divide Congressional Districts. One of the most devastating outcome of the 2010 election was the fact that Republicans were overwhelmingly elected to state legislatures. As a result, Republican dominated State legislatures, with support of Republican governors, practically gerrymandered
Congressional Districts in favor of Republicans. This is why it will still be a
major uphill battle for Democrats to be able to regain majorities in the House of Representatives, either in 2010 or 2016.

A call must go out to Democrats to remind them that state and local election are a big deal.