Recently I read an article in the
Texas Capitol Report about the rejection of the Texas Voter Identification law. If such law were passed it would require voters to show photo identification before voting in elections.
I agree with Governor Rick Perry's statement that the law would help ensure more fair and accurate elections. He states, " The Obama administration's claim that it's a burden to present a photo id to vote simply defies common sense." I think the law should be passed as a way to prevent illegal citizens from voting. The right to vote is something that is very important to americans and a right we have fought very hard for through a republican-democrat government. Therefor illegal immigrants shouldn't be given the rights of an American citizen until they become one themselves. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott also agrees with Governor Perry saying, " The Supreme Court of the United States has already upheld voter id laws as a constitutional method of ensuring integrity at the ballot box." He supports Governor Perry's claim to fight for the same right that other states like Georgia and Indiana have enacted in order to protect elections. Abbot stated, " The state will appeal this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, where we are confident we will prevail."
The right to vote is something we as Americans should participate in and take seriously. I think precautions should be enforced in order to protect state and national elections, which in return affects the American people.
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In a commentary on Sunday, November 4th, that is titled “Texas Voter ID Law”, and which is on the blog “The eyes of Texas are upon you”, Josh Cox states his position on Voter ID laws in Texas. Josh says that Texas should have a voter ID law, and he agrees with Governor Perry’s claim that not having a voter ID law contributes to voter fraud. Furthermore, Josh doesn’t believe that illegal immigrants should have the right to vote unless they are citizens. Moreover, Josh stresses how important the right to vote is, and that Americans fought for this right, and that it is equally important to maintain the integrity of the voting process.
Josh makes great points, and I agree that the “United States” should have voter ID laws, in order to protect one of the most important rights afforded to U.S. citizens. There are plenty of opponents, of voter ID laws, who fear that U.S. citizens will be disenfranchised. However, the concerns with not identifying voters outweigh the opponents’ fears, and illegal voters are less likely to be informed about the issues at hand, and about America, and they are more susceptible to persuasion if they feel a candidate will be a champion for their cause. Besides, if someone isn’t smart enough to have an ID with them when they vote, then perhaps they aren’t smart enough to vote.
Josh supports his position with quotations from Governor Rick Perry, and the Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, which are made in the article “Reaction to rejection of Texas voter ID law”, that is posted on 08/30/2012, on the blog “Texas Capitol Report”. He provides a link to the site's main page, but not specifically to the article, which could be confusing. Overall, Josh does a good job of stating the problems with not having voter ID laws.
On November 4th, via his blog "The eyes of Texas are upon you", Josh Cox stressed his support towards Rick Perry's stance on the Voter Identification law in his commentary "Texas Voter ID Law". He believes that our state should protect the citizen's right to vote and prevent acts of fraud at the ballot box by having an ID law, and that people who haven't earned the right to vote, such as illegal immigrants, should be kept from voting in our elections as well. He uses direct quotes from the article he is providing commentary for, as well as direct quotations from the governor himself to support his view.
I personally support this view myself, and Josh brings up a valid concern. There are people who are worried about their vote being cancelled by someone who is either committing fraud or isn't able to vote under legal means. But people see it as an attack on our rights to require ID. We have to provide identification when we buy alcohol or tobacco, there's no reason not to provide a picture ID for voting as well.
The article Josh bases his commentary off of is found on the Texas Capitol Report, An article called "Reaction to rejection of TX voter ID law". It is here that Josh finds the direct quotes from Rick Perry to support his writing, and express his thoughts on the lack of a voter ID law.
The burden Obama is referring to by requiring a photo id to vote is placed on the citizens who have no photo id which would be the poor. I personally have a friend whose family does not own documents for identification. They are not illegal aliens from Mexico. They simply are poor and had a devastating flood to their house and have lost their birth certificates, social security cards, and every identification card they had. Currently they are trying to obtain state identification cards from the government however it has been very difficult for them to obtain photo IDs when you have no documents to your name.
This is a link explaining the requirements for obtaining a identification card from the DMV in Texas.
http://www.dmv.com/tx/texas/apply-id-card
As you can see it costs 15$ to acquire a Texas photo ID card. My friend's family does not have 15$ to spare. They live in a mobile home that is absolutely filthy and in the past all their money went to buying convenience store junk food since they couldn't go to a regular store to purchase better foods.
Many citizens in the poorest sections of urban metroplexes-often African Americans-cannot afford to pay for a photo ID. This requirement of a photo ID separates the desperately poor from the rest of us whom can pay for a photo ID. This disenfranchises those below poverty level and keeps them from being able to vote. For instance in New Orleans when hurricane Katrina hit many citizens lost all their documentation from the flood, and many of these citizens are African Americans. They were all relocated to different states including Texas. Because of this natural disaster they do not have photo Identification and don't have the money to acquire one. Their money was lost in the flood along with their photo ID and with those the right to vote in their own nation. These people do have integrity however they are simply victims of disasters they cannot control. The voter ID laws keeps them from having a voice in government.
As for voter fraud in general, most people do not even care to vote in the first place. It takes tremendous problems for them to consider voting as a means for changing their situation. People are apathetic and feel powerless and as such don't care too much to vote or even get involved in politics. It would take too much work for a citizen to commit voter fraud when the effect is only one vote they have out of millions. It isn't worth the time and citizens know this.
"Burden" as defined in this link: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/burden?s=t from dictionary.com states it is a encumbrance or impediment. By having to show a photo ID to vote it is in fact a "burden" as it would be much easier for citizens to not be required to show a photo ID. That is the definition of "burden," which is an impediment, this is common sense.
I agree that illegal aliens should not have the right to vote, however, it will create racial tension for Latin Americans by not allowing their undocumented families and friends the right to vote. There should be a way for undocumented workers to obtain citizenship in America.
I am in full agreement with you, Josh Cox. Pertaining to Senate Bill 14 known as the Voter Id law. The 2012 election served as a reminder that Texas would have benefited from such a law. Even the OSCE members from the UN states that they were stunned that a voter did not have to show a photo ID to Vote.
By the way, have you visited a patient in the hospital lately? The visiting policy at the Methodist Stone Oak Hospital in San Antonio, Texas requires you to register at the Visitor Welcome Desk and identify yourself. You are asked to present your valid government issued photo identification to obtain a visitor's pass! Next, your photo is taken and printed on a temporary visitor's badge with the floor and room number of the patient you have come to visit. The entire visitor's information that was scanned from your driver's license will remain in their computer system for future use. Amazingly we did not even have to pay for the photo badge!
Our elections need to be protected and when the state of Texas appeals the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on Senate Bill 14 then and only then will Texans feel they have integrity at the ballot box.
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