[quote]Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said Thursday he has officially sued Texas seeking to stop the state from asking voters to show ID at the polls, accusing the Texas legislature of intentionally trying to discriminate against minorities.
The lawsuit was a response to a June Supreme Court ruling on the civil rights-era Voting Rights Act that limited the federal government’s ability to demand prior approval of changes to voting laws.
“We will not allow the Supreme Court’s recent decision to be interpreted as open season for states to pursue measures that suppress voting rights,” Mr. Holder said in a statement announcing the move.
Separately, Mr. Holder announced the federal government is joining another case seeking to overturn the lines the state drew for U.S. Congress and state House districts, saying those, too, were drawn in order to deny minorities their voting rights.
Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican, said the move by Mr. Holder was “trying to turn our state blue” through pushing the lawsuit.
“As Texans we reject the notion that the federal government knows what’s best for us,” he said. “We deserve the freedom to make our own laws and we deserve not to be insulted by a Justice Department committed to scoring cheap political points.”
The two legal moves come just days before Washington prepares to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, which saw the civil rights movement demand protections of political rights, including the right to vote. Those gathering this year have said they’ll protest the recent Supreme Court ruling.
Read more: [url]http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/22/holder-sues-texas-stop-voter-id-law/#ixzz2cjKz7k5a[/url]
[/quote]
Just to prevent myself from saying something I regret later, this also applies to when you're voting, right?
[QUOTE]Separately, Mr. Holder announced the federal government is joining another case seeking to overturn the lines the state drew for U.S. Congress and state House districts, saying those, too, were drawn in order to deny minorities their voting rights.[/QUOTE]
Okay, I can vaguely see where ID's can discriminate. But the lines? All the lines do is determine who your rep is. You can still go out and vote and all that jazz.
Oh no! Trying to curb voter fraud! THAT'S OBVIOUSLY RACIST!!!
[QUOTE=staticman;41931209]Oh no! Trying to curb voter fraud! THAT'S OBVIOUSLY RACIST!!![/QUOTE]
I know of many legal US citizens who are old enough to vore, hell some are even 21+ with no ID.
[QUOTE=breakyourfac;41931270]I know of many legal US citizens who are old enough to vore, hell some are even 21+ with no ID.[/QUOTE]
Well you basically need Identification to get a job or drive a car "legally". It is essential and I couldn't imagine anyone being without one unless they were either illegally here.
I mean it isn't hard, bring the right papers and go down to the dmv. I had to do it to get my first job at 15. Why can't anyone else go up and do it?
[QUOTE=Siminov;41931316]Well you basically need Identification to get a job or drive a car "legally". It is essential and I couldn't imagine anyone being without one unless they were either illegally here.
I mean it isn't hard, bring the right papers and go down to the dmv. I had to do it to get my first job at 15. Why can't anyone else go up and do it?[/QUOTE]
What do you mean? I know how to drive. Why do I need one of those fancy cards
[QUOTE=breakyourfac;41931270]I know of many legal US citizens who are old enough to vore, hell some are even 21+ with no ID.[/QUOTE]
Well if you are legal in a country you should have some papers to prove it.
[QUOTE=breakyourfac;41931270]I know of many legal US citizens who are old enough to vore, hell some are even 21+ with no ID.[/QUOTE]
Sorry, but if you can't get a state ID, then tough shit.
Which minority are we discriminating against?
[QUOTE=Homez;41931411]Which minority are we discriminating against?[/QUOTE]
Those poor, unfortunate poors, blacks, and women, according to the Obama regime.
[QUOTE=staticman;41931583]Those poor, unfortunate poors, blacks, and women, according to the Obama regime.[/QUOTE]
Seems more like it discriminates against the lazy and illegals who can't or won't get proper ID.
[QUOTE=staticman;41931209]Oh no! Trying to curb voter fraud! THAT'S OBVIOUSLY RACIST!!![/QUOTE]
Do you have any evidence that more illegitimate votes are cast without this law than legitimate votes being unable to be cast because of it?
I never really understood how requiring ID to vote disenfranchises minorities, anyone care to explain?
I mean, an ID is piss easy to get and is totally free (at least in NY)
I don't know why you would ever not have an ID if you weren't a legal resident of the country. It's essential for so many services that I have trouble believing someone is a functioning member of society without a legal ID. Or just too lazy to get one, but it's not an inconvenience - an hour or two in the DMV just to get a state ID card, not even a drivers license.
[QUOTE=breakyourfac;41931270]I know of many legal US citizens who are old enough to [B]vore[/B], hell some are even 21+ with no ID.[/QUOTE]
Huh, I didn't know there was an age limit to cannibalism, let alone that it was legal.
Also, how would this discriminate against minorities? Unless if he is implying that minorities don't own any form of ID or are illegal immigrants?
[QUOTE=staticman;41931209]Oh no! Trying to curb voter fraud! THAT'S OBVIOUSLY RACIST!!![/QUOTE]
This sarcasm might be warranted if [url=http://votingrights.news21.com/article/election-fraud/]voter fraud were an actual issue in the United States.[/url]
So Republicans are enacting a series of laws to prevent something which does not meaningfully exist. HMMMMMM I WONDER WHAT POSSIBLE MOTIVE THEY MIGHT HAVE
[editline]22nd August 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Protocol7;41931670]I don't know why you would ever not have an ID if you weren't a legal resident of the country. It's essential for so many services that I have trouble believing someone is a functioning member of society without a legal ID. Or just too lazy to get one, but it's not an inconvenience - an hour or two in the DMV just to get a state ID card, not even a drivers license.[/QUOTE]
Please, just try to understand the fact that not everybody's life is exactly like yours and what is "an hour or two" for you in your specific location with your specific schedule is not going to be the same thing for the 300 million other people who live in this country. If the system isn't broke, don't fix it.
[QUOTE=SigmaLambda;41931727]This sarcasm might be warranted if [url=http://votingrights.news21.com/article/election-fraud/]voter fraud were an actual issue in the United States.[/url]
So Republicans are enacting a series of laws to prevent something which does not meaningfully exist. HMMMMMM I WONDER WHAT POSSIBLE MOTIVE THEY MIGHT HAVE[/QUOTE]
How is requiring ID to vote a racist (assuming thats what youre implying) policy, exactly?
Reality: 1) Voter Id laws have been proven to discriminate along class and racial lines. 2) These laws are being enacted by republican legislatures and [I]just happen[/I] to target demographics who overwhelmingly vote democratic. 3) There are practically no [I][B]proven[/B][/I] voter ID fraud cases to warrant this. 4) Getting an ID in the USA isn't as simple as it should be.
Facepunch mindset: herp derp darkies r racisss something something holder zimmerman trayvon
Please call me back when you honkeys straighten the fuck up plz.
[QUOTE=SigmaLambda;41931727]This sarcasm might be warranted if [url=http://votingrights.news21.com/article/election-fraud/]voter fraud were an actual issue in the United States.[/url]
So Republicans are enacting a series of laws to prevent something which does not meaningfully exist. HMMMMMM I WONDER WHAT POSSIBLE MOTIVE THEY MIGHT HAVE
[/QUOTE]
I don't see any problem in the prevention of Voter Fraud though.
When possible voter fraud is in question, instead of the politicians shrugging their shoulders with nothing to do, they could say that we have done [B]these things[/B] such as requiring identification to disprove any people who question the validity of someone in office.
[QUOTE=BaguetteThug;41931758]Reality: 1) Voter Id laws have been proven to discriminate along class and racial lines. 2) These laws are being enacted by republican legislatures and [I]just happen[/I] to target demographics who overwhelmingly vote democratic. 3) There are practically no [I][B]proven[/B][/I] voter ID fraud cases to warrant this. 4) Getting an ID in the USA isn't as simple as it should be.
Facepunch mindset: herp derp darkies r racisss something something holder zimmerman trayvon
Please call me back when you honkeys straighten the fuck up plz.[/QUOTE]
You are also a Canadian, just because you think it is hard to get an ID there doesn't mean it is hard to get one here.
I have done it twice, once to get my ID when I was 15 and my drivers license at 16.
[QUOTE=Timebomb575;41931660]I never really understood how requiring ID to vote disenfranchises minorities, anyone care to explain?
I mean, an ID is piss easy to get and is totally free (at least in NY)[/QUOTE]
It's not totally free elsewhere and in locations which are under-serviced by over-worked DMV's it can be a very time-consuming process. Considering the fact that the most beleaguered DMV's are in poor, urban areas and poor urban areas have higher minority populations, it is generally going to be a more difficult process for a given random black person to get an ID than it would be for a given random white person. And, for the third time, considering the fact that voter fraud is a non-existent issue in the United States, the vast number of attempts to "crack down" on voter fraud with voter ID laws hints at an ulterior motive from the responsible parties.
[QUOTE=BaguetteThug;41931758]Reality: 1) Voter Id laws have been proven to discriminate along class and racial lines.[/QUOTE]
Sauce.
[QUOTE=ClarkWasHere;41931689]Huh, I didn't know there was an age limit to cannibalism, let alone that it was legal.
Also, how would this discriminate against minorities? Unless if he is implying that minorities don't own any form of ID or are illegal immigrants?[/QUOTE]
I hope theres an age limit here in NY
I don't want part in none of that
[QUOTE=Siminov;41931785]I don't see any problem in the prevention of Voter Fraud though.
When possible voter fraud is in question, instead of the politicians shrugging their shoulders with nothing to do, they could say that we have done [B]these things[/B] such as requiring identification to disprove any people who question the validity of someone in office.[/QUOTE]
In some places in the United States it can be a very difficult process to get an ID. Maybe it was easy for you BUT NOT EVERYBODY IS YOU.
All across the country republican politicians are pushing for voter ID laws,despite the fact that voter-fraud is an incredibly rare occurrence and [b]without pushing for complementary laws that would make getting an ID easier[/b]. Democrats are statistically less likely to have a valid form of ID due to a number of socioeconomic factors.
How fucking naive does somebody have to be not to see a correlation here?
[QUOTE=DuCT;41931206]Okay, I can vaguely see where ID's can discriminate. But the lines? All the lines do is determine who your rep is. You can still go out and vote and all that jazz.[/QUOTE]
It's called gerrymandering. It's the strategic "redrawing" of voting district boundaries to prevent districts with an opposing party majority. It works by redistributing the opposing party voters into different districts by say..drawing a line through a liberal/conservative neighborhood, so that it's not possible for the opposing party to get a majority in that district, because there aren't enough of that party concentrated there. Democrats and Republicans alike are guilty of gerrymandering, and it and the disenfranchisement of minorities at the polls are both real and serious issues in this country.
[QUOTE=PolarEventide;41931863]It's called gerrymandering. It's the strategic "redrawing" of voting district boundaries to prevent districts with an opposing party majority. It works by redistributing the opposing party voters into different districts by say..drawing a line through a liberal/conservative neighborhood, so that it's not possible for the opposing party to get a majority in that district, because there aren't enough of that party concentrated there. Democrats and Republicans alike are guilty of gerrymandering, and it and the disenfranchisement of minorities at the polls are both real and serious issues in this country.[/QUOTE]
Yes, I'm familiar with gerrymandering, and it can be fixed by just being more politically active. Yes that takes time and work, but sometimes that is what it takes. Being stagnant won't fix anything.
[QUOTE=Sigma]How fucking naive does somebody have to be not to see a correlation here?[/QUOTE]
Correlation does not equal causation.
It's just a coincidence that the people pushing Voter ID laws are all republicans and that the people who have more difficulty obtaining a valid ID are democrats. When a politician says they're pushing this law to prevent voter fraud that doesn't exist, I believe them. I am going to take what these politicians say at face value because I'm a smart and sexy boy. Whenever anyone on facepunch says the word "racism" I roll up on my Stingray and lower my shades and say "yeah, well where are the deets?" and then after they show they don't have any deets I leisurely pedal away because mom says I don't have to be home until Eight O'clock.
The funny thing is, with or without these ID laws, very little will change. Even without them, voter fraud of the nature they hope to prevent is absurdly rare. With the ID laws, only a very small portion of the population would, at this moment, be unable to vote.
The point I'm trying to make is: it doesn't really matter one way or another.
[QUOTE=BaguetteThug;41931758]Reality: 1) Voter Id laws have been proven to discriminate along class and racial lines. 2) These laws are being enacted by republican legislatures and [I]just happen[/I] to target demographics who overwhelmingly vote democratic. 3) There are practically no [I][B]proven[/B][/I] voter ID fraud cases to warrant this. 4) Getting an ID in the USA isn't as simple as it should be.
Facepunch mindset: herp derp darkies r racisss something something holder zimmerman trayvon
Please call me back when you honkeys straighten the fuck up plz.[/QUOTE]
Your mindset: "Herp derp, you disagree with me you're an idiot"
Nevermind, you sourced it.
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