Change of voting Laws: To Prevent Fraud or to Inhibit Certain Voters?

     In Lizette Alvarez’s article in the New York Times, “Republican Legislators Push to Tighten Voting Rules,” she writes that the Republicans are changing the voting laws by saying the only way a person can vote is by showing a government  issued Identification card when they show up to vote. This, the Republicans say, is to “offer a practical way to weed out fraudulent votes and preserve the integrity of the ballot box.”

     According to Brennan Center For Justice at New York University School of Law, “there is no credible evidence that suggest a voter fraud epidemic.” They go on to say that voter fraud does happen but it only happens “approximately 0.0009% of the time.” That is about how often Americans are stuck and killed by lightning, according to the National Weather Services data.

     At this time there are twelve states that require photo identification to vote, including Texas. Governor Perry recently signed the controversial bill into law, which went into effect September 1, 2011.
     This law will inhibit many students, minorities, disabled, poor, and seniors. These are the people most likely to vote Democrat. Democrats argue that the Republican's push for this law “echoes of the Jim Crow laws," which inhibited black voters in the South from Reconstruction to the 1960's. According to election experts, students, minorities and poor people, who usually vote democrat, and older people, are less likely to have a driver's license. 

     Also in Alvarez's article, South Carolina Governor, Nikki Haley suggests “If you have to show a picture ID to buy Sudafed, if you have to show a picture ID to get on an airplane, you should show a picture ID when you vote." Governor Haley's comparison is like comparing apples to oranges. Buying Sudafed and getting on an airplane is a choice, voting is our right. 
    Bottom line, what the Republicans are doing is implementing a poll tax, which, according to Amendment XXIV, is illegal. A commenter named Jane on "The Pitch Room: What do you need to know?" says it best, "Photo IDs would be fine if they were free. Otherwise they are a polltax. Not to mention, there’s a significant inconvenience for handicapped/seniors and those that don’t drive to get a state issued photo id. There is no proof that there is voter fraud, but there is proof that this will suppress young voters, poor voters, and seniors."
     The Republicans plans to cut back on early voting days, the Democrats say, will cause there to be longer lines at the polls discouraging voters. "Democrats claim their GOP counterparts are using midterm election wins to enforce changes favorable to Republicans ahead of the 2012 presidential election. They criticize such legislation, saying it could lead to longer lines in Democratic-leaning urban areas and discourage people from voting." 
    Our nation seems to be going back in time, instead creating equal rights for everyone, our rights are slowly being taken away from us. If there is anyone who doubts their vote matters, it matters more than ever.