|
|
|
More Hearings Scheduled On Texas Voter ID Legislation
More hearings are scheduled Monday on a controversial plan to tighten Texas voter identification laws.
|
|
7 Comments 
AUSTIN (April 5, 2009)--Texas legislators will hold a new round of public hearings Monday on the controversial plan to tighten voter ID laws.
Fourteen experts, seven invited by Democrats and seven by Republicans, are expected to testify before the House Elections Committee.
On Tuesday the public will get a chance to speak out.
At issue are proposals to require that Texans furnish additional identification.
Under current law, a voter registration card is enough, although Texans can show their driver's license if they don't have the card.
The Senate last month passed a bill that would require either a photo ID, such as a driver's license, or two other documents, including government mail, marriage certificates and utility bills.
Republicans, who control both houses of the Legislature and all statewide elective offices, say new ID rules are needed to protect against voter fraud.
Democrats complain that the GOP wants to suppress Democratic turnout by erecting hurdles that disproportionately impact poor, minority and elderly voters.
Latest Comments
The real question is: What are the Repubs afraid of? Their ideas no longer sell in the marketplace of ideas-except to right wing reactionaries who don't trust their fellow Americans. Their arrogant Rovian tactics are causing them to lose their old majorities in Texas & the US. Illegals don't come to Texas to vote. They come to work. Terrorists don't come here to vote. They don't believe in voting! If Republicans are serious about "voter fraud" why not address mail-in voting, predominantly used by Republicans. There is no way to identify a mail-in voter! Republicans run to win, not to govern. When they do govern, it is on behalf of those who don't need government-the wealthy, powerful & well connected-at the expense of those who do need government-the working poor, the too old, the too young, the sick & the weak-who can't buy lawyers, lobbyists and pollsters. Make photo ID free & of easy access to all potential voters. Otherwise it, in reality, is an unconstitutional POLL TAX!
Exactly, Ratso.
Betty in Moody: How in the heck is providing your drivers license or other government ID hard to do? These poor people drive don't they? They have a ID card so they can get their Lone Star card for food stamps so how is this making it more difficult? When you vote you should have to prove who you are with a photo ID. Nationwide at that. This would be one way to slow down all of the dead voters, voters who vote multiple times, etc. And don't say it doesn't happen. The districts that are heavily Democrat nationwide always oppose voter ID laws. Wonder why?
