Gergia law keeps certain people away from polls,for political advantage.

[dajoki]

they are now charging people to vote because of a new law pushed through by republicans and signed by republican governor.
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NYThttp://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/12/opinion/12mon1.html?th&emc=th


Georgia's New Poll Tax

Published: September 12, 2005

In 1966, the Supreme Court held that the poll tax was unconstitutional. Nearly 40 years later, Georgia is still charging people to vote, this time with a new voter ID law that requires many people without driver's licenses - a group that is disproportionately poor, black and elderly - to pay $20 or more for a state ID card. Georgia went ahead with this even though there is not a single place in the entire city of Atlanta where the cards are sold. The law is a national disgrace.

Until recently, Georgia, like most states, accepted many forms of identification at the polls. But starting this month, it is accepting only government-issued photo ID's. People with driver's licenses are fine. But many people without them have to buy a state ID card to vote, at a cost of $20 for a five-year card or $35 for 10 years. The cards are sold in 58 locations, in a state with 159 counties. It is outrageous that Atlanta does not have a single location. (The state says it plans to open one soon.) But the burden is also great on people in rural parts of the state.

The Republicans who pushed the law through, and Gov. Sonny Perdue, also a Republican, who signed it, say that it is intended to prevent fraud. But it seems clear that it is about keeping certain people away from the polls, for political advantage. The vast majority of fraud complaints in Georgia, according to its secretary of state, Cathy Cox, involve absentee ballots, which are unaffected by the new law. Ms. Cox says she is unaware of a single documented case in recent years of fraud through impersonation of a voter at the polls

[dajoki]

1. kick

[KingFlorez]

2. Disgusting

These people will go to any length to keep a stranglehold on their power. Their afraid Georgia will flip back to the Democrats.

[dajoki]

8. if they get away with this...

i'm afraid it will spread across the country.

[Laelth]

3. Georgia got its first Republican Governor ...

... in 2002 (probably a stolen election). The Georgia House turned Republican for the first time in over 100 years in 2004. I don't think the national party is too afraid that Georgia will turn blue (though Katrina might have something to say about that). Principally, it's the new Repuke legislature that wants to insure it stays in power.

Disgusting, indeed. I hope this law will will be found unconstitutional when it's challenged in court.

-Laelth

[dajoki]

7. not with roberts on SCOTUS...

his record says the opposite.

[johnnyrocket]

4. That's horrible. The south is slipping into dark times...

...ahead, they will reap what they sow.

[dajoki]

20. the poor people...

in the south are feeling it right now.

[Up2Late]

5. That's Georgia, G E O R G I A. Thanks.

And yeah, Georgia's Diebold selected Republican government really sucks.

[dajoki]

6. sorry, i missed a letter. n/t

[FreedomAngel82]

9. What the hell? THIS IS ILLEGAL!!!

That's exactly it! They are keeping people away. The Constiution has something to say about that! The Constiution states in the amendment XXIV the following: Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

[dajoki]

10. again, they go after the easiest targets...

Georgia is still charging people to vote, this time with a new voter ID law that requires many people without driver's licenses - a group that is disproportionately poor, black and elderly - to pay $20 or more for a state ID card.

[Up2Late]

12. Yeah, but the current U.S. Justice Department said it's O.K. by them...

...and the ReTuglican controlled Congress hasn't brought this issue to the floor either, go figure.:shrug::sarcasm:

[tritsofme]

11. I had a conversation about this with a friend of mine from Georgia

and he says that if you cannot afford to buy and ID the state government will provide you with one free of charge.

Can any Georgians confirm or deny this?

[dajoki]

13. here's what i found...

The American Civil Liberties Union charged Friday that Georgia had raised the fees for its new controversial voter ID cards http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2005/09/aclu-georgia-spar-over-voter-id-card.php
Department of Driver Services information] without notice to the US Justice Department as required under federal law. The office of Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue denied the allegation, saying that it had submitted the notice of the fee hike to the DOJ as part of a package of information it filed with Washington when the legislation requiring a state photo ID for voters was initially proposed. A spokesman also noted that the fees - $20 for five-year ID cards and $35 for 10-year cards - would be waived for poor residents. The ACLU countered that the Justice Department had only approved a $10 fee for a four-year card, and that the fee waiver procedure was elaborate and would discourage potential applicants from getting their cards, resulting in their disenfranchisement. Civil liberties groups have assailed the Georgia law signed by Governor Purdue in April; the federal Voting Rights Act requires Georgia and other states with records of racial discrimination in voting to get federal approval for voting law changes. The Justice Department approved the Georgia voter ID law in late August. The NAACP has already annouced that
it will launch a court challenge . AP has more.
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it still seems illegal, all you should have to do is register to vote. they're making it too complicated for some people, besides there is not one place to get a card in the entire city of Atlanta!!

[tritsofme]

14. Thanks for the info

I had a feeling it would be inordinately hard to get a free ID.

[dajoki]

15. no problem n/t

[napi21]

17. I wonder how long it will take this case to court?

Primaries for 2006 are not that far away!

I admit, when I first read the proposal, I didn't see a problem with it either. After reading a lot of postings, I realize they are not only demanding that the very poor find and get to a DMV site, but pay $20 that many would have to use for survival purposes.

I appologize that I was so ignorant. I wonder if a lot of others in Ga. might be agreeing with this new law out of the same stupid ignorance as I was?

[dajoki]

18. my guess is...

after the '06 elections.

[dajoki]

16. they should ask Roberts...

how he feels about this. his record says he agrees with it.

[LiviaOlivia]

19. kick