OBAMA Lays the “Smack Down” on Carter-Baker’s National Voter ID

[autorank]

OBAMA Lays the “Smack Down” on Carter-Baker’s National Voter ID
We may have our first prominent spokesman. Voting Rights are vital to all Americans. Senator Obama has spoken clearly and for the record stating the case against a National voter ID card. For those in the media who make a big deal out of President Carter’s support of this the National Voter ID, please remember two things: (1) President Carter lent his considerable prestige in general and on elections to a commission co-chaired by the “brains” behind the Florida 2000 post election fiasco—Baker begat Bolton who begat the “preppy riot” at the Miami, FL BoE which ended the Miami Dade recount; (2) President Carter must have heard about the controversy and harsh criticism of the new Georgia Voter ID Card requirement arising form citizens and civil rights leaders all over the state and country. Obama is crystal clear on the subject. He covers all the bases. He is a great Democratic leader and the very first nationally prominent Democratic heavy weight to speak out on voting rights and election fraud in clear and unambiguous terms THANK YOU SENATOR OBAMA!!!

Obama voices opposition to photo voting requirement

http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/local.cfm?ArticleID=2377


by Karen E. Pride, Chicago Defender
September 26, 2007

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) filed a resolution last week opposing a recommendation that would require all eligible voters to show photo identification before casting a vote.

Obama reacted to the findings of the Carter-Baker Commission on Federal
Election Reform released a week ago.

During a teleconference Friday, Obama told reporters there were several good ideas coming from the commission but the call for the photo ID was a really bad one.

"It may seem to make sense on the surface, " he said. "But the problem is you have a large proportion of people who don't have driver's licenses. So, they would have to pay to get state-issued ID cards, which might cost money and cause hardship for minorities."

He offered the state of Georgia as an example of how this mandate could be dangerous, especially for African Americans, Hispanics, seniors and disabled persons.

Georgia has already proposed a law requiring the photo ID.

"There are 159 counties in Georgia and only 56 locations throughout the state where you can get the state-issued ID, and none of them is in Atlanta," said Obama.

The idea of having a state ID so people can cash checks or travel on airlines makes great sense, he told the Chicago Defender.

"But don't tie it to the right to vote," he said. "If every state in the country wants to issue free ID's or even charge for one, that's terrific. But don't put them up as barriers for voters."

He said according to the Georgia chapter of the American Association of
Retired Persons, 36 percent of residents over the age of 75, or one third of them, don't have a driver's license.

In the United States, Obama said, more than three million people with disabilities don't have a government issued identification card.

"And a study done in Wisconsin in June found the rate of license possession by African Americans was half that of whites," he said. "What's most disturbing is this is a solution in search of a problem. There has been no documentation that voter fraud resulting from a person going to a polling place pretending to be someone else is a problem."

Right now, said Obama, if you want to vote in Illinois, you can register by mail or at your library or City Hall.

On Election Day, you show up, give your name and cast your ballot.

If you don't have an ID or proof of residence, you can use something else that matches a name to an address.

"What we've done is set up this resolution, which I introduced in the Senate, to oppose the commission's recommendation,” said Obama. "There are 21 supporters so far. If we can get all 45 Democrats in the Senate, which I'm hoping we can, to indicate their opposition to this, then it sends a strong signal that any attempt to move this forward would potentially meet with a filibuster."

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[texpatriot2004]

1. Thanks for the post Autorank and thanks Obama. n/t

[autorank]

2. Thanks for peeking over the horizon. I'm glad your posting!!!

Is Obama too much or what! This is such good news. He just lays it out. There is simply no reason for this to be part of the "fix" unless the "fix" is in.

Carter knows better. I'm troubled that he would put forward such a thing.

What's he going to do, hand them out himself. Silly reasoning on his part too. Carter said the Voter ID Card was "fair" because it would be "applied consistently nationwide." Oh, and the tax system is fair because it's consistent, and the environmental quality standards that are national, and the use of public lands by private groups...all consistent but fair?

:hi:

[texpatriot2004]

3. Yeah, I keep wondering what in the hell Carter was thinking? Why

would he lend his name to this crap?

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

4. I don't get it either. I saw Carter on CSPAN this weekend

speaking looking upset and unhappy about a proposal that wasn't adopted, in which people would have to pay for the ID cards. He was saying that was a terrible idea.

And a poll tax.

All I can think is that he got snookered into being involved with the commission, and the best he could get out of them was the ID, vs a fee for voting.

I got the email from Conyers on this and about a petition against it.

It is very confusing when 2 honorable people are on opposite sides apparently.

Carter has done so much good in the area of voting etc.

[paineinthearse]

5. I see Obama emerging as the Senate "specialist" for election fraud reform

Nominated.

[autorank]

6. Let's say a prayer. If just one prominent DEM takes up the fight

we've got a great issue. Who favors expensive, unwieldy, "private" voting machines...uh, the vendors? Who favors stealing elections...uh, the time crew who does this, nobody else?

We ought to pound verifiable elections for voter confidence and true democracy. In my county, Republicans and Democrats fought together against bad voting technology.

All we need is one champion and the issue is born!