Republicans reject changes to voter ID bill

[hippiechick]

http://www.indystar.com/articles/4/230311-7364-103.html

Governor urges legislators to approve the measure, says most Hoosiers back it and daylight-saving time


By Mary Beth Schneider
[e-mail]
March 19, 2005


Gov. Mitch Daniels said Friday he's hoping there is no repeat of the recent legislative impasse as lawmakers in the House prepare to vote on a controversial measure to require voters to show photo IDs at the polls.

That issue contributed to a Democratic walkout two weeks ago that shut down action in the House for a couple days, killing many bills, including a House version of the photo ID bill. "I just hope cool heads will continue to prevail," Daniels said. "People who are being paid to work are showing up to work. Let's just hope that continues."

Thursday, House Republicans rejected numerous Democratic attempts to alter Senate Bill 438, the Senate version of the measure. That debate avoided rancor, but Rep. Ed Mahern, D-Indianapolis, warned that he could not promise what will happen when the measure comes down for a final House vote. The issue, he said, is "very emotional." The bill could come up for a vote as early as Monday.

And, according to Daniels, it is very popular with Hoosiers. He disclosed Friday that a privately funded poll was taken "under our auspices" on the voter ID and other issues. "Seven out of eight Hoosiers think that this is a good idea," Daniels told reporters during his weekly media availability Friday morning.

His office later released portions of the poll of 600 registered voters statewide, which was taken Sunday through Tuesday by Aiming Higher, a group that's an outgrowth of Daniels' transition committee and was formed to push his agenda as governor. The portion released to the media did not indicate the margin of error. (note: wow, what an all encompassing and unbiased poll!) :eyes:

Bill Oesterle, Daniels' former campaign manager, said he wanted to find out at the turning point of the legislature what public opinion is on some key issues, including voter ID and daylight-saving time.

... more

[Voltaire]

1. Well YASSUH BOSS...Hush my mouth....

Of COURSE we'll accept the results of YOUR poll!!!

Beady eyed, lizard-looking FREAK.

Every fucking one of them....but.....

Save Terry Schiavo...right?

[Jdemsindiana]

2. here's Republican logic at its worse

"lets invade iraq for freedom and then take basic voting rights away from our own people" republicans talk about democracy as a punchline
its a big joke to them in reality all they care about is power

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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[salin]

4. Yikes...

there is no documented evidence of voter fraud. Indeed, I ask you to point out recent documented evidence of the problem. It is illegal and those engaging in such activities should be charged, arrested and convicted.

And while I stand firmly and strongly against vote fraud - I also recognize the hardships of many in our state to meeting this requirement. The elderly whose licenses have elapsed and have no transportation to the DMV and/or little resources to chase up the documentation needed (and the costs) for the ID that is only needed to vote (that is - the ID is needed for nothing else).

The poor - esp those who were not born in the city/town that they currently live in - if birth records have been lost (very common), one often has to go in person to get those records - if one has no resources/transportation and one has to go far away to get the documentation needed than it becomes so burdensome as to become a defacto poll tax.

You do remember from your history classes what a poll tax was? And why those were not only ended but resulted in states being under Court supervision per not violating citizens votings rights - don't you?

If you can document a serious vote fraud problem that is documented (not just claimed on right wing media sources) then we should talk/discuss the issue. At this time, such a problem has NOT been documented and measures such as these have been used to disenfranchise the votes of the poor and elderly by putting up barriers based on a problem that does not seem to exist.

I find your response either very ignorant of the facts, or very intentionally welcoming the disenfranchisement of votes of citizens of the US.