Not everyone flies on airplanes. Not everyone has a drivers license.
If a photo ID is required to vote, it had better be 1) free, and 2) easily available everywhere to everyone.
Otherwise it's a poll tax.
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2005/03/voting_and_ids.html
Barbara Burt of Common Cause says this about the changes to HR 4844 which aren't shown online, but have
been added:
"HR 4844 was amended in committee and made harsher.
We are not overstating the case.
You would need a photo ID that also attests to your citizenship -- and the only document that fits that
bill for most people is a passport. It assumes that the Real ID will eventually take on that task,
but the Dept. of Homeland Security has yet to determine what exactly the Real ID is."
http://www.commonblog.com/story/2006/9/18/15137/4369
The National Urban League advises:
Only a quarter of eligible voters have passports, which now cost $97 to obtain, and naturalization papers
used to prove citizenship cost $210 to be replaced. Furthermore, an estimated 6 to 12 percent of voters
do not have government-issued photo I.D., according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
A North Carolina drivers licence is not proof of citizenship, which HR 4844 requires.
This year the law in NC has been changed to require proof of citizenship to get a drivers licence,
but licenses issued before then will not be sufficient ID.
http://www.nul.org/pressreleases/2006/2006pr362.html
Meanwhile - Many organizations oppose HR 4844:
June 27, 2006 The American Association of Retired People has actively opposed voter identification legislation in
several states wrote in a letter submitted into the record at last week's mark-up
"On behalf of older Americans who have largely shaped the values of our democracy,
we urge great care to ensure that the basic right to vote is not rrampled in an effort to
address unproven allegations of voting issues."
http://www.votetrustusa.org/pdfs/bills/aarp%5b1%5d.pdf
9/19/2006 DNC: Republicans to Push Harmful Voter ID Law 1 Day After Georgia Ruling
http://releases.usnewswire.com/getrelease.asp?id=72746
9/19/2006 League of Women Voters: Congress Set To Manipulate the Voting Process; H.R. 4844 Discriminates
Against Legal Voters, Discourages Participation
http://releases.usnewswire.com/getrelease.asp?id=72701
9/18/2006 Common Cause: Would you pay $97 to vote?
http://www.commonblog.com/story/2006/9/18/15137/4369
September 13, 2006 National Urban League Urges U.S. House to Oppose National Voter ID Legislation
- National Urban League President Marc Morial expressed strong opposition to U.S. House legislation requiring voters
to show proof of citizenship to register to vote and then provide government-issued photo identification
to cast ballots in the 2006 general elections and beyond.
http://www.nul.org/pressreleases/2006/2006pr362.html
Regards;
Joyce McCloy
Founder, NC Coalition for Verified Voting
336-794-1240
jmc27106@earthlink.net
www.ncvoter.net
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