Thread: Requiring voter ID is not a poll tax

Requiring voter ID is not a poll tax

http://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/artic ... /1154.html

by Ben Barr
Goldwater Institute Today's News
October 19, 2006

Sometimes cliches fit. Take the recent shenanigans at the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for example. The court decided to put Arizona's voter ID law on hold. We can't be sure of the court's reasoning, but the plaintiffs spent a lot of time explaining how grueling it is to secure photo identification. Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill.

Blockbuster Video, neighborhood libraries, and liquor stores all require some form of major ID that proves you are who you claim to be. If we need ID to rent "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," shouldn't we do the same when voting? The Ninth Circuit doesn't think so.

The plaintiffs argued that photo ID laws disproportionately affect "minorities, poor, elderly, and disabled citizens." But an Arizona driver's license costs $10 to $25, hardly an insurmountable fee.

We should all be concerned about poll taxes, if they're actually present. It is unjust and unconstitutional to impose a tax on the right to vote. But, contrary to the Ninth Circuit's opinion, that's not happening here. Instead, the judiciary has overturned a reasonable measure to ensure electoral integrity and made a molehill into a mountain. We can only hope the Supreme Court will think otherwise.

Benjamin Barr is a constitutional policy analyst with the Goldwater Institute Center for Constitutional Studies.

The plaintiffs argued that photo ID laws disproportionately affect "minorities, poor, elderly, and disabled citizens." But an Arizona driver's license costs $10 to $25, hardly an insurmountable fee.

This is idiotic! Some judge needs to come up for judicial review.

How do all these people listed above cash their SS Checks? How do they apply for food stamps with out an ID? The burden on minorities is just BS. They have a right to get and ID just like every one else, young, old and disabled.

Hey, if they are passing out handicap parking tags without ID, I'm there! I want one.

Dixie