Comments on: Educator enthusiasm surges as countdown to Election 2012 begins

By: April

April — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 01:26:54 +0000

Actually, none of the statements made in your post are true. I’ve never, not even once, had to present a picture ID to pick up a prescription or go to a doctor’s office. And the requirement to present a picture ID truly is a hardship, despite your assertions to the contrary, particularly since in some state’s it has to be a state issued ID or driver’s license. When I was a college student, it would have been next to IMPOSSIBLE to get either one of those. I did not have a copy of my birth certificate, which my parents had lost, and spending the money to get another copy as well as the money for the ID was more than I could possibly afforded without going without food for several days. As a result, I simply didn’t vote. Indeed, to get my driver’s license renewed after I had accidentally let it expire recently was tremendously difficult since I no longer reside in the state in which I was born. To ask this of citizens who were in a similar plight to me is discriminatory and an unnecessary hardship. I would think that, considering we have one of the lower voter turnouts compare to many countries, we should be doing everything we can to make voting less, not more, onerous.

By: Vicki

Vicki — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 16:35:40 +0000

I have ALWAYS been asked to present identification to vote, both in New Jersey and in Connecticut where I now reside. Why is this such an affront to people? The voting laws clearly state that you must be a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the state in which you wish to vote. How do you show this otherwise? By your good looks? Your say-so? Why is this considered “restricting” the right to vote?

With rights come great responsibility. It’s every citizen’s responsibility to exercise their right to vote, but there are laws that make sense on the books that must be followed.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 23:57:35 +0000

You forget that the poor do not have relationships with doctors, do not go to the hospital unless the emergency room, and do not get prescriptions. The middle and upper class do not know how these people struggle to survive. Social workers and teachers could tell you more about the sad state of many people’s lives. That being said, those who struggle should still have the opportunity to vote for those they believe will serve their needs best. And don’t think they are all democrats; plenty of poor are deeply religious and vote conservatively.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 23:48:22 +0000

Wow, I can’t express how disappointing it is to read comments that are full of name calling. Tisk, tisk. When you talk about all this voter fraud, please check the facts. Just as with the weapons of mass destruction propaganda to instill fear into the hearts of Americans, there has been no proof of voter fraud by independent investigators. Propaganda is written by those who need the masses behind them in ways to get the masses behind them, but what the masses think they are fighting for is not what the propagandists are really trying to achieve.

By: Kathy Benninger

Kathy Benninger — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:14:45 +0000

Anyone who believes that they shouldn’t have to present a picture ID, or some other form of positive proof of citizenship is suspect to me.
I have been banking at the same bank for 16 years (a very small bank in a very small community outside of Missoula MT) I have to present my drivers license.
I was still smoking at the age of 55 and had to present my driver’s license in Walgreens.
My mother, disabled at the age of 36 and unable to drive, still needed a state issued ID card when she went to her doctor’s office (she belonged to Kaiser Permanente)
It is NOT a matter of discrimination and I’m sick and tired of hearing that it is. What it is is a way to allow voter fraud. And I notice that voter fraud raises its head even more often when conservatives seem to be edging ahead in the polls.

My goodness – I still haven’t seen the ends that a democrat will go to make sure a person is registered to vote – and if there is some poor little person who can’t make it to vote – in these times of absentee voting – it’s not discrimination against race or nationality that is the cause, but probably more that the person wanting to vote is conservative and being completely ignored by all the righteous bleeding-heart liberals.

By: Anthony Adamczyk

Anthony Adamczyk — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 03:01:19 +0000

Forget the two corrupt parties! Vote Rocky Anderson, Justice Party, for President!

By: Juanita Chavez

Juanita Chavez — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 18:31:36 +0000

It amazes me that so many countries are fighting for the right to vote,yet, here in the most democratic country In the world we are restricting that right by putting up barriers to vote.
I have never had to present a picture ID at my doctors office or our local hospital. I get my prescriptions by mail and, have for many years, and have never been asked for an ID.
Many of the people who are affected by these new laws have been voting for years and now will be disenfranchised because they have no ID and are not able to easily get one . Non drivers, invalids etc. It would make more sense to simply require a thumb print.

By: retiredcoach

retiredcoach — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:37:19 +0000

To claim “disenfranchise” is a red herring! There are so many places that require a picture ID that it is simply a false claim and politically motivated to put out this very debatable mantra!

I have been a polling worker for 10 years,since my retirement of 43 years in education. I often have voters walk up and hand me their photo ID, and I must tell them that it is not required or necessary. If they are registered legally, their name and address is in my book. But, I have no way of knowing that they are telling me a truthful name and address, and may be voting under an assumed or false name, without showing me a photo ID.

By: Carolyn Taylor

Carolyn Taylor — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 03:42:56 +0000

I’m suspicious of the rushed way these requirement statutes have been legislated by one political party. Photo ID requirement might be reasonable, but it’s not fair to implement it immediately. A time frame of five to ten years toward complete compliance is necessary. There are those who have long-term established relationships with doctors, etc., and who lead everyday lives in which photo ID is not required. For some elderly women who have had name changes and no birth certificate, it’s a huge burden to secure a photo ID. I’m gratified that the courts are telling states to at the least delay implementation.