In Which You Tell Election Officials 'No'

When you approach the polls November 6, a poll worker may ask you for your voter ID. While you do not need photo ID to vote in this election, officials are being encouraged to ask you to show your's in an attempt to desensitize the electorate for 2013, when ID may well be required. I have one piece of advice for Americans who love what their country means and stands for; when asked to show your ID this year, kindly tell the election officials that you will not be showing them any identification. 

 According to the Wall Street Journal, the percentage of fraud cases involving voter impersonation--the kind these laws are attempting to prevent--is half a precent. The number of voters who would be kept away from the polls by the passing of a voter ID law, many of them senior citizens and minorities, is almost twice as large, according to Pennsylvania itself. 

 The bottom line is that voter ID laws, and the Keystone state's in particular, are draconian measures, dressing Jim Crow up as the vanguard of our democracy. People on both sides of the aisle should be nauseated by them.

 On the left, the fight is obvious: Pennsylvania's law was so tough in part to help the GOP win a key swing state. This is not some sort of liberal media conspiracy theory; Republican house majority leader Mike Turzai provided the smoking gun when he was quoted as saying that voter ID is "going to allow governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania," about as frank an admission to a premeditated marginalizing of people as one is going to get.

 On the right, which seems to be, for the most part, in favor of the new laws, a look in the mirror is necessary. What proud conservative would want any government--even a state government--passing needless legislation and interfering with the average America? This seems to fly in the directly in the face of neo-conservatives, who find themselves supporting a useless government measure that will add nothing but red tape to the proceedings, which, last time I checked, is anathema to the proud man of the right.

 To prevent fear mongers, pretenders to the throne and cheap, constituency glad-handing whores from weaving more webs in a system already thick with spiders and thieves, a bipartisan opposition is needed. The jingoistic among you can continue to level gun barrels at shadows in the name of protecting us and find a dark corner of the theater to enjoy the Red Dawn remake in. Those of use who love this nation, who adore Columbia as much for her shield as her sword, will make it clear that we will not let a trivial concern, blown out of proportion by those who would use it to further their own gains, handcuff our fellow Americans. 

If you face any problems at the polls, call 866-OUR-VOTE.