Bill of Privileges

This issue talks about Republican Voter ID laws. I chose this topic because of the proximity of this release to Martin Luther King Day. I find it interesting that the struggle of just a couple of generations ago: the right to vote, is one of our most neglected freedoms in our current political culture.

I did a lot of research into Voter Rights Laws for this issue. I actually came away from the research with some respect for the other side. Where they lost me, however, is in how these laws target only a fraction of voter fraud cases.

I remember reading through an article reading a politician’s response to a question about why these laws don't target absentee voting. This is a form of voting which brings with it many more cases of fraud. The fraud which is a small problem to begin with. The politician answered something like, "We don't want to place that undue burden on disabled voters."

My first thought was, "Why would we want to place that burden on any voter? Why would we want to place that burden especially when that voter is likely to be elderly, a minority, or a young person?" Why place that burden on someone when the risk to our Republic is much greater than any benefit? That's why I oppose Voter ID laws.

I also worked in the line about a Bill of Privileges because that seems to be the prevailing philosophy after 9/11. That there are things more valuable to us than liberty, rule of law, or integrity. It also occurred to me as I was updating this, that this strain of thinking in American politics is not something new. It emerges from time to time throughout history in many guises. Often times, in our history it emerges to suppress the rights of minorities and the disenfranchised.

I am very much against this line of thinking.