Posted on 05/23/2007 6:22:15 AM PDT by cbkaty
This lawmaker counts his grandmother among reasons
In my community in Houston, thousands of first- and second-generation Americans came of age in the "greatest generation." They volunteered to protect our freedom in World War II. Many who came home had to fight to build a life for their families and exercise the rights they earned with their blood and tears.
As a firefighter, I was trained to protect their lives and property. As a state senator today, it's the least I can do to honor their sacrifices by being in Austin to protect their right to vote.
Every nonpartisan, academic study on the impact of voter ID laws in other states shows they suppress voter turnout among the elderly, low-income citizens, Hispanics, African-Americans and the disabled. But I don't need a study to know why voter ID proposals like House Bill 218 are bad; I just have to think about my grandmother.
My grandmother came from Mexico, played by the rules, became a citizen and earned her right to vote. She didn't have a driver's license, but she had her voter registration card, went to the polls where the workers knew her, and voted. If the voter ID law were in effect, I'm not sure she or others like her could have voted.
This year, close to 120 burdensome voter identification proposals were introduced in state legislatures across the nation. Not one of them has passed yet, and I want to make sure Texas isn't the only state to pass one. For many folks, a voter ID requirement doesn't sound like a big deal, but it would prevent many eligible voters from voting. Many elderly voters don't have a driver's license. Others who are disabled or work two jobs don't have the time, money or ability to get an ID card or documents they would need to vote. And new voter ID requirements would create confusion and long lines at the polls that would discourage many from voting.
When more people vote for American Idol contestants than vote for president, we should make it easier for people to vote, not harder. Voter ID proponents say it's necessary to combat "voter fraud" and raise the specter of "illegal aliens" voting, but no one has documented a single case of "voter impersonation" that HB 218 would solve. And common sense tells us noncitizens are not going to risk deportation by voting.
The bottom line is that voter ID is about politics, not fraud. In a 2004 election contest for a Harris County state House seat, a Texas House committee chaired by a conservative Republican found charges that hundreds of noncitizens voted were false. The Bush Justice Department's "Voting Access and Integrity Initiative," which directed U.S. attorneys to prioritize alleged voter fraud cases, resulted in only 24 convictions from 2002 to 2005. And the U.S. Election Assistance Commission found "that the accusations regarding widespread fraud are unjustified."
Voter ID laws passed in Georgia and Missouri were struck down by the courts, which concluded that the cost of obtaining the ID and necessary documents amounts to a 21st century poll tax.
In my community, there are veterans and people like my grandmother who earned their right to vote and shouldn't be forced to pay the modern day version of a poll tax. They are the real heroes in this story. I'm in Austin because it's my job to protect their right to vote.
Gallegos, a Democrat, represents Houston.
Republican voters in democrat districts are not only checked & double checked, they are frowned upon.....and in some cases intimidated....tolerated at best..... Could this be the basis for what the dems insinuate as voter intimidation on their part? They do it and think Republicans do too.....
SUPER analogy - I never thought of it that way. I don't hear any of them whining about the need for ID for those purchases, so why only about voting?
voting privelege?
My great grandmother had a state ID that looked almost like a drivers license. She never a car once in her 96 years but she had a valid picture ID.
sorry, used the spellcheck too fast
Agreed. They can take the trouble to sign up for their welfare benefits, get on the list for assisted housing, buy cars and huge TVs on the installment plan and get credit cards. But they can’t be bothered to obtain appropriate ID to vote. What a huge load of doody. This guy just wants to make it easier for non-citizens to vote, because they are likely to vote for him.
Its should be at least as rigorous to vote as to check out a library book.
Once again. Protect a few, screw the many
This is one of those cases I wish we were alot more like Mexico. Mexican nationals have voter ID cards (ID dedicated strictly for voting, not a drivers license or anything else) which display the voter’s picture and thumb print.
I’ve known an illegal who claims to vote in the US (from Ireland) and have seen voter drives where people signing up were instructed (in Spanish) to not worry about showing ID.
STATE SEN. MARIO GALLEGOS is a very, very stupid man.
What’s more, he really thinks his idiot logic is compelling!
The true sign of a complete fool.
‘The right to vote, without an ID, is worth fighting for, if you don’t have the right to vote, are here illegally, are more concerned about your “roots”, are not interested in making the United States a better country and want American citizens to lose this country to people who have sacrified nothing for it.’
What if a person in line ahead of me gives my name and address to the Poll Worker at my Polling Place and the Poll Worker who knows who I am challenges that person? Whose voting rights has she violated?
‘The bottom line is that voter ID is about politics, not fraud. ‘
Only a Democrat could say such a nonsensical thing.
He may be right. And that's another reason to require DL/IDs from each voter. One man, one vote -- as long as the one man is an American citizen and can prove it.
Congressman Billybob
people don't realize just how widespread is the fraud. The demos are pinning the future on either the illegal hoards and no proper id. Unfortunate, I think anti-American Stalinists judges across America would toss out any State trying to do the right thing. The Republican leadership needs to hammer the Demos hard on this issue. It would be nice to have a Republican President tell the demos to the face, "the only reason the democrats oppose proper vote IDs is because the want to steal elections." Gone are the days our leaders could speak the truth, another casualty of PC.
His logic tells me he’s drunk again......
Email or call your state sentators and reps and tell them this is the last day of the session and a simple majority vote will get this bill passed today. The blocker bill is not in effect on the last day of the session. Mr. Gallegos can go home. It won't do him any good to be there in his hospital bed if they get off their duffs and get the job done.
The big flap at one local school is that parents can’t come on campus without a photo ID. The illegals raised all kind of heck.
How does grandma cash a check if she doesn’t have any form of ID?
I’m not commenting on the typo.
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