Reaction to Voter ID Decision is Swift and Partisan
Reaction to the news that the Department of Justice has rejected the state’s request for preclearance of its controversial voter ID law was swift and partisan, as expected.
Democrats are hailing the move as a victory that protects minority voting rights. Republicans are lambasting the federal government for what they see as an attempt to strip Texas’ sovereign right to do as it sees fit to protect voter integrity.
Below are the responses from elected officials and various civic groups. We will continue to update this post as reactions come in.
Gov. Rick Perry: “Texas has a responsibility to ...
Comments (31)
Bill Eaves via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The Feds have not power State Rights
Audrey Fisher via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The GOP just lost their "trifecta" approach! Take away PP, Take away BCP and Take Away Vote. Let the slide begin!
Lee Dunkelberg via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The GOP claims (whines) there is massive voter fraud in Texas.
The GOP is in charge in Texas.
Ergo, the GOP is in power due to massive voter fraud.
It's a specious argument, but it holds up better than the GOP's phony issue.
Dave Fury via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This means nothing. The DOJ simply objected. They have no right to force Texas or any other state to do otherwise.
Kathy Kennemer Genet via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This is exactly why I'm glad the federal government is here... to protect the citizens of Texas who are having thier rights unconstituionally taken away by the majority party.
Joe Estep via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Somebody who sees this as a bad thing, explain just how it would be unconstitutional.
Neil Moyer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
TX, WI voter ID laws ruled illegal on same day...
Ron Blancarte via Texas Tribune on Facebook
@ Dave Fury - it means a lot. Texas has been ruled to have a history of Voter descrimination. We have to pre-clear ANY changes to our voting laws because of that (ruled in the Voting Rights Act of 1965). If they laws don't clear, we can't enact them - just as was ruled today.
@Joe Estep - I see it as bad, and it is unconstitutional because of the 24th amendment. While the law specifically states poll taxes and the like, the spirit of the law is that the United States cannot do any thing to keep voters from voting. This law is designed to do just that, obfuscate voting for everyone.
Steve Johnson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Everybody is supposed to have an id. It is irresponsible not to. Another attempt by the socialists in Washington to over legislate and impose their failed ideaology on the rest of us, who still believe in freedom. My greatest fear is that these clowns get reelected. Voting for Obama is easier than thinking apparently. I didn't see where the law stated that only Hispanics had to show an id.
Ron Blancarte via Texas Tribune on Facebook
No, we are not supposed to have an ID. If we were, there would be laws dictating that we should. There is ZERO reason for me to have an ID.
But my right to vote is guaranteed to me my the Constitution.
I would like explained exactly what "failed ideology" is being imposed here. The Federal Government is looking to protect the right to vote for everyone, so please clarify that.
Sonora Hartley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I wonder how many voting in the last presidential election did not have in their possession a government issued picture ID card at the time. No way to tell unless we make it mandatory is there? Couldn't do it by cross referencing because that would be only show those who were issued an ID, not that they were in possession of it.
Suzanne Hardie Lander via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Isn't it the job of whoever sends you your voter registration card to make sure you're eligible to vote? That you are who you say you are? Isn't it your personal responsibility to hold on to your card and not let someone else use it? Each one can only be used to vote once. Why do we need the state government checking up on us to make sure our card is in our hands? How much of a threat is this really? And why is everybody "supposed" to have a photo id? ...Speaking of over legislation and unnecessary laws...
Steve Johnson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Nobody is being deprived of their vote. All they have to do is show an id. If you want to vote get an id. I have to show mine to board a plane and other business transactions. I even have to have one to get a,job. I fail to see where it is discriminatory. The failed idealogy I spoke of is over zeousness by a central govt. They can't even pass a piece of legislation that doesn't waste money because they are pandering for favorable votes.
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
God save us from people who would rule on their idea of the 'spirit of the law'. Glad both WI and TX were ruled on; the Supreme Court should rule quickly- and overturn the DOJ, upholding their previous ruling of the constitutionality of the nearly identical Georgia law.
This is the same DOJ that negated the Black Panther voter intimidation CONVICTIONS???
Denise Allen Mitchell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Texas' sovereign right to do as it sees fit to protect voter integrity.....right! To protect the white vote for the white GOP.
Denise Allen Mitchell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You don't like how the last presidential election turned out so you will do everything in your power to limit the democratic party voters to vote for President Obama again.
Juan Reynoso
FREEDOM IS BASE ON TRUST – TRUST IS BASE ON TRUTH
LATINOS FOR HONEST GOVERNMENT
PAZ ES EL RESPETO AL DERECHO AJENO – PEACE IS THE RESPECT TO THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS (AMERICAN SOVEREIGNTY )
http://www.usconstitution.net/constquick.html
http://www.cinemalibrestore.com/sf_series.html
http://www.gopetition.com/
http://www.ronpaul2012.com/
http://www.causes.com/causes/593708-support-the-constitution-bill-of-rights-honesty-in-government/actions
Help us to spread the truth, pass this on and help us to take our country back.
The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant. (Maximilien Robespierre)
http://www.westernjournalism.com/
March 12th, 2012
Fellow Americans The US Dept of justice is destroying the electoral system in Texas.
The issue of voters’ fraud it’s huge and the Democrats are the ones that are stopping any oversight and systems of verification to protect the integrity of the voting system and insure that only American citizens are voting in our elections. Voting fraud is a strategy of the Democratic Party, to place in office Obama and members of their party to control the country; they are using socialist organizations to accomplish their goal. The organizations that are involved in registration of illegal aliens, permanent residents, non-existing persons and dead persons are: ACORN that is alive and working under other manes, LA RAZA, MECHA, LULAC, THE TEXAS HISPANIC CAUCUS, PROJECT VOTE AND OTHER SOCIALIST ORGANIZATIONS.
Fellow Americans, Today, US Dept of Justice that is run by the criminal Eric Holder under the direction of the most corrupt President this country ever had. Had blocked the new Texas, that was passed by the people of Texas to stop this rampant corruption in our voting system.
Fellow Texans do not let this corrupt government to steal the White House again. This corrupt Federal Government, fail the Texans and the American people by usurping the rights of the states and promoted this corruption on our electoral system.
Fellow Texan, what is going to take for us to take action. Please join me in this war against this corrupt Federal Government corruption is a cancer that will kill our country. If you work in the state or federal government, it is your duty to expose the corruption in our government.
Pass this on and ask your contacts to send it to 10 or more friends. The power of ten will spread the word to millions and prompt them to take action, to help us to take our country back from the corrupt politicians and the special interest that control our Government. We are united to restore our constitution, our sovereignty, the rule of law and Honesty and integrity in our Government.
Fellow Americans, I do not advocate any violent action against this corrupt Democrat Socialist party or the Mainstream news media, that is controled by the big multinational corporations. I do advocate using the Internet, to inform the American people of this corrupt US Government and the News media that is in control of our country; promoting puppets of the ruling class to be our next president. Our non-violent actions is to take our country back and bring back responsibility to the corporate media and our government.
Millions of Americans are well inform and share our views, we want real changes, an American by the people and for the people; not an American by the corporations for the corporations. The truth must be told and the voice of the American people must be hear. Americans all over this great country must educate themselves, seek the truth and inform the people, we can not depend of this corrupt news media, we should never allow them to brainwash us, lie and deceive us.
Join Texas, Arizona and the states that support our US Constitution, the protection of our sovereignty and the rule of law.
We must strengthen the federal government by redirecting its time, energy and resources toward those objects for which it bears express constitutional responsibility. Our Government is a government of limited and enumerated powers. The power not delegated to the federal government by the written Constitution is reserved to the states or to the people respectively.
We must stop the trashing of our Constitution and end the Obama's Nazism dictatorship type of Government.
http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_reli.html
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=39568
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/40561
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http://www.causes.com/causes/647275-write-in-or-republican-i-will-only-vote-for-ron-paul-take-the-pledge/welcome
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_elections,_2012
Posted by - teapartyoftx@gmail.com
Rudy Gonzales
Of course the feds blocked this voter limitations law. There are enough gooks and kooks trying their best to limit people's vote. Those who do not need a drivers license, those who cannot get a photo ID and those who would be held back from voting just because the color of their skin. More than a dozen states have enacted new voting restrictions, including eight — Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin — that passed variations of a rule requiring photo identification. Idaho and Oklahoma passed similar legislation in 2010, as did Utah in 2009. In 2008 New Mexico pass this legislation. Ohio and Georgia passed voter restrictions in 2006 while Missouri tightened their voter laws. In 2003, Voter ID laws passed in Alabama, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota where the Republican Party was in charge. Fourteen states dominated by the TEA-GOP-Republican Party have changed the rules for voters since President Obama was elected into office. If you are sick and tired of the constant confrontational attitude of this current Congress, get started. Be sure and register if not registered, get involved local as that's where the most control is exerted and vote in November to clean house of the fringe tangent shutting down progress.
Rudy Gonzales
The above posted by a concerned American of Mexican descent who has seen the bigotry and prejudice up front and personal. Right here in Texas! Bigotry comes in all forms, even from those who have been corrupted by falsehoods and lies their entire life.
Jose B. Gonzalez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Since 2002, the U.S. Department of Justice has prosecuted more than 100 defendants for election fraud. During the same period, election fraud investigations by the Texas Attorney General's Office have resulted in 50 convictions.
Wow! Sounds like MASSIVE voter fraud to me (sarcasm)- yeah right...
Michael Barnes
First, since the headline and lede claim that "all responses were partisan," why did the story put 10+ Republican comments first? I don't tend to pick away at these things, but assuming all the comments were politically motivated, why move the (D) comments to the bottom, instead of alternating, or categorizing comments by party?
Second, the real concern with Voter ID as disenfranchising is for those who choose not to possess a Driver's License. What connection does the DMV have to elections? Why should someone go through the DMV to be allowed to vote? And more importantly, is the DMV prepared to issue *FREE* Voter ID cards in time for the 2012 election cycle? If it is not free, then we are essentially imposing a poll tax on voting.
I've asked elections administrators these questions to no avail. The bottom line is, this law would, in the short-term, represent yet another series of loopholes and bureacratic systems that would put some individuals, including the elderly, further from ballot booths.
I'm not saying a photo ID is a real big problem, but that given the short time-frame available, I forsee many people being kept from voting who may actually be an eligible registered voter with a voter card from the elections' department.
What if you misplace, lose, or have your photo ID stolen?
Michael Barnes
Additionally, this whole ordeal is a conversation on two levels.
On the surface, Republicans are claiming to be protecting the integrity of our polls from nameless "violators."
In reality, they are afraid of the growing Hispanic and Mexican-American majority that may someday threaten their political majorities.
This law is designed to appeal to a fantasy that some Republicans have: that many of these U.S. Citizens whose ancestors have roots in Mexico, as well as Latin America, are not actually citizens but undocumented workers.
Of course, so long as Republicans suppress voters who predominantly support Democratic candidates, it doesn't actually matter to them whether or not they are disenfranchising actual U.S. Citizens who are exercising their full Constitutional powers.
Michael Barnes
To conclude, I do not believe legislation that affects people's rights should be enacted to address vague and unspoken (and totally invalid) fears and beliefs.
Additionally, if we do transition to a Photo ID for voting, the elections departments should be empowered to verify voter qualifications and issue the IDs directly for free, as opposed to relying on disinterested 3rd parties, like the DMV.
Sean Riley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
We can't stop illegals from coming here.
We can't send them back when we catch them.
We can't use Voter ID to keep them from committing voter fraud.
Am I the only one who thinks that Obama's new slogan should be "NO YOU CAN'T!"?
gypsy314 ne
Democrats a worried and they should be because the voter ID will stop there cheating for example Sheila Lee district has a very high number of people voting and not even living in her district and living in vacant lots over 19 thousand voters with red flag on cheating. Then a fire happen burning the machines 30 million in damages very odd this fire happens when it was being checked out.
Anyone BUT Obama and democrats.
Keep in mind the supreme court has ruled on this and will be upheld in time to stop the fraud President and democrats from stealing a election this year. Why do you think Obama and crew are trying so hard to stop voting ID spreading across America. No one has a excuse because Texas tax payers are providing ID at no charge. Only someone wanting to cheat is battling the voter ID laws I only see Democrats cause concern and Democrats knows what is coming a sweep out democrats from office. this would explain why democrats are jumping ship to republican side.
Glen Hill
Gosh, does this mean the Democrats are actually publically supporting voter fraud? I have a real problem with the reality we have to provide picture ID from cigarettes, liquor, some prescriptions, entrance to buildings with security etc. So, what is the big deal about potential voters being identified as the one who is elgible to vote?
Glen H. Hill via Texas Tribune on Facebook
How is proving you are who you say you are unconstitutional?
Hannah Katz
No surprise. Eric Holder and the Department of "Justice" have turned a blind eye to video evidence of members of the New Black Panther Party intimidating White voters with clubs while opining that asking a voter to produce photo ID is somehow discrimination. It does discriminate against felons, illegal aliens and dead Americans. But it holds all legal voters to the same standard.
On the partisan rants, let's not forget the worst offenders of voting rights for minorities were Democrat officials like George Wallace and Bull Connor.
Texascattleco
There were ways that Republicans could have passed a Picture Voter I.D. Law that wouldn't have been rejected. They didn't do it that way because they were overreaching and going big to try to depress the vote. They were trying to keep control of Texas for the next ten years with no fear of the Democratic Party making a comeback anytime this decade by depressing the vote of groups that tend to vote Democratic.
Glen Hill
What is the attack on anyone's right to vote? Guess even Rep. shiela Jackson Lee does not remember or know about the Duke of Duval County...seems like the whole graveyard or just enought to win an election voted. Wonder if visitors to the House of Representatives have to show a photo ID before they get to see the folks? One can only wonder if the democrats are crying foul because they have plans to stuff the ballot boxes and a photo ID will kill the plan?
V Marshall
According to the Harris county clerk's office, there is a sizable portion of voters who declare they are non-citizens when called for jury duty. Now the registrar is removing those people from the voter rolls, enraging local Democrats. Either immigrants are committing fraud when they vote, or citizens are committing perjury on jury questionnaires. In either case, prosecutions would discourage both.