Voter ID

Is there any reasonable argument against requiring voters to show some evidence that they are who they say they are and that they are actually entitled to vote in U.S. elections, that is, be American citizens?

An editorial in today's Star-Telegram seems to argue against such a requirement, citing Democrat claims that it would disenfranchise "the country's poorest, oldest and least-educated citizens." Specifically, "those black Americans for whom no birth certificate was ever issued" and "those who cannot take time off of work for fear of dismissal to visit a public office to acquire a government-issued ID."

Do black Americans not get to have birth certificates that whites and others are allowed to have? If you "cannot take time off of work" to get a government-issued ID, can you get one on your own time?

I think the argument that too many good, upstanding citizens would be prevented from voting is bogus. You almost have to have a government-issued ID in order to survive nowadays.

In my experience, without an "official" ID, I can't cash a check or, in many cases, even use a credit card. I can't buy or rent a place to live, open a bank account, fly commercially, or drive a car. So are there really a lot of Americans who don't have or can't get a photo ID from their state? I doubt it.

People in this country illegally naturally have a problem getting a valid ID, and I suspect that is what the Democrats are really worried about. The editorial claims that the Democrats believe that requiring an ID would affect those least likely to vote Republican.

The Democrats seem to want illegal aliens to provide the votes that Americans won't.

That would explain why the Democrats aren't serious about eliminating illegal immigration, but why is it that the Republicans aren't serious about it either?