Terry Madonna and Michael Young pulled no punches in their latest “Politically Uncorrected” column about the state’s new photo ID law for voters in the Nov. 6 election.
They say the law’s purpose “”appears to be a sham,” that it potentially disenfranchises hundreds of thousands of voters, that it’s politically motivated, it discriminates, it’s duplicative and untested.
“Voter ID was not well thought out, planned or executed,” they said.
“Many legislators voting for it did not know how many people would be affected,” they said. (It could be nearly 11,000 voters in Erie County alone.)
“In addition, the noxious whiff of voter suppression motives is pervasive. There cannot be a greater crime in a democracy than systematically attempting to prevent eligible voters from exercising the franchise. It’s truly a repulsive act,” they wrote.
They suggest a suspension of the new law until one or two elections as trial runs to see how it works and with what effects.
“Rolling it out in the middle of a presidential contest is sheer folly,” they said.
Madonna is professor of public affairs at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, and Young is managing partner of Michael Young Strategic Research.
– John Guerriero
Voter suppression???? How about a first step in stopping VOTER FRAUD!!!! Getting a photo ID is as easy as child’s play. You need one to drive, to buy cigarettes, to buy liquor, to get on a plane, to get into many businesses, to go to many schools. The only voters that will be suppressed and disenfranchised are the hundreds of thousands of dead people (somehow, they always seem to make it to the polls) and illegals (funny, I didn’t think they were allowed to vote).
Yes, because stopping voter fraud is a partisan issue, right? Look at how easily voter fraud was committed during the primaries, in numerous states, on numerous occasions. But that’s racist, right? Only leftist La-La land. Just one time, just once, I would like to see the Erie Times publish something damaging to liberals/democrats. There’s plenty out there.
There should be a National Voter ID Law, spearheaded by the Department of Justice, to ensure fair elections. The current DOJ makes a mockery out of the word Justice.
Voter Fraud is a bogus claim. The number of cases of voter fraud in the US are minimal, and are vastly overstated by those whose real aim is voter suppression. What’s interesting about the various Voter ID laws – all of them pushed since the 2010 GOP/Tea Party takeover of various state governments – is that they mostly have been implemented in swing states like Pennsylvania, where dropping a few thousand voters from the rolls can be decisive.
Yep. There are about 11,000 illegal aliens, foreigners and/or refugees living in Erie County…
If we want Obama elected again, they must all be able to vote like they did before..
Obama is a catastrophic disaster
Buying cigarettes, driving a car, getting on a plane, etc are not constitutional rights they are privileges. Voting is the basis of our democracy and it is guaranteed in the Constitution. Biggggggg difference.