Here\’s a fun little game for you.
Read the following (necessarily redacted) excerpts from a Governor\’s press release, then guess which Governor of which state issued it.
Ready? Ok, here we go:
On Saturday, July 2, Governor _______________signed House bill 5680 A and Senate bill 0400 A, both titled “An Act Relating to Elections: Voter Identification.” The so-called “Voter ID” legislation, which was introduced on behalf of Secretary of State _____________, will require voters to show ID at the polls beginning in 2012.
“One of our most cherished rights as Americans is the right to vote,” Governor ________ said. “Throughout our nation\’s history, we have fought to ensure that no citizen be denied that right. Similarly, we have also worked to maintain confidence in our elections by enacting appropriate safeguards to prevent voter intimidation and fraud.”
“As the General Assembly debated legislation requiring (STATE) voters to present valid identification at the polls, I met with a number of experts on both sides to discuss this complex issue,”Governor ________ continued. “Notably, I spoke with representatives of our state\’s minority communities, and I found their concerns about voter fraud and their support for this bill particularly compelling.”
“Having reflected a great deal on the issue, I believe that requiring identification at the polling place is a reasonable request to ensure the accuracy and integrity of our elections,” Governor ________ concluded. “As a result, I have signed into law H-5680 and S-400.”
“The perception that identity theft could occur at the polls weakens the public\’s faith in the fairness of our elections,” said Secretary of State ________. “Voting should be at least as secure as everyday tasks like renting a car or getting a library card that routinely require ID. Photo ID ensures that poll workers can match a face to the name that voters give them when they obtain their ballots at the polls. The simple act of asking for ID protects the rights of every voter.”
“No one will be denied the opportunity to vote,” ________ emphasized. “Every voter who does not bring ID can cast a provisional ballot, which we already use whenever there is a question about eligibility.”
Dirty right wingers. Look at that bald-faced attempt to suppress the vote. Everyone knows there is no voter fraud problem at all, and this is just to stop minorities from…….
Is that what some people might think? I suppose so.
But now let\’s see who the Governor was and what state we\’re talking about.
The Governor? Lincoln Chafee Democrat.
The state? Rhode Island. Bluer than blue Democrat.
The Secretary of State? A. Ralph Mollis. Democrat.
The state legislature which passed this legislation? Overwhelmingly Democrat.
And in case you are under the delusion that this must have happened a long time ago, before enlightened Democrats realized what a terrible thing it is to expect that people show they are who they say they are before voting, be advised that Governor Chafee signed this legislation into law on July 2, 2011; less than four years ago.
I would love to hear a statement by the DNC about what a neanderthal racist Lincoln Chafee is. Wouldn\’t you?
Debbie Wasserman Schultz? Anything you\’d like to tell us?
