Vote Tax

This is all I'm going to say about this topic on the Supreme Court ruling on the Indiana state law mandating photo ID must be showed to vote. I've been accused of all sort of things from A-holes who have misrepresented my argument and I'm sick of it.

We have voting laws mandating businesses allow employees to vote because some people simply can't afford to take a day off to vote. Those in the middle class, such as myself, don't really care about this trial. But those less fortunate do not have the luxury of taking a day off to vote because it means they can't get through the month and their children will go hungry.

So when you mandate ANYTHING that adds a burden to the voter, even if you don't think it's substantial, it is a huge issue for those on the margins. Laws have been created to protect the minorities. Poll taxes are specifically prohibited. In a state like California where ID cards cost money, this is an indirect poll tax. But the Supreme Court said the Indiana law doesn't count as a poll tax because ID cards are free. Indiana also says you can vote absentee without an ID card.

There are two things to note now. 1) It's already hard enough to take one day off to vote, but now these poor people must now take another day off to obtain an ID card. This is a BURDEN on the poor. 2) Voter fraud isn't conducted at polling sites, it's done with absentee ballots. This law does nothing to curb voter fraud and levies a burden on the poor who could otherwise vote.

The Democrats are angry because it is this poor demographic that tends to vote for their candidates. Myself being a Libertarian am against it because NOTHING should ever be required for participation in public affairs. ID cards should not be mandatory for anyone. We're already moving to the point where papers are required to move about the country, and soon we may be at a place where we're stopped on the streets and checked. I know my brother-in-law has been stopped several times just to have his ID checked.

We also have this Real ID issue being pushed on us by the Federal government which is opposed by many States and much of the voting public. But this is off topic.

Because polling taxes have been used in this country not too long ago specifically to depress minority turn out, this is not a minor issue we should just accept, we should look at it seriously.