If Republicans OK a 4-Year Grace Period on Voter ID, How Is It An Emergency?

"Voter ID" -- A "Consolation" Rather Than A "Wedge" Issue (0.00 / 0)

"Voter ID" is now GOP litmus.

It mostly consoles demoralized GOP voters and scared GOP office-holders today. They cannot explain why they have to do it nor do they care much about the eventual effect, if any. But, grandstanding over hypothetical "voter fraud" helps them manage the grieving process and sustains the great dream of a "Permanent Republican Majority" in Texas -- the last refuge of the Confederacy!

To be sure, "Voter ID" was the next to last part of a plan that was mostly implemented explicitly under the Help America Vote Act and by hook-or-crook when Congress failed to pass the Total Information Awareness data-mining scheme but Bush/Cheney black ops folks got it done anyway. There are already multiple photo ID requirements throughout the Texas Election Code and our society generally.

The keystone in all of the Rove/Spakovsky plan was always a scheme called "Real ID" in the US and the "National Identity Card" in the UK. That was going to be a "Global War on Terror" boondoggle. But, today, it is just an "unfunded mandate" that the US Senate will neither expand nor kill -- little more than an "earmark" in the US. The UK version supported by Tony Blair was shot down by Gordon Brown even before he became Prime Minister.

Still, there is some reason for Democrats in Texas to be concerned: Governor Perry could use $300 MM in "stimulus" funding for education to implement "Real ID" in Texas as a "law enforcement" measure. That is probably what Lt. Governor Dewhurst has in mind by asserting an emergency now, to start ramping up "Real ID", but postponing "Voter ID" until DPS can implement "Real ID".

The GOP tends to have a plan. Texas Democrats tend to think in terms of a "case" or a "matter" and strive to achieve a "deal" -- often a deal for the sake of a deal.

We do not have an election integrity agenda of our own and, so, can deal ourselves right into a GOP trap.

If we had our own plan, we could use "Voter ID" and "Black Box" voting as a "wedge issue" against the GOP.

Here is why we do not:

First, the political participation rate in Travis County is rather high and things are hunky-dory relative to Polk County or Harris County. So, controversy over election technology and procedures pits (a) the TDP establishment against the Travis County Clerk over "emphasis voting", (b) Glen Maxey against the Tax Assessor-Collector over whatever, and (c) all of those against Vote Rescue over paper-ballots in a series of internecine disputes few elsewhere can fathom. How do you get a plan out of that? You don't.

Second, outside of Greater Austin in most of the rest of Texas, the perpetually incumbent office-holders from both parties have vested interests (a) in racial gerrymandering, (b) in low political participation rates, and (c) in collaboration rather than competition generally. So, neither party establishment nor the Texas Legislature has much interest in more than granstanding or tinkering with election law. Both parties are happy to punt such matters to the DoJ.

Third, political junkies and mercenaries, whether self-styled "progressives" or "conservatives" are "advocates" for this or that group or cause. Popular or patriotic matters that unite people across party or -- this is very important -- class lines are not very interesting to them, not nearly as interesting as manipulating jingo-religion or group-identity.

This makes Obama-style "post-partisan" appeals quite annoying for both of them and minimizes their appreciation of the civic foundations of republican democracy, including the strange appeal of the Second Amendment.

The left-junkies don't like the Second Amendment and the right-mercs have utterly perverted it. That is sad because the "right to keep and bear arms" for personal protection and collective security is necessary and sufficient to realizing universal suffrage as set forth in Art. VI of the Texas constitution.

It's a crying shame, too, because a "Second Amendment Right to Vote" could restore the popular heritage and progressive reputation of the Texas Democratic Party.

Instead, we have sanctimonious shadow-boxing over "Voter ID".    

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by: JRBehrman @ Fri Mar 27, 2009 at 15:09:16 PM UTC

The Second Amendment (0.00 / 0)

John, you never cease to fail me with how far you can take a point off the tracks.

Now, a very great man once said that some people rob you with a fountain pen.

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by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas @ Fri Mar 27, 2009 at 15:19:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]