Vote (with an ID) or Die!

From 1776 until now, we have had men and women die for our freedom. In risking and sacrificing their lives , our citizens in uniform believed that it secured the rights of all people. Including those people without photo identification.

Unfortunately, the right to vote has been turned into a polarized issue. Just like with any issue our elected officials can argue about, it has become a party line vote. I would not be surprised if Republicans and Democrats took party positions on whether Coca-Cola or Pepsi was more American.

It did not have to be this way. Right after the Tea Party birth in 2010, newly Republican-controlled legislatures started passing voter ID laws with the hopes of preventing fraud. There was only one problem with their goals. There was no fraud occurring.

Before Pennsylvania's highest court heard arguments on the validity of the law, both parties stipulated that, "[the state] will not offer any evidence in this action that in-person voter fraud has in fact occurred in Pennsylvania and elsewhere,” nor will it "offer argument or evidence that in-person voter fraud is likely to occur in November 2012 in the absence of the Photo ID law."

With no evidence of past fraud or evidence that fraud will likely occur in the future, the Pennsylvania Republican Legislature has passed laws that could prevent thousands from voting. And there just so happens to be evidence of the law's negative effect on the poor, minority, and elderly. Even Jim Cramer, the host of Mad Money, has said it has caused a burden to his father.

Pennsylvania's counsel should have at least mentioned that there have been 13 credible cases in the past 10 years throughout the whole country. I mean its less than the amount of UFO sightings reported, but it is still a number. 

If this law is not about preventing fraud, then what is it really about? Could it be about politics? Sadly, there's recorded evidence to support that.

Mike Turzai, the Pennsylvania House Majority Leader, said so clearly while he was being recorded. In puffing his chest in a speech regarding the Pennsylvania House's accomplishments he stated, "voter ID, which is going to allow Mitt Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done!"

That takes some brass. The main legislator responsible for passing the voter ID law in Pennsylvania said that it will allow Mitt Romney to win, not that it will prevent in-person voter fraud.

I know that some Republicans will shrug their shoulders and dismiss it immediately. I know that for other moderate and reasonable minded Republicans it will cause a moment for concern. Winning a presidential election is not as important as the fundamental right to vote.

Many years ago, this country came to the conclusion that it is better that everyone get's an opportunity to vote. Not just a few. We decided that everyone should have a say in what direction America should take.

When the lower court in Pennsylvania relied on precedent to rule in favor of the voter ID law, it cited a 1869 case in which the court upheld a tough and similar law. That historic case said that if the law were not passed, the vote “would be to place the vicious vagrant, the wandering Arabs, the Tartar hordes of our large cities, on a level with the virtuous and good man.”

I do not think the Republicans have a monopoly on virtuous and good men. Nor do I think the Pennsylvania legislature should be the judge on what is virtuous. That should be left to Someone else. And when I head into the ballot box on November 6, I hope that I do not have to bring my birth certificate, social security card, and driver's license. As far as I'm concerned, all I need is my belief that we can move forward.