Michael Book – 7/29/12

This page was last updated on July 30, 2012.

Voter ID law a scam; Michael Book; Beaver County Times; July 29, 2012.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Voter ID laws recently passed in several states are one of the most noteworthy scams to come down the pike in quite some time -- laws that will do very little to anything to combat virtually non-existent voter -- fraud. Bravo, Republicans!”

[RWC] “[V]irtually non-existent voter – fraud?” Back in 2008, ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), the recipient of in excess of $800,000 from the Obama campaign during the 2008 primary, was under investigation in at least 13 states, by Democrat and Republican officials alike. This was a recurring problem since at least 2004. As a result of one scandal after another, ACORN legally ceased to exist, though some of its chapters simply changed names.

Last summer, Rhode Island passed a law requiring a photo ID to vote. RI voters reliably vote Democrat and Democrats hold overwhelming majorities in both houses of the General Assembly. The governor is an independent, a former U.S. Senate RINO with high ADA Liberal Quotients. Further, leftist darling former-President Jimmy Carter supports a photo ID for voting. This is info we’re not supposed to know.

Even if voter fraud were non-existent, should we wait until it becomes a problem? At the same time lefties tell us “The right to vote is one of our most important rights,” they tell us we should not ensure only legal voters vote. Rather than help people get the ID needed to vote, folks like Mr. Book would rather do without photo ID. You can read more on the topic here.

“As any student of U.S. history will tell you, it’s always been the goal of a sitting party to consolidate its power, and attempt to stay in office. There have been many examples of this over the decades -- Karl Rove and his idea of a ‘permanent Republican majority,’ Boss Tweed in the 1800s, Richard J. Daley in Chicago, and Watergate under President Richard M. Nixon. Whether corruption, bribery, other violations, or merely shrewd political maneuvering, the goal was the same -- staying in power.”

[RWC] As for the quote attributed to Karl Rove, results from a Google search indicate it appears to be phony.

Watergate was about consolidating power?

Mr. Book failed to note Boss Tweed and Mr. Daley were Democrats.

“Studies have shown that lower voter turnouts in elections tend to favor Republican candidates. For certain, one thing Voter ID will accomplish is fewer people being able to exercise their right to vote.”

[RWC] Please read “Measuring the Effects of Voter Identification Laws” on The New York Times website.

“In an address to a Republican gathering, state House Majority Leader Mike Turzai said in part, ‘...Voter ID, which is going to allow Gov. Romney to win Pennsylvania.’ No mention of voter fraud there, I noticed. Truth in politics?”

[RWC] The key here is “in part.”