Voter ID bill heads for passage




	House Speaker Thom Tillis

April 06, 2011

The voter photo ID bill, H 351, is headed for passage. The bill was approved Wednesday (4-6-11) on a strict party-line vote in the House Elections committee. It is expected to be approved by the full House early next week and with Senate concurrence, which is said to be a sure thing, it will be headed to Governor Perdue.

Perdue will come under significant pressure from fellow Democrats to veto the measure. Democrats have tried to water down the bill in the legislature but after a number of concessions the Democrats still would not support a compromise version so the House leadership decided to send the bill to the Governor as they want it and let the "chips fall where they may" according to House Speaker Thom Tillis.

Essentially the dispute boils down to this. Republicans believe a voter should prove their identity to vote. Democrats believe if they have to do that "many" voters simply will not vote.

Democrats contend that there is no voter fraud to amount to anything now without vote ID but they contend that many will not vote if their identity is verified. You figure out what that means.

In a brief interview with the Beaufort Observer just before the committee's action Speaker Tillis was asked whether he feared not being able to override a gubernatorial veto. He responded: "no, we can't lose. We will stand on principle (that voter identity should be verified) and if the Governor vetoes it we will try to override. If we don't get enough Democrats to vote with us then we will still have stood on our principles."

Commentary

Right on Mr. Speaker. We need more of that. Stick with your principles and let the chips fall where they may. Voting is important. It should matter to anyone who votes. And if it matters they should be willing to prove they are who they say they are just like they have to prove their identity for many other things.

We think voting, and protecting an honest voting system, is much more important that buying cigarettes in a convenience store. And the people who are arguing against the voter ID bill are the same people who are arguing to impose much stricter requirements on people who want to carry a concealed weapon. So what does that say about how important they think honest elections are?

And speaking of the restrictions these people put on our Second Amendment rights...since they have no problem assessing a cost of nearly a hundred dollars, mandating hours of training and passing a test to be able to exercise our "right to keep and bear arms" one has to wonder why they would not also be in favor of requiring people to pass a basic citizenship test, such as the one naturalized citizens have to pass, in order to vote.

Comment

Reader Feedback Submission

Please do not use ALL CAPS or tabs.

* required value

Site Search


	Beaufort Sheriff Crime Reports and Press Releases

Donate

Please consider supporting the Beaufort Observer with a donation to help defray expenses or to make a contribution to one of our columnists.

To designate a particular recipient of your donation please include or email instructions to: webeditor@beaufortobserver.net We appreciate your support.

Wednesday

11 - 25 - 20
01:45

NEWS & COMMENTARY

Jason Whitlock calls out liberals on the "mental enslavement' of the Black community

Cooper brings the hammer down again, pushing local government to do his dirty work

Here are the puppet masters pulling The Big Man's strings

Yet another silly season

There is something Rotten in Denmark- the election that defies logic

Grateful heart: Thanksgiving 2020

The pandemic and the fear of death

Playing Russian roulette with vaccines

Extras