Voter ID laws and Jesse Ventura

I saw a brief part of last nights CNN broadcast of the Piers Morgan show with Jesse Ventura and then saw this thread about his new book. The first person that responded had a youTube link to the interview, which surprised me with how quickly show get put up on the interweb, so I watched it. Well, I responded to his post to let him know that I appreciated the link and commented how I loved Jesse Ventura's closing remarks. Later, LeaninBack916 responded to my comment saying that Jesse Ventura's views on voter ID were "just plain wrong." I didn't get the notice of this comment until after the mods had shut the thread down, so couldn't respond that I thought what Jesse Ventura had said seemed reasonable - especially considering that the was a governor.

Not knowing everything there is to know, I wanted to ask the SD community what they thought of voter ID law and/or Jesse Ventura's position on it?

Quote from wasabi_fu : I saw a brief part of last nights CNN broadcast of the Piers Morgan show with Jesse Ventura and then saw this thread about his new book. The first person that responded had a youTube link to the interview, which surprised me with how quickly show get put up on the interweb, so I watched it. Well, I responded to his post to let him know that I appreciated the link and commented how I loved Jesse Ventura's closing remarks. Later, LeaninBack916 responded to my comment saying that Jesse Ventura's views on voter ID were "just plain wrong." I didn't get the notice of this comment until after the mods had shut the thread down, so couldn't respond that I thought what Jesse Ventura had said seemed reasonable - especially considering that the was a governor. Not knowing everything there is to know, I wanted to ask the SD community what they thought of voter ID law and/or Jesse Ventura's position on it?

I saw this clip and several others up on CNN tweeted by Piers Morgan Tonight. While I don't believe his 9-11 conspiracy theories, he was spot on with the issue of voter fraud. The one time he and Piers agreed on anything was when Jesse talked about the Supreme Court ruling that corporations are like individual people, and can donate millions to campaigns without any disclosure as to wear the money came from.

Earlier the same day, Jesse was on the Howard Stern Show wearing the same fab Hendrix t-shirt. (I want one!) I haven't listened to that show yet, but I've got it on my iPod. He floated the idea of Howard being his possible running mate in 2016 - if he decides to run:

Howard Stern: Jesse Ventura asks Howard to be his Vice President
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2Dk-O8RkKA

I would vote but I lost my government photo ID though I voted in almost every other poll on here for the last 5 years.

Quote from adr : I would vote but I lost my government photo ID though I voted in almost every other poll on here for the last 5 years.

I'd rep you you for a hilarious comment ... but can't rep in this forum ....do you feel like your vote was suppressed???

Wasabi_fu,

I don't mind the discussion on this practice, and while you may not agree, I appreciate the fact that you didn't fly off the handle as a lot of people do when I give a viewpoint here on SD. I made that comment, because, in fact, it is a huge issue. The fact that is quite often overlooked is that the actual 'data' on voter fraud is irrelevant. You can't measure something that is going on unless it is found (and then that 'data' is what you go off of.) As an example, just look at cheating at colleges. They have found, through many studies, that many college students have cheated on exams (yes I am narrowing the scope of this argument for cheating). Ive seen studies that have ranged from about 50-60%. A lot of this is heresay and I'd easily wager a bet that a good chunk of those so-called "honest students" are not actually up to the challenge.

I bring this up because it is just one example, in a pool of hundreds, of ways people cheat the system for their benefit. The same goes for voter registration.

Ventura's viewpoint that since he was governor, the cases of voter fraud were almost nothing... well that is a very broad statement. I think what he meant to say was that while he was governor, the cases of voter fraud that were brought into judicial fruition were small, and from what he was privy too.... that it was next to nothing. Local level issues would not have been within earshot of his political position.

I could go into a huge post about the same for actual voter fraud that occurs and isn't documented because it either a) is not taken to court or; b) not discovered. I know that the counter argument is because there isn't actually any there but the facts are clear that verifying votes isn't all that cumbersome. The media continues to overblow the "hardship" factor of voter ID type laws and the 'cumbersome' process for having that system in place.

I know my argument is brief, and I don't have a robust fact sheet at the ready. However, I just don't get the uproar over it. And the $30 comment about getting an ID or eating food is absolutely ridiculous and, to me, the wild concoctions that people come up with to justify being against Voter ID laws. The one thing I cannot stand is the "either xxx or put food on the table." This is a 1930s argument that should be shelved.

I don't think we need voter IDs, we need voting machines that can't be remotely manipulated:

http://www.salon.com/2011/09/27/votinghack/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw0aoZd305M

Proof that voter ID is an attempt by Republicans at voter suppression.

Pa. House Republican Leader Mike Turzai speaks on June 23, 2012 [youtube.com]

1. Voter impersonation is virtually non existent
2. Given that there is no identifiable problem that needs solving, the only identifiable outcome is to make it harder for people to vote.
3. Republicans are spending a lot of time, tax money and political capital to require IDs, they must think that they are getting something for their money. Given points 1 and 2, it's only reasonable to conclude that the suppression is intentional.


Republicans, on this board and in the world at large, have been asked time and again to make an affirmative argument as to why we should spend millions of dollars to implement these changes, and I've yet to see one even make an attempt.

Quote from adr : I would vote but I lost my government photo ID though I voted in almost every other poll on here for the last 5 years.

I make sure to not lose my photo ID since I need it in order to exercise my constitutional 2nd Amendment rights that anti-Constitution gun-grabbers don't mind suppressing.

Quote from 124nic8 : Proof that voter ID is an attempt by Republicans at voter suppression. Pa. House Republican Leader Mike Turzai speaks on June 23, 2012 [youtube.com]

Are the Democrats in Rhode Island who passed voter I.D. also attempting voter suppression? If so, why would they do that? Are Democrats in Rhode Island racist or what?

Quote from Deusxmachina : Are the Democrats in Rhode Island who passed voter I.D. also attempting voter suppression? If so, why would they do that? Are Democrats in Rhode Island racist or what?

Do you really think this ^ argument logically proves anything?

Just because one Democratic legislature also passed voter ID laws, does not mean all the other Republican legislatures aren't trying to suppress the vote.

I've been to RI and it appears that many of the very wealthy elderly (who are less likely to have ID) might vote Republican. Very OLD money there.

Quote from skiman : 1. Voter impersonation is virtually non existent 2. Given that there is no identifiable problem that needs solving, the only identifiable outcome is to make it harder for people to vote. 3. Republicans are spending a lot of time, tax money and political capital to require IDs, they must think that they are getting something for their money. Given points 1 and 2, it's only reasonable to conclude that the suppression is intentional. Republicans, on this board and in the world at large, have been asked time and again to make an affirmative argument as to why we should spend millions of dollars to implement these changes, and I've yet to see one even make an attempt.

Is it against the rulez to throw in a BAM?

Quote from 124nic8 : Do you really think this ^ argument logically proves anything? Just because one Democratic legislature also passed voter ID laws, does not mean all the other Republican legislatures aren't trying to suppress the vote. I've been to RI and it appears that many of the very wealthy elderly (who are less likely to have ID) might vote Republican. Very OLD money there.

You didn't answer my question.

Quote from Deusxmachina : You didn't answer my question.

Fletcher: Your honor, I object!
Judge: Why?
Fletcher: Because it's devastating to my case!
Judge: Overruled.
Fletcher: Good call!

Quote from Deusxmachina : You didn't answer my question.

Cause I don't know the answers to your questions and in any case, they are not relevant to the topic of this thread.

Even if the premise of your questions are true, that in no way proves Republicans are not trying to suppress the vote.