Trump signs executive order requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections
Trump signs executive order requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections
By its terms, Article I, Section 4, Clause 1, referred to as the Elections Clause, contemplates that state legislatures will establish the times, places, and manner of holding elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate, subject to Congress making or altering such state regulations (except as to the place of choosing Senators).1 The Supreme Court has interpreted the Elections Clause expansively, enabling states "to provide a complete code for congressional elections, not only as to times and places, but in relation to notices, registration, supervision of voting, protection of voters, prevention of fraud and corrupt practices, counting of votes, duties of inspectors and canvassers, and making and publication of election returns."2
IANAL: This sounds like more grandstanding to appease his cult sure to be challenged.
Still dangerous even if challenged. First, he ignores any court orders. Second, when "elections" come around he can say blue states didn't follow the law and throw out their votes.
Yeah, my view is he looks to throw out as much insane bullshit as he can and see what he can make stick.
From his perspective it costs virtually nothing beyond a pen and paper, and it either wastes a bunch of resources and time for opposition, or he gets what he wants if it goes unopposed, basically win/win for $0.
How to stop him is another matter, but ones like this 'should' be easy wins.
Thanks for this.
Well that will never stand up in court. The Executive branch doesn't unilaterally create federal election policy. Trump has passed from unconstitutional, to ANTI-constitutional.
Our king need not concern his highness with trivialities of law.
Never stopped him from trying before, though.
How about a breathalyzer unlock dipshit's signal app?
Who, you mean Whiskeyleaks?
No Signal, official gov communication lines only.
And just like that, F-47 ended illegal voting ladies and gents!
Outside the theatrics for his idiotic base, has anyone informed Felon-47 that this is already the case?
As european, I find it extremely baffling that you don't have to prove your citizenship to vote in USA. Is there some detail here I'm missing? Is it about how difficult it is to implement this in practice?
The problem is the US in the past has designed voter registration rules explicitly to prevent black people from voting.
This talk of voter fraud is a dog whistle. Election fraud is way more prominent than voter fraud.
Ohh, thank you. That makes sense.
They make these things difficult on purpose
I think the argument is that its somehow racist or prejudice against a group that doesn't know how to get IDs. Ive never seen a solid argument against providing proof of citizenship to vote. I think the main complaint against it is Trump is doing it.
10% of Americans would have trouble proving citizenship. Most of them are non white. Most are Democrat or independent. And voter fraud isn't a problem according to experts / audits.
That's like 10 million minorities you can disenfranchise just by pretending proof of citizenship is necessary.
To get a state ID, (RealID(tm) you currently need a birth certificate, social security card, and or a passport and mail/bills with your address.
The cards aren't free. If you're poor, or your parents don't have their shit together you might not have all of that.
Getting a copy of your birth certificate is not generally free. In many states getting a copy of your birth certificate requires you to go back to the state you're born in and go to the health department there to get a copy.
They would usually like to see your state ID.
To get a replacement social security card, you have to go through the same kind of scenario. I think they are free though.
If you are from a rural area you need to drive. Everyone around you drives you have family that drives. The poor innercity? They don't need to drive, can make it through most of not all of life without a license, or by having family member step in to help.
It's a tax on the poor non-driving. They also like to close polling areas in the poor areas because they have a hard time getting to remote polling places. Then they like to crack down on people giving people standing in line water.
These particularly affected poor area disproportionately black.
People don't know how to get ID? In my country you just get that shit on the mail with your new address whenever you move...
But those people would theoretically be able to get IDs? Or are we talking about illegal immigrants?
I think the main complaint against it is Trump is doing it.
That's not a very good reason, is it?
This only applies to people born before 2011
The fun part is none of this is free. The proper way to do this issue FREE IDs for years prior to requiring them.
Lots of states could do this. The feds should be doing it (they already have a bunch of your info anyway). The republicns know this is a poll tax, that's why they're attempting to do it the stupidest way possible
National poll tax.
To be clear, you already required proof of identity at the poll but now you also have to provide proof while registering (basically asking for an assigned polling location) which is usually done online or even automatically but now likely can't if this order is enforced by states.
I’m all for boycotting companies, but when you live in a rural isolated food desert of a town, you kinda have to shop online so yeah…
That is sadly been the case for a very long time. In the 1890s and 1900s there was a saying in America that if you lived in the countryside you didn't have many books. You had the Bible... and the sears-roebuck catalog (yes they had groceries and grocery versions).
Yes, this is very true. I’ve lived in the same town my entire life and in the last 40 years not a whole lot has changed. In the late 90s we got a McDonald’s and a subway and about five years ago we got a Carl’s Jr. fine dining.
Yeah no not happening
Funny the covid vaccine card was their way of keeping track.
Solution:
Motor-voting registration in all states through the DMV. You already have to prove citizenship for Real ID. Make sure everyone getting a state ID is also registered to vote.
Then you do 100% vote by mail.
Republicans: "Wait, not like that..."
Do ya one better. Make voting mandatory.
Now THAT would end the Republican party forever. And it would be an easy sell for Democrats too.
"Since our president loves democracy and voting integrity so much, let's pass a bipartisan law requiring all eligible citizens to vote or face penalties of fines and imprisonment."
Then watch the mental gymnastics of MAGAs trying to argue how mandatory voting and voting in general is a bad idea.
"Why do you hate freedom?" :)
Look at the pushback on mandatory vaccinations...
I am all for mandatory voting in the US for everyone over the age of 18. Voting is not just a right but a civic duty and everyone should be required, and enabled, to carry it out.
As for those worried about paying for it take a percentage of every political donation/contribution to candidates, parties and PAC's and fund it with that.
Get paid $100 to vote
Not everyone needs a real ID, and you'd just be preventing poor citizens from voting.
Getting a real ID isn't a requirement to register to vote at the DMV. You could also be there to get a regular ID, register your car, etc. This is how we do it in Oregon and we also have regular election offices too. The very people you're talking about are much more likely to visit the DMV at some point than visit an election office.
Real ID is becoming a requirement for all state issued IDs. Let me see what the current deadline is:
May 7th.
https://www.oregon.gov/odot/dmv/pages/realidtraveler.aspx
"Do I need a REAL ID?
Yes, if you...
Are 18 and older and will travel in the U.S. by plane after May 7, 2025, without a valid passport.
Visit military bases, secure federal facilities or nuclear plants.
No, if you...
Have a star on your license, permit or ID (this means you already have a REAL ID).
Prefer to use an unexpired, government-issued passport for U.S. travel.
Do not travel the country by plane.
Do not visit military bases, secure federal facilities or nuclear plants.
Are under 18 years old. TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling within the United States."
A lot of people don’t have IDs or licenses, they cost money, you have to take time off of work to get them, which also costs money, and a lot of people have barriers to getting ID if they lack supporting paperwork, like a birth certificate, bills in your name to prove address, three forms if ID, etc. heck lots of people don’t even have an address at all. People who don’t have easy access to supporting paperwork, who don’t have addresses, or can’t afford fees are all allowed to vote. This cuts a lot of the most vulnerable people in the country out of the democratic process, which is why the righties are always pushing for this stuff. They’d rather that the people who stand to lose the most from right wing policies be unable to vote against those policies.
I hear that argument a lot and I don't buy it. You need to have valid ID to do EVERYTHING in our society.
For example:
To get a job.
To get a bank account.
To file for unemployment benefits.
To see a doctor.
To drive legally.
To buy a car.
To rent a car.
To rent a hotel room.
To rent an apartment.
To buy a house.
To have insurance.
To file taxes.
To fill a prescription.
To buy alcohol.
To buy tobacco.
To enter a weed shop (where it's legal).
To buy M rated video games.
So you have to convince me that someone doesn't have ID, doesn't do ANY of that, and yet still somehow wants to vote?
I don't buy that argument, maybe a handful of people, maybe the Amish, but not enough people to matter in an election.
No. Absolutely not. What you're describing is a Republican voter suppression tactic. It benefits Republican candidates, and Republicans have been admitting that for almost a decade.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/04/07/republicans-should-really-stop-admitting-that-voter-id-helps-them-win/
https://www.cnn.com/2016/04/06/politics/glenn-grothman-voter-id-wisconsin-republican-2016/index.html
https://www.propublica.org/article/a-wisconsin-republican-looks-back-with-regret-at-voter-id-and-redistricting
Oregon, a blue state, like super blue, sapphire blue, the bluest blue that ever blue, has been doing this since 2016.
https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/motor-voter-faq.aspx
It’s not that easy to get a Real ID. I struggled to get one because I’ve been moving a lot lately and they require a bunch of documents pointing to the same residential address. I was only able to get one after I settled down long enough to meet that requirement.
You need 2 documents as proof of address. So a utility bill + something else. Electric bill + phone bill. Done. Credit card + internet. Done.
Well, the problem is Republicans being dicks, which is kind of a given.
But if the country does what Oregon has been doing for years, you tie voter registration to state ID and suddenly 94% of those eligible are registered to vote, and with vote by mail, 80% are turning out.
At which point the Republicans get what they want and still have heart attacks.
I know you've recieved a lot of replies already, but the major issue with your plan is you would have to do this every election cycle. A lot of IDs get replaced between 4 and 22 years, not annually.
The way it works here is you register when getting a drivers license, then if you move or something, when you update your DL information, you update your voter registration.
Same thing for DL renewals and such.
If they making obtaining a verified id free, sign me up. Forcing citizens to spend money to exercise their right to vote sounds illegal. I'm not an expert, do not quote me, just my thoughts.
would that include a ride to the DMV that might be unreachably far away?
would that include forcing all DMV locations to remain open 7 days a week and until late at night, so folks who have to work earlier and later than their DMV' business hours could actually participate?
would it include the costs of replacing other required documents if lost, like birth certificate or social security card?
would it reimburse lost money from having to take unpaid time off of work to go get this "free" ID?
would it compel employers to give workers time off, so workers whose employers deny them even unpaid time off have some legal protection?