Why is the GOP so obsessed with putting these new voter ID laws into place?

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.npr.org/2011/07/18/138160440/the-politics-behind-new-voter-id-laws

The Politics Behind New Voter ID Laws
by Pam Fessler

Voters going to the polls next year — and even some this year — will encounter a lot of new rules. Photo ID requirements and fewer options for early voting are among the biggest changes.

They're part of a wave of new laws enacted by Republican-controlled legislatures this year. Supporters say the rules are needed to ensure honest elections.

But Democrats say it's part of a concerted GOP campaign to suppress the vote. They say minorities, students, the poor and disabled — those most likely to vote Democratic — will be hurt the most.

Seven states so far this year have enacted new laws requiring voters to show photo ID at the polls. Ohio and Pennsylvania are considering similar requirements, and several other states already have them on the books.

[ananda]

1. This really hits the poor and working classes because...

... you'd literally have to take a day off work to stand in the fucking
line at DPS.

[Cal33]

13. Many countries have their election day on a weekend.. We could do the same.

[raccoon]

2. Yep, "everybody knows," as Tom Lehrer sang,

"it's part of a concerted GOP campaign to suppress the vote. They say minorities, students, the poor and disabled — those most likely to vote Democratic — will be hurt the most."

Rec'd.

[Chorophyll]

3. "Honest elections" my ass.

Voter ID laws are absolutely, blatantly designed to keep the poor from voting. It's the new poll tax.

[Odin2005]

4. And therefor blatently unconsitutional, but the courts are all bought, too.

[global1]

5. Then Every Effort Has To Be Made By The Dems In Those States To......

help the affected people comply so they can vote. Beat the Repugs at there own game. If the Repugs can take the time and effort to change the rules we need to take the time and effort to beat them at their game.

[TexasProgresive]

9. It's so bad in my county

Dept of Public Safety moved to the northern city limits of one town and now the county tax office where you register to vote is moving to the south of another town. And is this a coincidence, there is no bus service to either location and the tax office is in the reddest part of the county.

To help these people you would need to charter a bus with alternate days going north to get photo IDs and south to register - you know they are not going to be enough clerks to do the work. That's part of the plan.

[barbtries]

6. they can't win fairly,

so this ensues. for republicans the ends always justify the means. they are actively working to disenfranchise voters. bastards

[Scuba]

7. Because they can't win on policy. n/t

[global1]

8. All We Do Is Complain. "They can't win fairly.", "They can't win on policy." We Need To Be.....

proactive and beat them at their own game. We need to stop carping all the time at what they are doing and begin to figure out ways to twart their dirty dealings. One thing I can say for the Repugs - when they put there mind to do something they do it. All we do is sit around and identify their tactics and then proceed to let them get away with these things. Now what do we do to change things and either reverse their destructive ways or stop them in their tracks? We all know if the shoe were on the other foot they would come up with a way to stop us. We need to stop complaining and start thinking and acting tactically - only in a good way - to not let them always get the upper hand. Surely we have strategists in the Dem Party that can do this.

[Historic NY]

10. DEPRESS the vote....the more roadblocks means fewer people vote.

[bemildred]

11. Next step: make the voter ID's expensive.

Bet on it. Sort of a disguised poll tax.

[applegrove]

12. Notice how they had to destroy ACORN before they put the voter ID laws into place.

[TheKentuckian]

14. Because they are traitors that depend on disenfranchisement and election fraud.