Politicians on both the left and the right frequently foment and create controversy, creating an issue by which they can offer themselves up as a savior. Venezuela’s Mussolini (i.e., Hugo Chavez) is one such example. Closer to home, however, Democrats and Republicans use this strategy as a means to drum up support for their faltering images. Issues like abortion and immigration are such examples. Another such example is the State of Georgia’s election law reforms.

Last year the state legislature passed a law requiring a valid photo id before any resident could vote in an election. Almost immediately, “advocates” for the poor and civil rights leaders claimed the measure would serve only to suppress the votes of minorities and the lower class. A charge we at the Phalanx dismissed as much a do about nothing. Nonetheless, opponents sued and won an injunction from a federal judge who argued that requiring people to pay for this ID was tantamount to a poll tax, in spite of the governor’s assurances that the poor could receive IDs at not cost. We can begrudgingly accept the judge’s reasoning. This year the legislature sought to correct that oversight, authorizing funds to provide IDs for low-income voters, when they register to vote. Even this, however, has been met with opposition from the same chorus of leftist “advocates” They claim the legislation will suppress votes and is a slap in the face to the poor and minorities.

Are we missing something? Exactly how is it that a FREE voter ID infringing upon the rights of the poor and furthermore what does a voter ID have to do with race or ethnicity? Absolutely nothing. Most advanced industrialized countries require photo ID in order to vote, even in Iraq. In these countries there is no mention that such a practice is overtly racist for the simple fact that the rule is applied equally to all citizens, just as in the Georgia case. Regardless of this, several prominent local civil rights leaders have shouted the charge of racism and have sought increasing media attention, the real objective of this fight. Yesterday at the state capitol in Atlanta, officials were present to honor Martin Luther King for his birthday celebration, noticeably absent was King confidant and Congressman, John Lewis. The consistently inarticulate Lewis argued it was hypocritical to honor King in the same building with the same people who passed the voter ID revision and therefore he couldn’t in good conscience participate.

Never before have so many seemingly intelligent people taken to a cause for which there is no legitimate grievance. This is simply a non-issue to garner media attention and to advance the premise that the Democrats fight for minorities and the poor. The left is hoping that its constituency will be swayed by the media attention rather than peruse the facts of the matter. It’s a clever strategy in a state that has become increasingly difficult for Democrats to win support, but such a strategy also reveals the desperation of the left.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5542132,00.html
http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=74535