Brian

Maybe there is something you can help me understand here.

From what I can glean from these new laws, they are designed to make it harder for some groups not to vote. Giving water or snacks to someone standing in line--who are standing in line because the number of poll stations in their neighborhood have been reduced to discourage voting in that neighborhood--is a definite suppression of the right to vote.

Here is my beef. For years, the Republicans have advocating that voters should present voter ID before given a ballot. In that way, we are better assured that the voter is who he/she says he/she says he is. To me, this is a principle to strengthen democracy.

The Democrats have--for years opposed this kind of change. It's not hard to understand why: some of their voters don't carry ID with them. When they go to the polling station, they could be refused a ballot.

When I was in party politics in Canada, it was possible for me to come to a polling station and say: "I'm Joe Smith of 123 Main Street." And the poll workers would give me a ballot. And party workers would do things like this if their canvassing "proved" that Joe Smith was unlikely to vote. About twenty years ago, Election Canada set up the voter ID law.

There was some confusion. And more than a few voters were upset at not being able to vote (or having to go home and get some ID). It took about three election cycles for voters to get used to bringing ID. It is no longer an issue.

To me, the Democrats were looking at their short success by opposing voter ID. They were not on the high road. So Republicans are justified in fighting back. And here we are today.

Voter ID is a good thing. Can you explain why not?