Democrats Attack GOP Sponsored Voting Regulations

Virginia seems to be waging a war for poverty. From progressive gas taxes, voter rights restrictions, rules against medicare expansion and women's health to education and restorative rights, the targets remain poor and working class whites and minorities. I keep asking myself why? As a state that consistency ranks in the top 10 wealthiest, why are our services always in the bottom 10%? Voting rights restrictions seem to me the most obvious attack against civil liberties. Virginia's past on civil rights is far from pristine. But we have made great strides in correcting past mistakes and our registrar's office has much to be proud of. We have very little incidents of fraud and they are not statistically relevant when you consider the amount of people who vote in this state.

Senator Obenchain's statement that people need to simple go into the registrar's office to get an photo ID lacks an understanding of how government operates and the cost to implement this idea. There is no plan of what documentation will be needed to get registrars to issue photo IDs, the manpower, equipment, training both internal and public, and time frame needed to implement this law, which we assume will go into effect this election. The idea that it will be simple to get an ID without a birth certificate minimizes the prejudice practiced by the registrar of not issuing birth certificates to people who did not check black or white as their race from the 1920 to 1940s. We need to hear more about our history, we need to applaud the progress we made in this great commonwealth, and encourage our citizens to take part in the electoral college. Voting is the greatest right we have as Americans, the greatest gift we give our new citizens.

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