"And the facts in Texas haven’t changed. Evidence in the district court case showed: • Texas provided data showing that 10.8 percent of its Hispanic registered voters lack the required ID, compared to only 4.9 percent of non-Hispanic voters. • Department of Public Safety offices issue free ID cards, but many counties don’t have an office and some offices are open only a few days a week. Offices are not open late or on weekends, so many people would have to take off work to get an ID. • Transportation problems fall more heavily on minorities in Texas, with 13.1 percent of African Americans and 7.3 percent of Hispanics living in households without access to a motor vehicle, compared with only 3.8 percent of whites. • People who want an ID must present documents, the least expensive of which, a birth certificate, costs $22. • The Legislature rejected amendments aimed at softening requirements to get an ID, some of which are in effect in other states that have voter ID laws. Requiring DPS offices to open late and on weekends was one of the ideas rejected. The difference when a federal court takes up the latest Justice Department suit is a big one. In the previous case, Texas had the burden of proving that its new law was not discriminatory. This time, the Justice Department will have to prove its allegations against the state’s voter ID plan. These are questions that everyone should want to see resolved. When it gets to court, political bluster will be worth nothing. Read more here: star-telegram/2013/08/24/5104469/no-more-whining-about-voter-id.html?storylink=addthis#.UhmFBmPDvwo.facebook#storylink=cpy" ____ Joe Wells
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 21:28:10 +0000
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