On my Pacifica Radio show today on KPFK in Los Angeles, I discussed yesterday’s report at The BRAD BLOG concerning the woman who was forced to jump ridiculous hoops while trying to help her son get Photo ID at the Wisconsin DMV in the wake of the new GOP voter suppression law there which institutes polling place Photo ID restrictions before legal voters are allowed to cast their legal vote.
By the way, I spoke to the woman today — who’d like to be identified only as Nicole — and she made clear that her video was not secretly taped (as, for example, James O’Keefe’s ACORN hoax tapes were). Her video camera was on the table and in plain sight the whole time, she told me.
As seen (and heard) in her video tape, during the process of trying to get the Photo ID for free at the DMV, as allowed by the new statute, the son’s bank statements were rifled through, and questioned as to whether they showed enough “activity” on them. Also, they were almost charged $28 for the “free” ID, which brought up questions as to why the WI DMV policy is to charge applicants, unless they know to “request” the ID for no charge.
I also took the opportunity during the show to offer a bit more background context, including a 1980 sound clip from Paul Weyrich, one of the “conservative” movement godfathers, during which he calls for fewer people to be allowed to vote. “Quite candidly,” he said to the convention of Baptist ministers where Ronald Reagan and Jerry Falwell also spoke, “our leverage in elections goes up when the voting populace goes down.”
That’s what all of this is about. He says it quite plainly in the video tape.
Weyrich went on to found the non-profit American Legislative Exchange Counsel (ALEC), the group of Rightwingers said to be responsible for writing the polling place Photo ID restriction laws being passed by Republicans now in state after state. I also share some hard stats on who will actually be affected by these laws (and who will not.) And, for good measure, I tossed in some Stephen Colbert speaking about Photo ID and “voter fraud” as well.
Enjoy!
Someone should do a little investigative “reporting” Breitbart style and find out if the reason for demanding to see a bank statement is so that they can trump up a reason to deny the ID to someone who has some form of assistance such as SSI or Workman’s Comp auto deposited to their account. NEVER have I had to show a bank statement in MI, to get my ID, nor has my brother who manages the DMV in Pueblo CO ever mentioned a need, there, to show a bank statement to get a picture ID or a driver’s license. I, also, at one time, had an ID in WI and I didn’t have to show a bank statement then either.
Brad
What is the point of a six month old, er um, 21 yr old story?
Oops 31 yr old story!!!
Davey Crock asked:
I believe you know the answer to that. If you didn’t, you didn’t bother to either read the story OR listen to the audio that goes with it. If you did, and you still don’t know, then you’re either incredible disingenuous or just stupid. Your choice, amigo!
Whatever happened to encouraging Americans to vote? The republicans in state governments seem to want to thwart a broad based expression by the voters.
Hello Brad,
The corruption is now done out in the open as opposed to in deep dark hidden places. I have heard the Paul Weyrich audio on the Thom Hartmann program quite a few times. Can we clean the house before it sinks after hitting the R.M.S. corruption ship? My answer is unfortunately no. We are too far gone for this to be anything but us going down another time possibly the last time. Yes I know that this is extremely pessimistic but this is where I view what is currently happening.
Excellent KPFK segment, Brad.
As to our resident right-winger, Davey Crocket, as Jeannie Dean previously observed, he lost all street cred when he wrote that convicted federal criminal James O’Keefe was, in Crocket’s eyes, an Eagle Scout.
It is my hope that we are witnessing the GOP committing suicide. Since Wisconsin, the People seem to be more aware of the lies and general Bull Sh@t coming from the Right. Republicans are over stepping their bounds and they may have stepped too far with their position on the current budget (revenue) crisis. If we default it is entirely on the shoulders of GOP and no one should forget that in 2012. The problem is NOT spending, the problem is that we no longer have the revenues (Taxes) to support the economy. Ending Bush’s Tax Cuts and pulling out of our “commitments” in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya alone would turn the economy around and balance the budget in a very short time.