Progress Pittsburgh

Voter ID bill passes PA Senate

Post-Gazette:

The state Senate rejected a series of Democratic amendments before passing the voter identification bill 26-23, with three Republicans joining the Democrats in opposition. Democrats had tried to add new forms of acceptable identification and postpone the requirement until after the November elections.

Oh? Why did we pass this bill?

“The reason people don’t have confidence is because they think there’s fraud,” [Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele] said. “This would eliminate or dramatically reduce anyone thinking that there are people voting illegally in Pennsylvania.”

So, there’s fraud, is there?

“This is simply a solution in search of a problem,” said Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline. “It will alienate many of our citizens, including the poor, elderly and minorities.”

But Carol Aichele said there was fraud, didn’t she?

“The reason people don’t have confidence is because they think there’s fraud”

I see. So there is no fraud, but people think there is fraud. So we need to do this so that no one will see people without ID voting, and think there is fraud.

“This bill is a simple, common sense measure to protect the integrity of the voting process, which is the very foundation of our democracy,” Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi said. “It’s important to note that no voter will be turned away from the polls on election day.”

So people will go to the polls, see people asked for ID, which they will not be required to actually provide, and this method will assure everyone that there is no fraud, which we have already agreed is the case.

Gov. Tom Corbett supports requiring voters to show photo identification, and a spokesman for House Republicans said he expects the House to pass the bill in its current form.

Well, at least everyone can get behind this measure that everyone agrees will fail to solve a problem that does not, in any case, exist.

03/08/12