Jim Cramer: Voter ID Law Will Disenfranchise My Dad

superpunk · Sep 11, 2012

liek how hard is it to get an ID guys

CNBC host Jim Cramer said Tuesday that his father was among the estimated 750,000 registered voters in Pennsylvania who lack a state-issued form of identification.

“My dad, a vet, won’t be allowed to vote in Pa. because he does not drive, he is elderly, and can’t prove his citizenship,” Cramer wrote on Twitter.

Many elderly voters, including those who have voted in at least the past fifty elections, will have trouble voting under the law.

A Pennsylvania Supreme Court hearing on the constitutionality of the state’s voter ID law begins on Thursday. The law is also the subject of a Justice Department investigation evaluating whether the law is discriminatory under the Voting Rights Act.

Here’s the “Mad Money” host’s tweet:

I have a problem. My dad, a vet, won’t be allowed to vote in Pa. because he does not drive, he is elderly, and can’t prove his citizenship.
— Jim Cramer (@jimcramer) September 11, 2012

Late update: Cramer tweeted that Pennsylvania officials contacted him after his post and “came directly to the rescue” of his father. Cramer’s father was one of the hundreds of thousands of registered voters that the state of Pennsylvania admits don’t have an acceptable form of state-issued photo identification.

Hopefully all the elderly people in PA who are in the same boat have famous sons who can tweet about their problem and get immediate help. I'm sure Republicans wouldn't want these bullshit laws to disenfranchise more voters who don't want to see massive cuts to medicaire. ie Old People.

Midswat · Sep 11, 2012

superpunk said:
liek how hard is it to get an ID guys

Not hard at all.

superpunk · Sep 11, 2012

Midswat said:
Not hard at all.

Head firmly in sand.

Good place for it if you don't want to see what's going on.

Midswat · Sep 11, 2012

No, seriously... it's not hard at all to get a photo ID.

I mean, I hate to inconvenience people and all. But chea, you wanna do something significant like vote on who leads the country, then mah bad yo if you have to put forth an ounce of effort.

superpunk · Sep 11, 2012

Good poll tax rationale. Why make voting as easy as possible when you can unnecessarily complicate the problem and disenfranchise people who would have voted for your opponent?

Midswat · Sep 11, 2012

superpunk said:
Good poll tax rationale. Why make voting as easy as possible when you can unnecessarily complicate the problem and disenfranchise people who would have voted for your opponent?

First off, you're making an assumption that only Obama supporters lack a form of identification.

Secondly, requiring a photo identification is not complicating the voting process one bit, because it's not difficult to get an ID.

Midswat · Sep 11, 2012

I have more of an interest in making voting accurate and adding a level of integrity to the process than I do "making it easy."

UVAwahoos · Sep 11, 2012

Midswat said:
First off, you're making an assumption that only Obama supporters lack a form of identification.

peplaw06 · Sep 11, 2012

Late update: Cramer tweeted that Pennsylvania officials contacted him after his post and “came directly to the rescue” of his father. Cramer’s father was one of the hundreds of thousands of registered voters that the state of Pennsylvania admits don’t have an acceptable form of state-issued photo identification.

Sounds totally difficult.

dbair1967 · Sep 11, 2012

superpunk said:
liek how hard is it to get an ID guys

Hopefully all the elderly people in PA who are in the same boat have famous sons who can tweet about their problem and get immediate help. I'm sure Republicans wouldn't want these bullshit laws to disenfranchise more voters who don't want to see massive cuts to medicaire. ie Old People.

I know most liberals are f'in brain dead, but you do know there's a difference between "picture ID" and a "drivers license" right?

And how exactly is it that he cant prove his citizenship?

dbair1967 · Sep 11, 2012

superpunk said:
Good poll tax rationale. Why make voting as easy as possible when you can unnecessarily complicate the problem and disenfranchise people who would have voted for your opponent?

why does BO make it so easy for people to get food stamps and other welfare now?

peplaw06 · Sep 11, 2012

dbair1967 said:
And how exactly is it that he cant prove his citizenship?

Not everyone can just fake a birth certificate... :awkward

dbair1967 · Sep 12, 2012

peplaw06 said:
Not everyone can just fake a birth certificate...

lol

superpunk · Sep 12, 2012

UVAwahoos said:

Bush is one of the worst, and has been specifically targeting democratic counties. It's despicable.

Bob Sacamano · Sep 12, 2012

Wait. I don't remember them targeting OLD people with such a proposed amendment. I thought it was the minorities???

superpunk · Sep 12, 2012

Both obviously. The goal, as stated by Republicans, is to make it harder for people who would normally vote Democrat to vote. They think they can rig the election that way, which is why you keep seeing these initiatives in swing states with republican governors.

It has nothing to do with voter fraud (a problem that doesn't exist) and everything to do with rigging the election.

Bob Sacamano · Sep 12, 2012

superpunk said:
Both obviously.

I bet you shiny nickel that most of Romney's voters will be in the age range that would be considered "old". Actually kind of like the guy in the article. Old and white.

But that's right, it makes sense for the Repubs to try to kill off the large makeup of their votes.

peplaw06 · Sep 12, 2012

So Republicans have stated that the goal is to prevent Democrats from voting??

Gotta link?

superpunk · Sep 12, 2012

http://articles.philly.com/2012-07-05/news/32537732_1_voter-id-new-voter-id-cards

Republican lawmakers pushed the bill through the legislature in March and it was signed into law by Gov. Corbett, over protests from Democrats that the measure would disenfranchise thousands of voters, disproportionately affecting those without driver's licenses - the poor, the elderly, and the young.

House Republican leader Mike Turzai acknowledged the law's political implications at a Republican State Committee meeting last month.

"Voter ID - which is going to allow Gov. Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania - done," Turzai told the crowd, which burst into applause, as he listed legislative accomplishments under GOP control.

7% of eligible voters don't have ready access to proof of citizenship. When talking about low income voters the number increases to 12%. For women, 34% who have ready access to proof of citizenship, only have access to documents that don't reflect their current legal name.

11% of voting aged individuals (21 million people) don't have government issued photo id. For the elderly it's 18%, african americans 25%, hispanic 16%, white 8%, income < $35k 15%. 18% of those 18-24 don't have access to an Id with their current legal name and current address.

http://www.brennancenter.org/conten..._of_americans_possession_of_documentary_proo/

Every one of those demographics typically vote democrat. It's not a coincidence that republicans are targeting them, by their own admission. This will become a bigger story once people start showing up at the polls having had no idea that an ID was suddenly required.

peplaw06 · Sep 12, 2012

So they haven't stated it... didn't think so.

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