Wisconsin College Protest at Special Olympics

[mikoyan29]

I think it's offensive because this was a Special Olympic event. This was no high school or college game. Add to it that most likely, the athletes probably had no idea who those people were or why they showed up dressed that way.

People in Wisconsin are getting to a point where they will go anywhere Walker goes and look as ridiculous as possible to prove their point. They were protesting voter IDs because the more liberal of Wisconsin believe that requiring ID to vote would dissuade younger people (college kids) and minorities from voting. Uh huh.

Someone dressed up as a chicken to promote Walker as a "chicken shit" when he was doing a tour of a factory around here back in Feb/March.

I would protest a vote on voter IDs because it is a waste of time and money. The Supreme Court will probably shoot that one down in a heartbeat viewing it similar to a poll tax. And seriously, for all the talk of voter fraud, in the general scheme of things it is small potatoes. The bigger problem is voter machines that are easily hackible.

And I don't consider Walker as "chicken shit".....

[daleduke17]

What is wrong with requiring ID to vote? I've had to show ID every time I have voted. That includes in the town of 300 where (unless it is someone from the northside of the township) they know me, call me by name and we strike up conversation.

Was a Special Olympics event a bad idea of timing? More than likely. But, you have to take your protest to where people will see you. I do disagree with targeting the Governor when he is out fishing or out to dinner with his wife. That's his time. Even he has to be able to escape the hustle and bustle of the workday. And carrying around those huge cajones he has, he has to be tired.

[mikoyan29]

What is wrong with requiring ID to vote? I've had to show ID every time I have voted. That includes in the town of 300 where (unless it is someone from the northside of the township) they know me, call me by name and we strike up conversation.

Was a Special Olympics event a bad idea of timing? More than likely. But, you have to take your protest to where people will see you. I do disagree with targeting the Governor when he is out fishing or out to dinner with his wife. That's his time. Even he has to be able to escape the hustle and bustle of the workday. And carrying around those huge cajones he has, he has to be tired.

I personally don't have a problem with showing my ID in order to vote. That also includes my voter registration card. But there are some people that have a problem with it. I wish I could find the study, but there was a study on voter fraud a few years ago that showed it wasn't that big of a factor in the outcome of the election. But that might have been before the elections were so close. when you have a politician getting an overwhelming majority of the vote, it's not a factor but when you have elections where it is being decided by a handful of votes, then it becomes a problem. But the problem is that the voting aparatus is like any other instrument designed to measure, there are errors in the process (voter fraud, errors in counting, etc). But as I said, this will probably end up being a waste of time as it will probably get shot down in the courts.

[AdminAssistant]

Would it have to be an ID for that state? Because that would immediately eliminate college students. I still have an AR DL, but because I live, work, and pay taxes in KS, I have the right to vote in KS.

[daleduke17]

But as I said, this will probably end up being a waste of time as it will probably get shot down in the courts.

Yeah. My question: Why do some people have such a problem showing ID for voting or to police? These college kids don't want to show ID to vote, but are probably the first ones to whip out their ID to get into a Madison night club.

[AdminAssistant]

These college kids don't want to show ID to vote, but are probably the first ones to whip out their ID to get into a Madison night club.

Those college kids want to vote in the state, county, and city that they live for at least 9 months, if not the whole year.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepo...122117939.html

As I suspected, the ID's must be issued by Wisconsin. They are allowing some student ID's, but only if they contain signatures and expire every 2 years. The University of Wisconsin system (and likely other schools as well) currently don't meet those standards. Therefore, this measure is essentially disenfranchising those students....unless those colleges make changes to their ID system. And I'll say it again: Students have the right to vote in the place that they live the majority of the year, work, pay income/sales tax, etc. regardless of where they keep their 'permanent residence.' These students are being stripped of the right to vote because they moved to Wisconsin to go to college.

Why would they want to do that? Because college students tend to be liberal/vote Democratic? Because they're voting in increasingly larger numbers? Nooo, that can't be it...it's because of voter fraud! That's it! Apparently Wisconsin is like Prohibition-era Chicago.

And since the state is forcing these changes on the UW system, I'm sure they'll be happy to pay for all of it, right? Of course not, UW will have to pay for it and will pass those charges on to students in the form of higher fees.

One of those articles said Kansas has passed a similar law, so I better go check on that to make sure I can vote here in 2012.

ETA: Kansas has also passed a similar law; this one includes being required to present a birth certificate to register to vote. I haven't been able to find anything regarding student ID's.

[daleduke17]

These students are being stripped of the right to vote because they moved to Wisconsin to go to college.

They are NOT being stripped of the right to vote. If they live in the state the majority of the year, then spend the $28 and get an ID for Wisconsin. $28 is not that much to spend, plus, they only have to pay it once as they are good for eight years.

EDIT TO ADD: and in Kansas it is only $18 to get an ID card. Still pretty inexpensive.

[AdminAssistant]

They may need to keep their permanent residence in whatever state, county, or city they came from. They may not have easy access to their birth certificate (usually needed for a DL, even if you have a valid one from another state). I really don't want to get a Kansas DL. Besides voting, there are no other tangible benefits. The university wouldn't consider me an "in-state" student in regards to tuition.

If these statutes stand, I'll probably just absentee vote for my home state. It's not like my vote actually counts in this backwards wasteland.

[linguist]

They are NOT being stripped of the right to vote. If they live in the state the majority of the year, then spend the $28 and get an ID for Wisconsin. $28 is not that much to spend, plus, they only have to pay it once as they are good for eight years.

EDIT TO ADD: and in Kansas it is only $18 to get an ID card. Still pretty inexpensive.

seems to me that being forced to pay for an id in order to be allowed to vote amounts to paying a poll tax. also seems to me that poll taxes were outlawed by the 24th amendment.

i shouldn't need anything more than my voter's registration card, which is provided to me free of charge by my county.

[daleduke17]

They may need to keep their permanent residence in whatever state, county, or city they came from. They may not have easy access to their birth certificate (usually needed for a DL, even if you have a valid one from another state). I really don't want to get a Kansas DL. Besides voting, there are no other tangible benefits. The university wouldn't consider me an "in-state" student in regards to tuition.

If these statutes stand, I'll probably just absentee vote for my home state. It's not like my vote actually counts in this backwards wasteland.

You can keep your permanent residence and have a photo ID from another state. Better yet, like was mentioned earlier, just have the school get their ID cards up to par, then it is a moot point.

I don't see why the college kids get so up in arms over needing to vote in an election for local stuff (outside of the school board, if they are elected) when they're not even going to be there by the end of most terms. Just vote absentee for your home area and be done with it.

[linguist]

I don't see why the college kids get so up in arms over needing to vote in an election for local stuff (outside of the school board, if they are elected) when they're not even going to be there by the end of most terms. Just vote absentee for your home area and be done with it.

just because you're going to eventually be gone doesn't mean you aren't affected in the interim by the outcome of local elections.

[daleduke17]

just because you're going to eventually be gone doesn't mean you aren't affected in the interim by the outcome of local elections.

This is true, but, if you want to vote in local elections...follow local rules. If you don't like them, challenge them (like the folks did in Wisconsin) or don't vote. It's your choice. Being asked to show a photo ID is a really petty thing to get upset over. Spend the few bucks and be done with it.

[linguist]

This is true, but, if you want to vote in local elections...follow local rules. If you don't like them, challenge them (like the folks did in Wisconsin) or don't vote. It's your choice. Being asked to show a photo ID is a really petty thing to get upset over. Spend the few bucks and be done with it.

which brings us back to the poll tax question. i have id i'm willing to show in order to vote--my voter's registration card. that's the only id that should be necessary, and it's one that doesn't cost a thing.

[daleduke17]

which brings us back to the poll tax question. i have id i'm willing to show in order to vote--my voter's registration card. that's the only id that should be necessary, and it's one that doesn't cost a thing.

Then let's get the voter's registration card to have your photo on it, or, make the state ID the same as the registration card.

[linguist]

Then let's get the voter's registration card to have your photo on it, or, make the state ID the same as the registration card.

putting the picture on the voter's registration card means setting up stations where people have to show in person in order to have their picture taken, which means spending money for equipment and to staff those stations. this becomes logistically and financially difficult to do while still keeping the voter's registration process a free one.

making the state id the voter's registration card only works if the state id is also offered free of charge, which leads to the same problems as above.

in any case, charging for the id necessary to vote would put the state in violation of the 24th amendment.