Turzai Comments Renew Debate Over New Voter ID Law
Democrats say his remarks prove political motivation behind the bill.
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Democrats are criticizing a comment from State House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Bradford Woods, about the newly enacted voter identification law.
Sponsored by Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, the law requires voters to show photo identification before they vote at the polls. After a dry run in the April primary, it is scheduled to take effect for the Nov. 6 general election.
Speaking at a meeting of the Republican State Committee in Hershey over the weekend, Turzai was listing the accomplishments of the state House and Senate when he pointed to the new law.
"Pro-Second Amendment? The Castle Doctrine, it's done," Mr. Turzai said. "First pro-life legislation—abortion facility regulations—in 22 years, done. Voter ID, which is going to allow Governor [Mitt] Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done."
Democratic opponents posted video of his remark, saying it showed a political motivation behind the bill. Their opposition to the measure is well documented.
The two Democrats, board chairman John DeFazio and county Executive Rich Fitzgerald, voted to sue. Republican Heather Heidelbaugh voted against the measure.
"This is outrageous, but it confirms why the Republican governor and Republican legislature rammed this bill through into law. Pennsylvania already had sufficient safeguards in place to protect against voter impersonation, but apparently they weren’t strict enough to suppress legitimate Democratic voters. This new law could deny tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians their constitutional right to vote—just for partisan purposes. We need to make voting easier, not harder. This is a matter of basic civil rights," Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Squirrel Hill, said in a statement today.
Steve Miskin, a spokesman for Turzai, said the legislation was aimed at creating a fairer playing field for all candidates, the Post Gazette reported.
"The fact is, fraud does exist," Mr. Miskin said. "The idea is to stop fraud before it happens."
We want to know what you think? Is the new voter I-D law needed to protect against voter fraud, or is it a way to discourage traditionally democratic voters from going to the polls? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.
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Mark One
7:29 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Unless those triditional democrat voters are fraudulent showing an ID should not make any difference. Maybe the felons, Illegal aliens, multi voting, or the voting dead people not showing their ID is the triditional Democrat voters who will be the disinfranchised folks they are talking about.
Janet Butler
10:03 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
I agree with Mark! How does showing an ID discourage traditional Democrat voters from voting??? Unless they are fraudulently voting, this is a very easy way to allow all LEGITIMATE VOTERS the right to vote. It is so very easy right now for someone to vote that should not be. The Vote ID law makes it simple and easy for the election workers to know that this is the person that is registered to vote, or not registered to vote; and Pennsylvania, along with all the other states that have passed the Vote ID law, are making it possible and easy for every single person to get an ID. So what's the problem??
N/A
10:22 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Remember, that politicians are smarter than us. They are educated, and keeping their jobs is most important to them. They have also been playing this game a long time.
This has become a partisan issue meaning the law is unecessarily being pushed to create a small percentage loss (which may be all it takes) of democrat votes.
So if my research is correct (and if logic is in fact...logical), illegal immigrants most likely are not rushing to the polls & there is nothing but empty rhetoric stating that they are at all, 11% of voters are not going to bother voting if they have to get a new ID (even I _hate_ renewing my license and have been penalized for not being up to date), politicians want their jobs, the ppl affected by this law are pretty much all registered democrats (seriously...all), and republicans are the only ones pushing for this pretty unnecessary law. voter fraud is real...like with dead people...but not here. It is simply a means of dissuading voters. I dont care about left v right, dem v republican, racist or not, or illegal immigration laws (as far this issue is concerned).
BTW. Women vote more than men by about 2-5%, and the majority of women vote democrat (reason does not matter). Which party is really hurting with women right now (reason does not matter)? Which party stands to gain from even as small as a 2-5% gain in the polls? This is simple math and political games (that i admit to loving).
N/A
10:25 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
I posted this comment before in response, so I will just share the info again for anyone interested.
I can understand your feelings there Janet (and Mark), and I admit to feeling almost a similar way at some point, but then I did (and have been doing) some serious research. i have yet to find any evidence of significant illegal immigrant voting (you wont either). why? well, why would an illegal immigrant risk deportation/jail for 1 inconsequential vote? there is significant evidence from bipartisan groups (new york university of law) that this law affects about 11% of the voting population of which only maybe a 3rd will rectify for the sake of voting (voting population, ie they were registered to vote b4 this law).
Let's just look at logic. the issue is not whether someone can get an id, it is whether someone _will_ get an id. It is a hassle and Americans are lazy and apathetic towards voting as it is. Only 40% of our population even votes as is.
N/A
10:28 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
I kind of assumed that people know that the entire amount that 11% is democrat, but I may as well say it explicitly to avoid confusion.
Art Wegweiser
12:14 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Turzai is a real piece of work. Earlier he wanted to give away the people's asset (Wine & Spirits) and now he want to skew the election his party of creeps wins via an outrageous voting bill allegedly to prevent almost non-existent fraud. I wonder if he and his colleague sweetheart Metcalf are up for election this year? I will be knocking on doors to help dump them both. Allison Park
Dweezer
5:26 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
After gerrymandering the district to resemble something of a slithering, alien worm (which I understand they worship in their smoke-filled backrooms), the Repubelickins have once again anointed themselves the saviors of all that is good in the world and protectors from those dastardly bleeding heart liberals, who would seek to be their brothers keeper.