By Kevin Mooney — For too many Americans, voting has become a matter of mere convenience, rather than a serious civic responsibility, John Fund, a National Review columnist, has told television correspondents in recent interviews. While there are legitimate reasons to vote by way of absentee ballot, Fund argues that the process has become open-ended, loose and prone to fraud.
“Absentee voting used to be available only to those legitimately out of town or physically unable to vote in person,” Fund noted in his book Stealing Elections. “Recently, 13 states have allowed residents to vote 17 to 21 days before Election Day. At least 18 other states have opened absentee voting to all comers. Oregon has abolished the polling place all together and switched to 100 percent mail-in voting. As the arguments against promiscuous absentee or early voting mount, it is time to rethink this trend.”
This means before any of the presidential debates take place, Americans living in Oregon, and other parts of the country, will have already voted before receiving useful information. Moreover, it is more difficult to protect voter confidentially and guard against strong-arm tactics where absentee ballots are in use.
It is far more difficult to commit fraud, and to pressure voters, at polling places where the ballot is secret and where a photo ID must be shown, Fund points out. This would explain why U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has been filing suit against states that have passed a photo identification law.
The constitutionality of photo ID requirements was affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 2008 case. Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, South Dakota and Indiana have had photo ID statutes in effect for several years.
In August, a state judge upheld Pennsylvania’s photo ID law. The state Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union. The U.S. Department of Justice has moved to block implementation of new photo ID laws in South Carolina and Texas under Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Under Section 5, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and parts of California, Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina and South Dakota must obtain approval from the DOJ for election changes. A U.S. District Court has ruled against the Texas Voter ID law.
“Texas voters deserve the same peace of mind offered to residents of Indiana, Pennsylvania, Kansas and others when casting their ballot,” Catherine Engelbrecht, president of True the Vote said in response to the ruling. “Holding states to separate standards of law in the 21st Century is counter-productive and disrespectful to America’s tradition of equal protection under the law.”
The Texas case could go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court since the U.S. District Court ruling is now in conflict with a ruling in the Indiana case that upheld that state’s photo ID law. South Carolina is also counter-suing the DOJ.
In his latest book entitled Who’s Counting co-authored with former Department of Justice attorney Hans von Spakovsky, Fund details rampant voter fraud in the state of Minnesota. That’s where now Democratic Sen. Al Franken prevailed over then Republican Norm Coleman after multiple recounts. Without Franken in the Senate, President Obama would not have had the 60th vote needed to pass ObamaCare.
Bob Carrillo, a citizen activist in Minnesota, has identified Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, as the primary villain. Ritchie who was backed by ACORN and George Soros, has worked to block Voter ID.
“Relentlessly selling the notion that the very same ID requirements applicable to anyone purchasing a fishing license, boarding a plane, or even using a credit card, is somehow ‘disenfranchising’ anyone is patently absurd on its face,” Carillo said.
“While waving the banner for those who claim permanent victim status at every turn in our community, as the chronically marginalized, and claiming that they would be inconvenienced by introducing proper ID before casting a vote, Ritchie has managed to patronize, and insult the intelligence of all Minnesotans, who believe as I do, that all of us should be expected to act as responsible citizens.”
Kevin Mooney is a contributing editor to Americans for Limited Government.
