Anyone think it is troubling that the DOJ can find 230K voters ion SC who don't have the correct identification cards, yet the DOJ cannot provide any information concerning the sale of thousands of weapons to Mexican drug cartels? Holder is running a corrupt DOJ and should be punished, yet he is more concerned with laws the individual states are proposing and/or passing. The governor stated that anyone who needed transportatioon to obtain voter ID cards would be afforded that transportaion by the state, yet, according to the governor, only 23 people applied. I am convinced the rhetoric about this law is an attempt to allow undocumented voters the chance to vote, primarily for the Democrats. The people against this law are using the same tactics they have used for years against blacks; telling them that they cannot think for themselves without government assistance. It is unrealistic to believe that blacks are the only people who are affected by this law. BTW, I have had a government ID since 1957 and that hasn't prevented me from voting.

This is an absolutely ridiculous argument. Most of the people who are"disenfranchised" have to have an ID to get their welfare checks. You need an ID at the Bank, You need an ID to fly on a plane. Come on. MR CLYBURN, don't you have anything better to do in Washington? How about working on a BUDGET ????

JoSch: You are probably correct, the don't exist, except in some people's questionable intent.

What is happening is called repression. If people were already issued voter Id cards under the laws at the time they should be allowed to retain their rights. Anytime any freedom or right is infringed on for even a single person, we are all in danger of being next. That means that sometimes you have to make allowances to include the most people even when some might not qualify instead of keeping even one person that does qualify from voting. Or, are you all that are complaining against Mr. Clyburn saying that you believe we should descriminate so that Democrats will not have a chance?

JoSCh: I have a cogent question for ya, if these people can't manage to obtain transportation to obtain a voter ID, how do they get to the polls to vote? The voter ID doesn't keep people from voting, it prevents those who aren't qualified to vote from voting. Just one more case of using race as a divisive ploy by the Democratic party. My point to you-ALL people should be allowed to vote as long as it is done legally. This is the same ploy as the "dumming down" ploy blacks were fed in the 60's, that being, you aren't intel;ligent enough to think for yourself and the government must offer special privileges in order for you to succeed. I just hope intelligent people see through this faux allegations by Clyburn inorder to further divide the races. Am I being repressed when a bank asks for a photo ID in order to do business? Am I being repressed when an estblishment asks me for photo ID in order to order an alcoholic beverage? Were there no government actions put into place that assists those people who need assistance in obtaining the voter ID cards, then you have a case. Until that is apparent, you are not convincing me of your intent to help the so-called "disinfranchised". People aren't being denied the right to vote any more than requiring a voter registration card and proof of address. How do the "disinfranchised" obtain voter registrations cards if they don't have transportation?

The so-called "repression" and "disenfranchised" rhetoric spewed out by some to make it appear that anyone is deprived or restricted from voting is only a distraction. In order to even have my daughter sign up for soccer, her birth certificate was required. SC Gov Haley has even provided transportation for anyone wanting to get ID, once again at tax payer expense- but it's provided! This mantra of voter ID being somehow ridiculous or illegal to present when one votes is only to justify the race-baiters who see "oppression" in everything. The real issue is keeping the voting process fair and verified. Remember ACORN and their antics when it came to signing up people, and the dishonesty that went on with them? That's why we need voter ID! Illegal Aliens and dead people should not be casting ballots either. The hypocrisy continues...

William Steve Brodie: You have used the misguided, politically correct syntax to justify your point. What was I supposed to say, "them people"? I beieve I used the term "these people" to indicate those who are labeled "disinfranchised" byt the voter ID law. To call someone you know NOTHING about prejudiced, is the clling card of people who resort to calling people any name to denigrate them. You don't know whether I am black, white, brown, or any other color. Some people will do anything so THEIR party wins. If a person of any race cannot prove themselves to be a legal voter, they shouldn't vote until they can prove otherwise. Stop playing the RACE CARD. The word for today is: EQUALITY FOR ALL.

I'm not sure where I said that transportation is an issue, but polling places are far more widely distributed than gov't ID offices. I can easily walk to my polling place as well as two others that I know of in less than 10 minutes; walking to the DMV would take me over an hour. Regardless that is just a red herring, as is your race argument and your comparison of rights and privileges and your confusion between public and private entities. This conversation should be about rights and the law.

To your one cogent point, ALL people should be allowed to vote as long as it is done legally, I agree. And they have been allowed to for decades. Now some people want to change the laws in a way that studies show will disenfranchise poor people because of a false pretense that voter fraud was occurring when facts show it has not.

re: "South Carolina needs laws to prevent voter fraud like an Eskimo needs a bikini. You don't fix what's not broken."

the koch bros and ALEX are fixing the election...it's helps the T-GOPs accomplish their JOB#1: make BO a one termer...

under current law, if election officials do their job, it is impossible to commit individual voter fraud at the ballot box...eg, dead people should not be on registered voter list at the polls...and;

individual voter fraud is all that's addressed in the voterID law...

the T-GOPs supporting this law are truly "taking our country back"...back from "we the people"...giving it to the greedy bastards (the kochs-etal).

asked not answered: can anyone explain how under current law one would commit voter fraud...

PS. can PATCH (lindsay) provide links to previous threads re voter ID law...been around this bush several times...

Thanks for making these valid points Stanley. As I tried to point out earlier, there are hundreds of thousands of people that already have registration cards that have already previously voted. Why were they never arrested? Answer, nothing illegal happened.

To maizenbluedoc: You have my full name as I am not afraid for all to know who I am and how I feel about discrimination when I see it. Identify your name if want me to consider you a person and not just a made up name, as these voter ID laws imply some large percentage of voters are doing. You keep dodging around the real point here. It is very clear exactly what particular class of people will be most affected by this law. So far there is no evidence in SC of voter fraud. It is very clear which party has initiated these laws as well. This isn't an attempt by the Democrats to add new voters in their favor. Although Mr. Clyburn is trying to keep the right to vote for all.

In the end it will not matter. Our backwards state will vote as they always do. Obama and the Democrats will win the presidency and the senate. Hopefully they will also win back the house. Intelligent informed people are sick of attempts to turn the country over to a small mionority of the population. We are still a democracy and what 1% of the population wants is not the way things are supposed to go. Vote however you want as it is your priviledge. Please do not stop anyone else from voting without first having clear evidence of a reason they should not.

I don't get it... this is what I understand: You have an ID, you get to vote. If you don't have an ID or your current ID is expired, the state will send someone to pick you up to go get one.

No where did I read that you are banned from voting. How is this the argument when its not even the case?

Dave the answer is simple. Democrats are typically for including the most people while the GOP has always been about exclusion. This law and similar new voting laws in 29 other states were all proposed by Republicans. So why do you think it is a majority of Democrats that are complaining. Additionally there are 240,000 people that already have ID's they voted with before. Why exactly do they need a new one when the old one still works at other places such as cashing checks?

William, what you are doing is adding more politics to the issue. The history of this party and that party just adds nothing but static. There is nothing in this country that will prohibit a US citizen from voting, except if you are a convict, a Disney character or if you're dead... thanks to the 15th, 19th, and 26th amendments. If the absolute law of the land cannot bar you from voting, what is there to worry?

With that said, If the IDs they used in previous elections are not expired, then they do not have a problem. If they are expired, the state will provide transportation and issue those people new ones. Case closed.

What hasn't been touched on here is why it's not easy for some people to get State issued photo IDs. Back in the Jim Crow era many blacks, especially those who were in rural areas, were born at home and no birth certificate was issued. Establishing an identity without this "root" document is a complicated and expensive matter. There are other documents or combinations of documents that can be used but again there are many hoops that must be jumped through and barriers such as the name must appear EXACTLY the same on all documents. If someone already has a voter's registration card and have not moved, I can see no valid reason why they cannot continue to vote as we have for decades here in SC. ALEC & the T-GOPs knew precisely who this would impact and that is why they pushed this law. They all need to go back to school and study American Civics because this law is not the American way. They should be ashamed.

William Steve Brodie: I have a deal for ya, when BHO reveals his college and law school grades, I will reveal my real name.

I have Voted all my life ,and Voter ID used to be all you needed,now you need SCID,which is fair,but as long as you have your voter ID,Whats the problem ?

Quit squabbling and solve the problem. Set up a photo ID station at every polling station. All it takes is a laptop and a printer. Get your picture taken, print out the picture ID, seal it, and go cast your ballot. Problem solved and no one is "disenfranchised."

My stars!(1) Show me this massive voter fraud, because I missed that headline. (2) Banking, driving, flying and alcohol purchases are privileges, voting is a RIGHT. The truly sad thing about all of this is how quickly some, in this beautiful state, went the ugliest way possible to defend a change in a law that they state over and over will not change their own rights. Shame. LAShirley

Mr. Seigler, you didn't mention that ALEC is specifically exempt in SC from lobby transparency laws. That pretty much ensures corruption. Unless people stop voting against their own interests, nothing will change.

James Clyburn is a elected public servant. He said himself that 70 or 80 percent of the people want a voter ID. yet he neglects the will of the people that he was elected to serve. He needs to be fired from his job because of this. This is dereliction of duty.