America has never solved anything with less democracy

April 24, 2012

The Virginian-Pilot reports, "Gov. Bob McDonnell faces a tough choice on legislation to tighten requirements for voter identification: veto the bill after his attempt to soften it failed, or let it reshape election law without his preferred modifications. McDonnell has said he's concerned that the bill, in its present form, could 'disenfranchise people whose votes would have otherwise counted.'"

Progressive Point: Voting is a fundamental American freedom. But right now, on Governor McDonnell's desk is a bill that even he admits could wrongly cost many Virginians their fundamental ability to participate in our democracy.

Conservatives in Richmond are trying to push through HB9 to make it harder for students, minorities, and seniors to cast a ballot, because they'll do anything to win. Today he's taking his time trying to decide who is more politically more valuable for him to side with: his conservative allies or valid Virginia voters. To you and me the choice is clear: Bob McDonnell must veto this bill. America has never solved anything with less democracy, and Virginia cannot now.

Get the Facts:

• According the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, implementing these voting restrictions would cost the state between $522,000 and $1.26 million. Not only are conservatives trying to implement what amounts to a poll tax, but they are also spending taxpayer money to do it. (Washington Times, March 15, 2012)


• While this bill is supposedly intended to solve the problem of voter fraud, even the bill's sponsor admits that voter fraud is not a significant problem and could not even name one instance of it occurring. (YouTube)

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