Nunsense in Indiana

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

You have to hand it to Republicans. Time and time again, they identify a non-existent problem, scare everyone to death about the horrors that will ensue if said non-existent problem continues unfettered and then write a law or initiative that has ridiculous and unintended consequences.
 
Today's example is Indiana's Republican-sponsored voter ID law. The Indiana GOP frightened everyone with tales of nefarious people walking into voting booths and pretending to be a registered voter, thus stealing the franchise from the actual registered voter. How effective was the campaign to scare Indianans about voter identify theft? According to the Associated Press, Elizabeth Bridges of South Bend said, "I think the law is a good thing because a lot of people are crooked." And, John Parker III, noted "I think it's a good thing because I don't want anyone coming in and voting for me. Someone could come in here and just use my name."
 
After frightening folks, Indiana Republicans passed a bill that requires voters to present specific kinds of ID, such as a drivers license issued by the State of Indiana or a US passport. The full details are outlined on the Secretary of State's website. Unsurprisingly, state officials have acknowledged that no case involving someone impersonating a voter at the polls has ever been prosecuted in Indiana. 
 
On April 28th, the US Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Indiana voter ID law by a 6-3 vote. I am sure it would shock no one to learn that Ginsberg, Breyer and Souter dissented.
 
The result? Today a group of octogenarian and nonagenarian nuns were deprived their franchise because they did not have drivers licenses or passports.

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Image courtesy Leeds Civic Arts Guild.