The Hon. Barack Obama
c/o Obama for America
P.O. Box 8102
Chicago, IL 60680
Dear Senator Obama:
As you are no doubt aware, the Supreme Court today announced its decision in a controversial case, Crawford vs. Marion County, deciding 6-3 to let stand an Indiana law requiring voters to show official ID cards at the polls. I must admit that my first thought was that this is what happens when a radical Republican gets his hands on the White House and the ability to push his picks for the Supreme Court through. My second thought was that this is why we need to elect someone like you as President in November.
I would like to share my third thought with you.
I read recently that you were spearheading a voter registration drive across all 50 states in anticipation of the election this November. That’s a worthy activity, and one I think will benefit the nation as a whole. But unfortunately, in light of today’s Supreme Court decision, it doesn’t go far enough.
That’s why I would like to propose that in conjunction with your voter registration effort, you start a program to go along with it to make sure that everyone who wants to cast a vote in November’s election, and is required to show ID to do so, have an ID. I’m no expert in setting up these things, but here’s how I envision something like this would work:
- You would set up a mechanism for implementing the plan. Whether this would be seen as a tax-exempt organization, or a foundation, I don’t know, but it would need a network of people willing to help with the work.
- Announce that this organization is dedicated to the purpose of enabling anyone who wants to vote to do so. Most of the work of the foundation apart from registering voters would be to provide whatever assistance they need with getting an ID that would be recognized by their state of residence to qualify them to vote in the election. This would involve everything from help filling out the forms, to locating and securing the necessary paperwork (birth certificates, personal affidavits or other documentation) to establish identity and eligibility to vote, to paying the fee for the ID card for those who are having trouble paying the rent and putting food on the table, much less laying out $20 or $50 or more for an ID card.
- Solicit and collect donations from your donor base. I can’t help but think that there are many generous, caring people out here who would be willing to donate to help register voters who otherwise would be disenfranchised by the Supreme Court ruling.
Senator, I know that you are a busy man and have many people vying for your attention, but I would like for you to consider this proposal, not just because it would create a great deal of goodwill for you and your campaign, but because it will bring many people to the voting booth who would otherwise be shut out of the process. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Omir the Storyteller
Shoreline, Washington
cc: Howard Dean, M.D.
Chairman, Democratic National Committee
430 S. Capitol St. SE
Washington, DC 20003
It goes without saying that most of the people who would be re-enfranchised by this plan would be voting for Obama, but hey, even if someone has spent their entire life vowing that no nigra was ever gonna be elected so much as dogcatcher, I’d get them IDs as well. It’s the right thing to do.
Comments welcomed before I put a stamp on this and send it. Comments on how it could get to the Senator’s direct attention would be welcomed as well.
only recommendation l’d make is send it to dr. dean as well.
this is exactly what the 50 state strategy is being built for…grassroots…getting the people involved.
well done, omir.
I think I’ll update the diary to suggest that. Thanks!
My recently turned 18 year old lost both his birth certificate and his social security card, which made it impossible to get a replacement ID/driver’s license without jumping through some major hoops. First was sending off to the county of his birth for the new certificate, with a check for $35 of course, then waiting the 3 to 6 weeks for that to arrive in the mail. Then a trip to the SS Admin. building and a 3-hour wait in line, then back to the DMV for the ID/driver’s license.
I imagine if you’re poor and you don’t drive, or if you’ve moved many, many times and lost track of your ID, you’d have to be a mighty motivated person to replace those things just to vote. Not to mention the money…
Ttue. What I posted in the other thread about my wife’s first marriage certificate is actually just the culmination of a long line of documentation we’ve had to come up with. And I’m still not sure it’s over. We might have to jump through some additional hoops for my granddaughter, although we do have the court order granting us custody and her birth certificate which I am hoping will be everything we need.
Now multiply this process by hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom can’t afford to take the two hours off from work to sit in the DMV waiting room to get that ID card or pry the money out of the budget to pay the fee.
“Your papers, please, citizen!”
we get enough people registered, and post-voting polling set up, to ensure that the landslide for Obama is a success.
Well, personally I’m hoping that we can get solid control of the White House and both branches of Congress, and then we can begin to dismantle some of the more egregious assaults on our liberties from the past seven years, including REAL ID, the DHS, the TSA . . . I’m sure you can fill in others for yourself.