Thread by @michaelharriot

Well, for one, a bank account, getting a check or any other thing that requires an ID isn't guaranteed by the constitution.

But here's the real reason - A thread:

https://twitter.com/blockFanatics/status/1483489959273279494

First of all, many of the people who make this argument usually live in cities where you can easily obtain an ID.

In some cities, especially rural places, there is literally no place to get an ID in the town. I grew up in a town with one taxi company & no public transportation

The DMV was in the county seat, which was actually SMALLER than my town. It was open from 8-5 & ALWAYS crowded. People would literally line up at 5 AM to take the DL test

Someone who can't afford a car has to lose a day's work and PAY SOMEONE to get ID

WHo does this affect?

But you can't just walk in and get it. You have to go to WHERE YOU WERE BORN and get a birth certificate.

If you have an extra $20-$30 you can order it online but...Oh wait, you don't have ID, so you don't have a bank account. So that's 2 days off.

Who does this affect?

If you make min. wage, that's another 3 hrs wages in pay. You literally have to give up half a week's salary to be able to vote

You don't need these documents if you have a mortgage, 2 bills in your name, an old ID, or–I swear this is true– a gun license

Who does this affect?

Luckily, some states accept passports (disproportionately white), federal ID or even college ID (as long as it's from a state college).

So, for instance, in the 2018 midterms, a student at Ga. Tech could use their college ID but a Morehouse or Spelman student couldn't.

Now, I'm not saying that MOST people can't get around this. But, it is an UNDISPUTED fact that it is harder to get ID if you are poor. This is also why nonwhite people are less likely to have ID

Rights aren't supposed to depend on money or effort. That's what GUARANTEED means.

But none of that is why voter ID shouldn't be required. Here's the real reason:

THERE IS NO IN-PERSON ELECTION FRAUD, noncitizen voting or any widespread cheating that could be prevented by voter ID. (My favorite is the one that shows its less likely than an alien abduction)

Studies show that states that don't require Voter ID laws don't have fewer cases of fraud. So why do they exist?

Well, here's your answer:

To be fair, there's an oft-cited study showing that voter ID laws don't stop fraud BUT it also concludes that voter ID doesn't decrease minority turnout. People cite that study having never read it bc there's an interesting caveat buried in the paper that no one ever mentions:

That's right. Voter ID doesn't decrease minority turnout because, when states pass voter ID laws, people WORK HARDER to register minority voters

These motherfuckers are literally saying that it's no problem as long as nonwhite voters work 5% harder than whites to cast a ballot.

Again, why do they do it?

Well, there are fewer white people. And despite the narrative that Blacks are flocking to the GOP or people wondering why Black people voteDemocrat, we should ask the opposite question.

Why is it that NO ONE votes Republican exept white people?

And because these margins in elections are getting increasingly smaller and the country is growing more diverse, the small percentage of people who can't get ID matter in elections, as do purges, shorter registration periods, etc.

But here is an even crazier secret.

The most effective voter suppression tactic is not not necessarily a voter ID law or outlawing water bottles or long lines or the ballot box changes banning Black organizations from registering voters or simply restructuring election boards.

You know what's MORE effective?

Changing the rules.

Have you ever wondered why we're still making new rules?

See, it doesn't matter WHY laws change; it matters THAT they change. The act of keeping voters unsure about election laws is an effective voter suppression technique

THAT's the finesse

Why do you need to register in some states and you can just walk up to the polls in others? Why can you request a ballot by mail in some states and not in others? Why can you vote early in some places? Why are they so adamant about closing polls EARLIER & not on weekends?

Or...

Do you think that, in 246 years of trying, we haven't figured out a way to make voting secure and accessible?

If enough people cheated to change a presidential election's results by 1%, it would mean 16 million people united under one plan like a brilliant vote-stealing Voltron

And they executed the scheme on different kinds of machines, in different states with different methods of tallying, different poll watchers and, not only did it work, but the 1.5 million cheaters managed to keep it a secret FOREVER.

Yet somehow, the one thing that could foil this brilliant plot is a laminated photo.

Do you know what the crazy thing about this is?

Some people are so stupid, they'll rather believe this thing that never happened must be stopped rather than believe America is a racist country

And the worst part of all of this is:

These dumb motherfuckers get to vote.