By State Representative, Leon D. Young
Leon D. Young
The Republican-controlled Legislature has made no bones about its blatant disdain for certain groups of the electorate.
Based on the restricting voting measures passed this session, it should be obvious that minorities, seniors, students and working families clearly fall into this “troublesome category,” as viewed by the power driven GOP.
Under the Trojan Horse of “election reform,” Republicans have passed legislation that effectively ends weekend voting before statewide elections, restricts in-person absentee voting and allows lobbyists to make campaign donations during election years.
But apparently, this “unconstitutional attack” on eligible voters won’t stop there.
According to a number of news reports, Governor Scott Walker has indicated that he sees voter ID as the most “pressing” election-related issue facing Wisconsin.
Moreover, he would like the [voter ID] requirement to be in place “before the next election.”
It should be noted that Republicans have already passed a voter ID measure in 2011, which Walker signed into law. But, the legislation has failed to meet constitutional muster.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize why voter ID is so important to Scott Walker.
The governor is up for reelection this fall and faces a viable Democratic challenger.
Mary Burke is a former state commerce secretary and businesswoman, who possesses the financial resources to get her message heard.
It’s a sad commentary that Republicans stand ready to disenfranchise legions of eligible voters in order to ensure the election outcome for Scott Walker this November. After all, why leave anything to chance?
Walker promised that he would create 250,000 new jobs in his first four years in office. Needless to say, he’s not even close to that mark.
As the campaign season heats up, Walker and his cohorts want to ramrod voter ID through the Legislature again.
Unfortunately for the state of Wisconsin, this is no April Fool’s joke.