Asserts the moderate-liberal columnist: "The rising percentage of Latinos, blacks and young whites,
especially young white women, is now a structural political disadvantage
for Republicans in most statewide and national campaigns. Gerrymandering
has limited its impact in congressional races by creating more racially
and politically homogenous – segregated – congressional districts. But
in statewide and national races, the Republicans have to face a harsh
demographic and political reality. Simply put, their voters are dying
while voters favorable to Democrats are coming into politics in
demographic waves. The GOP answer is a strategy of voter
suppression by imposing voter identification laws and limiting early
voting. This approach to winning elections has roots in disreputable
historical practices such as poll taxes, literacy tests and land
ownership."
Mr. Williams continues his commentary about voter identification laws: "While Republicans may be losing in court, they have been winning the argument for more voter identification in public polls. The
heart of the Republican argument is that everyone has to show an ID to
buy cigarettes, drive a car or board an airplane. Why shouldn’t
Americans show one to vote? A Rasmussen poll in April found 73 percent
of Americans in favor of requiring a government-issued identification
photograph for all voters. But smoking, driving and flying are
privileges. Voting is a Constitutional right. Absent any evidence of
fraud, all Americans have a protected right to vote, be they rich or
poor, black, Hispanic or white, people who live in a big city or in
remote rural areas."
Juan Williams: "The Republican Party's Voter ID Campaign Aims To Suppress Constitutional Rights"
