AFL-CIO Now
09/20/2012; Jackie Tortora
Just in case you were concerned about the more than 750,000 Pennsylvania voters who would0 Pennsylvania voters who would be disenfranchised this November—thanks to the state’s new voter ID law—Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Pa.), who sponsored the law, assured Pennsylvania residents during a radio interview that the law would only disenfranchise “lazy” individuals.
Astonishingly, Metcalfe took a cue from Mitt Romney and claimed these individuals who are “lazy” are also the 47% “living off the public dole, living off their neighbors’ hard work.”
Actually, the “lazy” 47% are the working poor, senior citizens (who paid into Social Security and Medicare throughout their working lives), active military personnel, students and people with disabilities. How dare these people want to vote?
Think Progress provided a transcript of Metcalfe’s remarks:
HOST: Are you absolutely convinced…that the methods to implement this law are effective and will in fact make sure no legitimate voter will be disenfranchised?
METCALFE: I don’t believe any legitimate voter that actually wants to exercise that right and takes on the according responsiblity that goes with that right to secure their photo ID will be disenfranchised. As Mitt Romney said, 47% of the people that are living off the public dole, living off their neighbors’ hard work, and we have a lot of people out there that are too lazy to get up and get out there and get the ID they need. If individuals are too lazy, the state can’t fix that.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court sent the voter ID law back to the lower court for evaluation on whether the law disenfranchises voters. A decision is expected at the beginning of October.
Thirty-four states introduced voter ID requirements that would effectively disenfranchise more than 21 million eligible voters who don’t have the required IDs—mostly people of color, low-income voters, students, seniors and people with disabilities.
Tuesday, Sept. 25, is National Voter Registration Day. Make sure your friends are registered. If they aren’t, send them to www.aflcio.org/register.
The AFL-CIO My Vote, My Right website offers hands-on information on voter registration, voter ID laws and steps to take to protect your right to vote on Election Day. Find out what you need to know to make sure your vote counts this year. Get information on voter registration, your voting rights by state and more at the AFL-CIO’s MyVoteMyRight.org.
Have questions about your voting rights? Call 866-Our-Vote (866-687-8683).
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