TX Senate Dems Making Deal With Dewhurst On Voter ID?

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Via the Houston Chronicle, word comes that some Senate Democrats may be ready to cut a deal with the Devil on the issue of voter identification.

Why Democratic senators, with at one extra Democratic voice in the chamber this session, would want to allow any voter identification measure to pass the chamber is beyond comprehension.

Dewhurst plans to try again and already has been talking to several Democratic senators about making a deal. One thing he is offering is an exemption for senior citizens from the ID requirement or, at least, exempting seniors from having to pay a fee for their IDs.

Several details, including the cutoff age, apparently have yet to be worked out.

Exemption for seniors

The bill approved by the House in 2007 would have exempted voters 80 and older from the ID requirement, but that provision was stripped out by the Senate State Affairs Committee.

Sen. Mario Gallegos of Houston, who joined his Democratic colleagues in killing the ID bill two years ago, despite a difficult recovery from a liver transplant, said Dewhurst has approached him about reviving the senior exemption provision.

Gallegos said he is willing to talk some more but isn’t ready to drop his opposition to the bill yet, particularly since he hasn’t seen the proposal in writing.

“The seniors’ provision is a good idea, but I have concerns that the bill would still discriminate against other people,” he said, including immigrants who have recently become citizens.

Any Democratic senators who are seriously considering making a deal with Dewhurst over this should consider the potential political consequences, including losing their seats to primary challengers.

Democrats wanting to “negotiate” with Dewhurst over Voter Identification is equivelant to Sam Houston winning the Battle of San Jacinto, going out and recruiting more troops, and then coming back and telling Santa Anna, “oops, my bad! Let’s forget all about the Alamo and Goliad, and help you save face so you can get re-elected.”

Not to put too strong a point on it, it is bullshit.

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