Voter ID law in Texas would restrict the opportunity to vote

As a 19-year-old college student, I have absolutely no faith in government.
That’s why it came as a shock to me when a U.S. court struck down a highly controversial Texas ID law last week.
The proposed law called for all voters to carry at least one of five forms of ID to vote. According to the law, a driver’s license or passport would be an acceptable form of ID.
The problem with Texas’ law is simple. Voter ID laws, even with the best of intentions, will ostracize the poor as well as minority backgrounds.
Let’s face the facts, not all people have driver’s licenses, passports or government IDs.
If a person were to not present one of these IDs at a voting booth, they would be turned away.
Supporters of this Texas law cite voter fraud as the primary issue as to why a voter ID law is needed.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry said the voter ID law is crucial to ensuring “fair and accurate elections.”
It comes as no shock that Gov. Rick Perry, a strong-willed Texan who is eerily similar to former President George W. Bush, is wrong.
The Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law studied voter fraud in Missouri and published some astonishing results.
The center found that the 2,000 Missouri elections had only .00003 percent of voter fraud.
Perry is concerned with maintaining “fair and accurate elections” because of .00003 percent of fraud?
Studies like NYU’s have shown that voter fraud is not plaguing America.
Americans not getting off their lazy bums to spend one hour voting every four years is a much bigger and frankly, easier problem to solve.
I’m glad that Perry’s law failed.
It’s intent to oppress those without acceptable ID is similar to how America made it nearly impossible for African-Americans to vote in the early 20th century.
If voter fraud was a bigger issue, I’d be for this new law. But it isn’t.
Poor people living under a crowded roof, barely having enough to eat, should be able to vote, regardless of whether they have an ID or not.
The poor should have a voice in politics.
No American party has ever completely come out in favor of the poor and ethnic minorities.
If Perry had his way, the poll tax would be re-instated and America would really plummet back into the Dark Ages.
I hope that American society has advanced enough to never elect another George Bush-like President again.
Emphasis on “hope.”
Shane Newell is a sophomore journalism student and the assistant city editor for the Daily 49er.