ILLEGAL ALIENS BUSTED VOTING IN FLORIDA

I believe a federal law should be passed that makes voter-fraud of any kind a serious felony with a mandatory prison sentence. Mandatory ten years for voting or registering to vote fraudulently, a mandatory ten years for knowingly aiding, allowing, registering or in any way helping to participate in illegal voting activity. Additionally, a mandatory five years for any official, private or public, who fails to investigate or prosecute voter-fraud when presented with reasonable evidence to do so. It should be treated as a major offense, more similar to treason than to some little slap-on-the-wrist indiscretion.

Of course you'd have to find a few Republicans with enough gonads to sponsor a bill like that.

Documenting the right to vote is far too lax both intentionally and unintentionally. Just the last time I voted as they looked down the voter-list to verify my name I also saw my son's name (living and registered in another state for three years); my brother's name (deceased for over five years); my dad's name (deceased for about ten years.) I wasn't asked for my voters'-registration card or ID. I could have later voted again as any of them.

Several months ago I was at the Secretary of State's office renewing my drivers' license. In front of me was a Middle-Eastern couple. After the man got his license-plates, the woman at the counter asked if he was a registered voter. He said "No" and she asked if he would like to register. He said "Yes" and she gave him and he filled out the card and gave it back to her. She asked him to raise his right hand and if he swore he was a US citizen, etc and he said "yes." Then she asked his wife if she was a registered voter. The wife looked at the husband and he said something to her in... some other language... and then she said "No" to the clerk, who then asked if she would like to be registerd. The man then said something else in that language to his wife and then she said "Yes" to the clerk who gave her a card. The husband filled it out for her and handed it to his wife who then handed it back to the clerk.

She asked the woman to raise her right hand (the husband translated that to the wife) which she did. Then the clerk asked her if she swore she was a US citizen, etc, etc. The husband again said something to the wife in a foreign language and she said "Yes" to the clerk.

When I got to the counter I mentioned it to the clerk. She said I'm supposed to ask everyone if they're registered and if they want to register. I asked about identification and proof of citizenship. She said she was instructed not to ask anyone for that.

And there you go. Two more voters, neither of which were asked to show proof of citizenship or identity. (And the last I heard one of the minimum requirements for becoming an American citizen, among other things, was to be fluent and conversant in the English language.)

Much chance of voter fraud occurring? Why of course not! (rolls eyes)

And after I'd renewed my license, she asked me if I was a registered voter! LOL

Even a liberal-Democrat would have a hard time justifying voting against a law like that. It's not "an undue hardship" on anyone, it doesn't discriminate or violate due process, equal protection under the 14th amendment, the prohibition of unreasonable search and seizure under the 4th amendment, or "racial profiling" because the mandatory sentencing would only be applicable to those who have already been convicted of voter-fraud. And, if as the Democrats always say, voter-fraud is so rare, then the law would rarely be used anyway. How could they defend voting against it?

Just a conviction or two might scare enough people into not registering unlawfully, registrars into not "just following orders" (like guards in a concentration camp) to register people illegally; and precinct workers into not helping them get away with it. (Or "finding" a couple of boxes of write-in ballots "forgotten" in the trunk of their car with votes for Al Frankin or Algore on them.)

But, like I said above, you'd have to find a few Republicans with enough gonads to sponsor a bill like that. Which might be difficult. Many of them will "talk the talk" but very few will actually "walk the walk."