Letter to the Editor

Taxation without representation: The new America

Mon, 04/18/2016 - 8:30am

Dear Editor:

Who would have thought that voter suppression laws would prevent life long voters from voting? The Wisconsin Scott Walker law did not accept a birth certificate, a social security card or a driver’s license. In fact it does not even accept a veteran ID card. That our birth certificate placed “Junior” in a different location is moot. This case (Frank vs. Walker) is now winding through the court system. The fact that you never use Adolph as your middle name, is not illegal, except when it is on the birth certificate required for exercising your right to vote. Also older birth certificates did not come with a raised seal. Is that another problem for our grandparents? Some states don’t accept mailed absentee ballots – working, traveling, or fighting a war in a different country takes away your right to vote

What is the intent of voter ID laws? Clearly they are not required to stop fraudulent votes. Fraudulent voters have been caught before current voter suppression laws were passed.

Voter ID laws have been known to prevent thousands who work, pay taxes, and vote. When we stop working taxpayers from voting we are asking them to accept taxation without representation – the very thing that sparked the revolution and the 1773 tea party in Boston harbor.

Either the intent is to go back to when only white male landowners could vote, or the new laws will predominantly be applied to Democrats. Twenty-two states — including Vermont — have passed these laws since the 2010 Presidential election.

Have we, or are we, re-creating “taxation without representation” for non-whites, women, and non-property owners? Is this the new America?

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb