“IS THAT THE NEW DRIVER’S LICENSE?”
by Sharon Rondeau
(Nov. 6, 2012) — While waiting in line to show “identification” at my polling place, as is required by state law, I happened to reach for my pistol permit before my driver’s license. When it was my turn, I identified my street, number and my name, then handed the elections official the permit. The younger woman sitting next to her looked at it and said, “Is that the new driver’s license?” to which I said, “No, it’s a pistol permit.” The older woman who had taken the permit from me to inspect it said, “Oh, my husband has been after me to get one of those,” to which I replied, “You never know who might be planning to break into your house or otherwise harm your family or you.”
The younger woman then said, “I had one of those taken away from me.”
Connecticut does not require that the “identification” shown at the polling place contain a photograph, as the legislature changed the law during its last session to allow same-day voter registration and casting of a ballot. The state’s governor opined that the new law demonstrated that Connecticut had made voting in the state less “restrictive.”
The U.S. Department of Justice has opposed laws passed by state legislatures which require voters to show photo identification. An appeal is pending on behalf of the state of Texas after a three-judge panel in Washington, DC ruled in favor of Justice.
All designated polling locations in Connecticut are reportedly open despite the massive effects felt on the shoreline by Hurricane Sandy. Lines have reportedly been long and some confusion apparent about required voter identification. The U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Joseph Lieberman is vied for by U.S. Representative Christopher Murphy and businesswoman Linda E. McMahon.
Connecticut has seven electoral votes and has a long history of electing Democrats to many local and the majority of state and federal offices. The polls opened at 6:00 a.m. and will be open until 8:00 p.m. EST. There is no early voting in Connecticut.
Democratic Party requested poll watchers from the U.N. amazed that we don’t require voter IDs:
http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/11/06/foreign_election_officials_amazed_by_trust_based_us_voting_system
Sharon,
“Mysterious ways” indeed.
I ask myself how life would be had I been born so I’d be on active military duty today. Would I be at Leavenworth, maybe occupying the same cell as LTC Terry Lakin, or would I have already sailed my ship up the river and pointed my guns at our cowardly members of Congress and the Judicial, just itching to give the order to fire a broadside?
The age old question “if you had a Time Machine”: would you go back in time to, what? Gag Pontius Pilot? Do away with Mao, Hitler, Ted Bundy?
I don’t know, but I do know that if I were in uniform today our Chiefs of Staff would be sharing cells with the Taliban scum down in Gitmo, where they can compare notes and talk about “the good old days” when Americans were lead around by false promises and outright lies.
My wife always gives her pistol permit as a legal form of identification, more of MAKING A STATEMENT than anything else.
I believe ALL women should do the same, and good for you having done so.
OPOVV