reSee.it - Tweets Saved By @LeaderJohnThune
reSee.it AI Summary
Thune urges support for a clean photo ID amendment to test Democrats’ stance on voting ID. The responder says Democrats already voted to ban photo ID nationwide under H.R.1 and challenges Thune to demonstrate real leadership.
@LeaderJohnThune - Leader John Thune
If they really think showing an ID is “reasonable,” as the Democrat whip claimed, then they can support this clean photo ID amendment. I look forward to seeing where Democrats really stand. https://t.co/v5JHGwSaoy
Video Transcript AI Summary
The speaker argues that Democrats have been inconsistent on voter ID, particularly photo ID. He notes that for years Democrats claimed voter ID was a tool of voter suppression, then began hedging. He contends that Democrats now publicly say they support voter ID, with some leaders claiming their objection is not to a photo ID, but to other inclusivity formats like leases, utility bills, debit cards, or photocopies. He asserts that, in contrast, the Democrat floor leader said he objected to photo ID and called for inclusive voter ID options, but that Democrats have also supported photo ID in many other contexts (air travel, school enrollment, opening bank accounts). He argues this inconsistency shows Democrats “backpedaling” when pressed to support ID at the polls.
The speaker cites severalDemocrats who have, at times, supported or stated favorable views toward voter ID, yet later qualified or avoided the position. He mentions a senior Democrat from New Jersey who said he would support a voter ID bill until pressed, then began avoiding the commitment. He references a junior Georgia Democrat who claimed, “I think you should have to prove that you are who you say you are before you vote. I support voter ID,” while also noting concerns about the specific requirements under discussion. He also quotes additional Democrats to illustrate what he sees as mixed messages: a Democrat from Arizona suggesting support for a strict voter ID approach; a Democrat from Rhode Island describing their state’s “sensible voter ID law” and frequent roll reviews as effective; the Democrat Senate leader stating that “Democrats support voter ID” ten days earlier; and a Georgia Democrat reiterating the expectation to prove one’s identity before voting and describing it as “basic.”
The speaker announces an amendment vote on a clean voter ID bill, intended to require a photo ID at the polls, such as a driver’s license, tribal ID, military ID, veteran ID, or a passport. He clarifies that this amendment would not affect the Save America Act and would not obligate Democrats to vote for the final bill; they could vote for the amendment and against the overall act. The amendment’s purpose, he says, is to force Democrats to demonstrate whether they truly support photo ID in a concrete, real-world form.
The speaker invites Democrats to demonstrate their actual stance by supporting the clean photo ID amendment and asserts that this would reveal where they truly stand.
Full Transcript
Speaker 0: Mister president, just where do Democrats stand on voter ID? It's pretty darn hard to tell. I mean, we spent years hearing from Democrats how voter idea ID, I should say, is a tool of voter suppression. As recently as mid February, the Democrat leader was decrying voter ID. And then suddenly, Democrats started hedging their bets.
Wait. Of course, Democrats support voter ID. Democrat after Democrat has been claiming. And photo ID specifically, the Democrat leader said last week, and I quote, our objection as Democrats is not to a photo ID, end quote. Except, is that true, mister president?
Is that really true? Because on Tuesday, the Democrat leader came down to the floor and made it very clear that he at least does object to photo ID. We need in his words, inclusive voter ID options. Like leases or utility bills or debit cards or photocopies thereof. He's apparently okay with the demand for photo ID in a million other situations from boarding a plane to signing your kid up for school to opening a bank account.
But heaven forbid that we ask Americans to produce the same idea they produce all over town when they go to the polls. It's not inclusive. Other Democrats have acted similarly paying lip service to voter ID and photo ID in particular. But backpedaling the minute actually supporting voter ID legislation comes into question. Senior Democrat from New Jersey was on CNN Tuesday and said that he would support a voter ID bill until he was pressed on that commitment, then he suddenly started avoiding the question.
The junior democrat from senator from Georgia boldly claimed, and I quote, I quote, I think you should have to prove that you are who you say you are before you vote. I support voter ID, end quote. They went on to knock the voter ID requirements under discussion. Mister president, just to give you an example of some of the I mean, this actually is quite revealing. Here are quotes from one, two, three, four, five Democrats.
This one, who could be against that requiring an ID to vote? That from a couple of days ago. Here's the center from Arizona, people want to adopt the Arizona way which is strict voter ID. I think that would be fine. That was about a week ago.
Senator from Rhode Island, I represent a state that has a sensible voter ID law and that regularly reviews its voter rolls. This approach has been extremely effective. That again, just a few days ago. And as then I said as the the democrat leader, and this is ten days ago. Democrats support voter ID.
Senator from Michigan, and I quote again, hopefully all Americans are in agreement about voter ID. That from a week ago. Here's the other senator from Georgia, again, and I quote, we have voter ID laws in my state. You should have to prove that you are who you say you are before you vote. That is basic.
End quote. That also from about a week ago, mister president. So the question is, will democrats vote the way they talk? Well, mister president, today, they're gonna get a chance to support voter ID without supporting the Save America Act. We're gonna have an amendment.
We're gonna have an amendment vote on a clean voter ID bill. The only thing the only thing the amendment would do would be to require a photo ID at the polls, a driver's license, a tribal ID, a military ID, a veteran ID, a passport. That's all it would say, mister president. And something that a lot of democrats have been out there openly advocating for. And again, supporting this amendment doesn't require Democrats to support the overall Save America Act.
It doesn't obligate them to vote in any way on the final bill. They can vote for this amendment and vote against the Save America Act. What this amendment will do, however, is force Democrats to come clean on whether or not they actually support voter ID in a real way. Not photocopies of debit cards or utility bills as democrats once proposed. Real IDs with photos issued by states or the federal government.
The kind of IDs Americans use all the time in their daily lives. The kind of IDs that polls show Americans overwhelmingly support. Democrats have been trying to have their cake and eat it too, mister president, pretending that they stand with the overwhelming majority of Americans who support photo IDs at the polls while declining any occasion to put their money where their mouth is and support actual legislation. So here's their chance, mister president. If Democrats are being honest, if they really think that showing an ID is quote reasonable as the democrat whip claimed, then they can support this clean photo ID amendment.
Clean, mister president. No other provisions, Just a requirement to show the same kind of photo ID at the polls that Americans show elsewhere on a daily basis. No obligation to vote for the overall bill. No statement on the overall bill. Just a clean photo ID provision.
Mister president, I look forward to seeing where Democrats really stand.
@DataRepublican - DataRepublican (small r)
@LeaderJohnThune Senator Thune, you might want to remember H.R.1 - For the People Act of 2021. It banned photo ID in voting. The Democrats you're trying to convince already voted to ban photo ID nationwide. You are going to have to perform actual leadership.