With all of the hype the new Dukes of Hazard movie has brought the state of Georgia, State officials are setting out once again with a little remake of their own. State Republican representatives with a little help from Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue pushed through a voter ID law that is tantamount to Poll Taxes. Yeah its been almost 40 years but, as clear as The Stars and Bars on the General Lee, Georgia’s got itself a Poll Tax.
The law requires those voters without driver’s licenses to purchase state issued identification badges, where previously, these voters could show any of 17 forms, from bank statements to utility bills, to receive a ballot. These badges run from $20 for a five-year badge or $30 for a ten-year badge. Those yankees at the New York Times editorial staff seem to think this happens to put a certain population at a disadvantage; ”a group that is disproportionately poor, black, and elderly.” According to the New York Times, these cards are only available in 58 locations out of 159 counties, in Atlanta, Georgia’s predominant urban and Democratic area; there is no location where a state ID card can be purchased. And interestingly enough your average Perdue supporter is not poor, black, elderly, or any combination or the three…they are extremely white.
This whole issue is no surprise coming from Sonny Perdue. According to Emil Rounge, in a press release for the Democratic Party of Georgia, “Gov. Perdue is the least ethical governor in modern times. The first Republican governor in 135 years is now also the first governor in Georgia history to be found guilty of violating state ethics laws.” In fact in June the Republican Governor was forced to pay a fine of $1900 and repay $18,000 in campaign contributions. So with the familiar avenue for re-election somewhat blocked, Perdue falls back on an oldie but a goodie, the Poll Tax.
So Governor Sonny Perdue and friends hope to maintain his strangle hold on the Empire State of the South, and it looks like the Justice Department may just go right along with it. A recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution article attempts to explain how the Justice Department claims the new law is in compliance with the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which Georgia has a history of defying. Voter discrimination in Georgia… mmmmmuwah “that’s a spicy racism”!
Needless to say those who believe the ruling of the Justice Department to be utter bullshit are already planning to fight it.