76-14-A3
- Main Page \ Reagan Radio Commentaries \ 1977
| << Previous Broadcast | Next Broadcast >> |
Voting[edit]
Transcript[edit]It's funny how sometimes a bill of major importance will take on an invisible cloak and slip through the halls of Congress with very few people aware of its passage. The Carter administration is promoting an election bill which I commented on a while back. Without repeating myself, I'd like to tell you about one part of that so-called reform which could make a mockery of our entire democratic process. The proposal is to allow any adult to walk into a voting place on election day, show a driver's license, a social security card, or some other identification, and be instantly eligible to vote. Proponents of the proposal say this will not increase the possibility of voter fraud. Proponents of the proposal are either living in a dream world or are cynically dishonest. Voter fraud exists now despite the registration laws, provisions to check eligibility and the presence at the polls of pollwatchers on guard against cheaters. In one southern state, 25 election officials have been indicted on charges of fraud in the last election. In a challenged congressional election in another state, the winner received the votes of oil stations, warehouses, at least two city parks, and some vacant lots. And, the idea that a social security card is proof of identity doesn't work -- a woman in Chicago has just been convicted of welfare fraud who had 50 social security cards. Social security officials have long admitted that duplicate cards are probably held by millions of people. But, about that cloak of invisibility, the Senate Rules committee has been given testimony from the career lawyer who heads the Election unit of the Justice Department Criminal division charging that the election reform bill has a "tremendous potential for fraud". And, Senator Strom Thurmond presented a wire to the committee by the Chief of the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Department's Criminal division saying the proposed instant registration would "increase the opportunity for election fraud". With the issue somewhat in doubt of passage in the Senate committee, shenanigans took place. A request to have t he Attorney General and others come before the committee was blocked. And, on May 12th the committee sent the bill to the full Senate by a five-to-four vote. This was done after a committee member, who might have been the fifth "no" vote was called from the room by Vice President Mondale. Over in the house, the Administration committee was hearing testimony by election experts all over the land who are frightened of the bill. The head of Chicago's election board (where they know a lot about cheating) said, QUOTE -- "It will erode the integrity of our elections, since it is totally lacking in any safeguards on the front end at the time of registration and voting." -- UNQUOTE. He predicted congestion and long lines delaying the voting on election day. Similar testimony was given by the Democratic chairwoman of Philadelphia's City Commission. When other witnesses -- all Democrats -- appeared before the commission to oppose the bill, the Democratic members of the commission were all absent. One staffer, when asked why they weren't there, laughed and said -- QUOTE -- "They don't want to hear this". UNQUOTE. They certainly didn't want to hear Richard Barnett of Chicago, a black political organizer, tell them the bill would make blacks vulnerable to exploitation by big city machines. The House Committee sent the measure to the floor by a 17 to eight vote. Now it's time to write your Congressman. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening. |
Details[edit]
| |||||||||||
Added Notes[edit] |
