Editors’ note: The College Democrats and College Republicans participated in a public policy debate Monday in the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center auditorium. The discussion topics included the economy, budget, health care, defense, energy and the environment. TommieMedia moderated the event and will present clips of the debate throughout the week.
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Video by Michael Ewen, chief video editor, and Theresa Malloy, assignment editor
Republican leaders in about half the states, including Minnesota, are pushing legislation that would require voters to show photo ID at the polls. The Minnesota state senate will discuss the bill tomorrow afternoon.
Debaters answered the question: What do you think about the proposed voter ID bill?
We need Photo ID laws… A democracy is only as strong as it’s election system.
By that logic you are saying that adding the photo ID law will strengthen the election system. I think that the republicans failed to showcase how our current system is weak because we dont have the ID requirement. I would buy into the bill if there was rampant voter fraud in our state, but the fact is that there isnt. Only six cases of possible voter fraud is minuscule. That would not even change the results of one of the closest MN elections, the 2008 US Senate race, which margin was over three hundred votes. The end result of this legislation is only additional burden on all voters and all Minnesotans as it only tacks on more debt to our state. Its surprising that Republicans talk about cutting down waste and unnecessary programs in government spending when all they are doing here is adding to it. Shouldn’t we want something as fundamental to our nation as voting be as easy as possible? This unnecessary measure is just that: unnecessary.