Reaction to Voter ID Decision is Swift, Sure, Polarized

Reaction came quickly Wednesday to Judge Robert Simpson's ruling that upholds the new Voter ID law:

* Olivia Thorne, president of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania said the league is "appalled" by the decision.

“The League is discouraged but undaunted. ... As many as 1.2 million eligible voters could be disenfranchised in November’s election if the Supreme Court allows Judge Simpson’s ruling to stand. The erosion of one person’s right to vote impacts each of us” said Olivia Thorne, President of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania.

The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania calls itself "the lead organizational plaintiff" said it was "appalled" by the decision.

* Alan Jennings, executive director of the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley, said the law is “clearly a deliberate effort to disempower certain voters on behalf of other voters.”

Jennings cited Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Mike Turzai’s declaration at a GOP State Committee meeting in which Turzai said: “Voter ID, which is gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania – done.”

“This is a blantant effort as sinister as it is cynical to take away the most fundamental right we have as Americans,” Jennings said. “Unless the judge doesn’t understand the day-to-day travails of average people, it’s unimaginable that he could have come to that decision.”

Jennings said his organization works with people who don’t own cars and don’t have the kinds of jobs they can just leave to go “deal with government bureaucracy” to get an official voter ID.

“It’s the kind of thing that has led so many people to give up their faith in our democracy or the notion that they have any say in their government,” he said.

* Willet Thomas of Lower Macungie Township is a community leader who is very active in the Lower Macungie Township Senior Citizens said,

"This is good news. Glad the judge used common sense."

*An anonymous commentor who calls him or herself "Responsible Citizen"  said in response to ,

"I am not against providing an ID in order to vote, however, I am opposed to the reason for this restrictive legislation which will prohibit large groups of people from voting in the upcoming election.

"Voter fraud" has not been proven by any statistics!! The bottom line is after studies were done, it was found after breaking down all the numbers there has been a total of ONE voter fraud case out of appproximately 15 millio people!!! Can anyone explain the validity of this restrictive legislation with these numbers??

The motivation for this law is clearly to prohibit those groups who historically vote Democrat from voting...this to me is discriminatory and a veiled attempt by the Republican party to prevent President Obama's re-election!

* Also in response to the news story posted on Lower Macungie Patch, Bill M. Clark said,

"I think the voter ID law is fantastic! With the presidential election coming up in November every legal vote is important. It is well known Obama is going after the "illegals" to get them certified as citizens.

This is an outrage and an insult to any who are going or have gone through the syatem to become American citizens. I am a senior citizen and have several means to prove I can legally vote. If senior citizens have a problem obtaining proper ID then something should be offered to them so they can. "Illegals" means exactly that and they should NOT have any rights here in the USA.

* Another who just goes by Mark said,

"Funny how "small govt." conservatives always find a way to intrude on established "freedoms." Choice, voting rights, contraception, warrentless searches, and on and on. Next time a conservative talks about "freedom", ask them to define the term. What they really mean is for everyone to think, act, and vote the way they do.