January 16, 2008

Democrat Pushes For Photo ID Requirement - But NOT For Voting

A recent edition of The Tennessee Magazine, a publication of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, notes some interesting - and ironic - legislation being pushed by a couple of Democrats in the Tennessee legislature. Senate Bill 1038, filed last year by state Sen. Jim Kyle, D-Memphis, and state Rep. Mike McDonald, D-Portland, would require anyone selling scrap metal to a junk dealer to show a photo ID. The goal: reducing the theft of valuable metals like copper from utilities and construction sites.

Specifically, the law would say that "No dealer may purchase or otherwise acquire scrap metal from a person unless the person presents a valid identification," and lists acceptable forms of
identification as a state-issued driver license; a state-issued identification card, a passport, a valid military ID, a nonresident alien border crossing card, a resident alien border crossing card, or a U.S. immigration and naturalization service ID. Additionally the scrap metal dealer would be required to record the name, race, sex, height, weight, date of birth, residence address and
numbers from the items used as identification of the person selling the scrap
metal and photocopy the document used as identification. Scrap metal sellers with no valid ID would have to provide a thumbprint.

Kyle thinks you should show a photo ID to sell scrap metal, but Kyle and his fellow Democrats think you shouldn't have to show a photo ID to vote.