Voter ID: So Simple A Ten Month-Old Can Do It

I’m planning to take the family with me on my next business trip. In order to avoid an annoying episode with some bureaucrat at the airport, we decided to get my son his very first government ID. After going through this process with a ten month-old child I know without a doubt that all arguments against voter ID are totally bogus. They’ll give a state ID to anyone, provided they’re a citizen and have some proof. The hardest parts of the whole process are being prepared and standing in line.

All that we needed to apply for a state ID was his birth certificate and Social Security number. So, we started our day at the Waukesha County court house, where we got our copies of my son’s birth certificate. Three copies cost twenty-six dollars. And, it wasn't even a problem that his mother and I aren't married, she signed for them, and I paid. We did have to go through a security checkpoint, though. That part was a little rough. We then went to the DMV, where we filled out a very simple form, in ink.

Provided that you are a well-behaved citizen, a Social Security number and birth certificate are all that’s required to verify your identity. If you’ve had some brushes with the law, drunk driving, or revocations you may have some more explaining to do at this point. If you’re not a citizen there may be some extra paperwork, as well. But, you shouldn’t be voting if you’re not a citizen, so this discussion doesn’t really apply to you anyway.

After you wait the government allotted time in line, you get to pay for the new ID. An ID now costs twenty-eight dollars, ten of which allegedly goes to pay for some federal security screening or something. Presumably, this is the markup applied for the Real ID Act. Once you pay your fee, they take a really bad picture and hand you Baby’s First ID Card.

The whole experience cost us fifty-four dollars, the better part of a morning, and a trip to Starbucks, and that’s it. If you have your birth certificate or order it through the mail it’s even easier. So why do people bother complaining about Voter ID?

Some of them say that there are people who can’t get to the DMV to get an ID.

Horse feathers! If you can get to a polling place, the bank, the grocery store, the doctor, the pharmacy, or the social security office you most likely have the means to get to the DMV. For those handful of people who truly cannot make this trip through any other means, I’m sure that Voter ID would inspire volunteers to rise to the occasion. There’s already no shortage of volunteers willing to drive people to polling places. This is just one more stop along the way.

Some people say that it’s too much bother to get an ID and people who want to vote might not do it.

I stood at the DMV with a ten month old. Suck it up, chump. Besides, if you can’t be bothered to do this once every eight years for the sake of doing your civic duty, something tells me that locating your polling place and actually going is too much bother for you as well.

Some people say that the fees are too high.

I totally agree. Thirty dollars isn’t play money, even in a responsible middle class family. Without an ID, there isn’t much you can do in this state besides vote. Something so necessary for daily life should be more accessible. It’s too darn bad that our governor has decided to hide our taxes in fees. He really ought to deal with the budget by cutting out the fat.


The moral of this story:

If our governor was honest, Voter ID would be a fair and accessible way to police the voting process.

RE: Was it my imagination...

Actually Lance, Sean and I were watching the first couple of games at DC-area Sports Bars this season and were very worried about the spotty tackling and the stunning lack of tackling fundamentals on the Defense (a growing problem nation-wide I must say). So yesterday's loss wasn't a total surprise to me.

Frankly, Wisconsin's been lucky to eek out victories in at least two of its five wins this season.

In fact, as I sat down to watch the game yesterday, I said to the table of Illinois fans next to me "You guys are going to win today. GO BUCKY!!"

Sadly, that statement irritated the table of rather attractive female UW alums next to the table of Illini Alums.

Curse my over-developed powers of observation and deduction. If only I could find some way to personally benefit from them...

RE: Miller Goes Blaze Orange

In honor of the Blaze Orange can, I'll happily make long stocking caps out of blaze orange fleece for anyone who's interested. $10.

If the pack goes blaze orange, thems free.

Someone Must Be Seeking Re-Election

It's a pity our side has a hard time recruiting a candidate in State Senate District 12, Roger Breske (D-Eland) would be such an easy pick-off.

Governor’s Plan Does Nothing to Fight Crime

Eland, WI – Wisconsin State Senator Roger Breske released the following statement in reaction to Governor Jim Doyle’s plan to “Keep Milwaukee Safe.”

“Just last week the Governor traveled around the Northwoods praising the virtues of our quality of life and the values we hold dear. The proposals he has made will do very little if anything to quell the violence that Milwaukee residents face. Instead these new proposals will only put more hurdles in front of law-abiding gun owners. I am committed to working with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and others to find ways to curb the culture of violence in Milwaukee and elsewhere without taking away the rights of law-abiding citizens in the Northwoods.”

You have to love press releases from Breske. They're so rare you almost feel you need to time the replacement of the battery in your smoke detector to them.

OWN Now Led by Crook

(Enter the Hate Mail!)

Gee, what is this for One Wisconsin Now, their third Executive Director in a year?

At this rate, that outfit will surpass the number of campaign managers Fred Thompson and John McCain have had combined by next summer.

Perennial Capitol aide Scot Ross is leaving the building's marble hallways to be executive director of One Wisconsin Now.

One Wisconsin Now, which describes its mission as an effort to "advance progressive values and workable ideas and strategies" through policy, communication and networking, was formed in 2006 ahead of the state's gubernatorial election.

Ross ran for the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State last September but lost to incumbent Democrat Doug LaFollette. This year he's been working for Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton); prior political stints included work for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, former Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk. He also worked for the now-abolished State Senate Democratic Caucus.

Of course, some know Scot Ross for a much more...infamous deed.

Former Assembly Democratic Caucus aide Scot Ross told investigators that for five months in 2000, he worked practically full-time on campaign issues including the first campaign of Rep. Terry Van Akkeren (D-Sheboygan).

That's right, the Democratic Poster Child for the Caucus Scandal.

(What were the legal fees again Scot? $3,000 or was it $4,000?)

The BBA would like to thank OWN for completely defusing any and all ethics charges they might level in the next election cycle against Republicans by their recent pity hire.

Thanks guys!

Nifty

The State Senate Dems Budget, equates almost annually to the exact amount of the entire Budget of the Federal Department I work for.

And that's on the good years for my Department!

Freak Cow Born in NE Wisconsin

Seeing is believing...

As you can make out, the calf -- a young heifer -- was born with a small second nose. Here's hoping this trait is not passed on to her offspring.

Dateline is Merrill. That little town's been in the news quite a bit this week. It's there where the gas station forced to raise its prices is also located.

Sheboygan County Board Downsizes

The Sheboygan County Board is downsizing — from 34 members to 25. The change will take effect in 2012.

The vote to downsize the board, which will happen after the 2010 census, was 24-10. Board members also voted, 26-8, to trim the number of standing committees from 10 to seven, effective after the April 2008 election.

Officials said the two moves will save taxpayers an estimated $50,400 a year when they take effect ...

For comparison purposes, you can count the number of members of the Los Angeles County Board — yes, that Los Angeles County Board — on one hand.

Five.

We Are Downrange!

Of a blast of Neutrinos!

Fermilab Experiment To Beam Neutrinos Through Dairyland

In an effort to pin down the elusive nature and qualities of one of nature's most intriguing subatomic particles - the neutrino - scientists at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, or Fermilab, in Illinois will soon send a beam of the ghostlike particles coursing through subterranean Wisconsin to a detector deep in a mine in northern Minnesota.

Science Daily – Fermilab Experiment To Beam Neutrinos Through Dairyland
Hehehe, it seems like the blast of neutrinos will divide the state from the southeast to the northwest and then enter Minnesota!

There are a number of neutrino observatories scattered throughout the world. Usually deep in old salt mines shielded from the various other forms of radiation and particles. In 1987 there was a supernova and the people manning the neutrino observatories noted a spike in neutrino observations just prior to the visible light sighting of the supernova.

Ahhh, back then I dreamed of being a high energy physics researcher or cosmologist and spending time working in these environments.

The neutrino beam, which is directed in a manner similar to a beam of light produced by a flashlight, is aimed downward at a 3.3-degree angle toward the detector, known as the Soudan Underground Laboratory, 450 miles northwest of Batavia.

Although the beam will course through the earth beneath Wisconsin, it will be unnoticeable, little different from the neutrinos that exist in nature and are constantly bombarding the earth.

Source: ibid.
Of course, 911-truther types will notice the beam and what it does to their fertility. They will have to gird their loins in tin foil.

I toured Fermilab. The physics club put on a trip, the night before... I will not go into lest I provide blackmail material but the day of we stopped at Dick's Supermarket. The chaperone & driver yelled to me as I was making an ATM run "Hey, get some beer", I thought, ha-ha! Well anyway I am back in the van and here comes the 4.0 gpa math-physics-chemistry major with two twelvers (it was his birthday) of I can not recall. It was a very cold day and we all marveled at the sundogs and grumbled at the one prof who was a chain smoker and would open the window constantly to let the smoke & warmth out.

We got to Fermilab and took our tour. I tell you, very few things have impressed me as much as that facility. I remember one area a data-collection system that looked like it was three floors of computers just for one observatory. The size of the facility and equipment was awe inspiring. The biggest wonder in my mind was how does one separate actual data, artifacts, bugs, and defects? That is, how can you be sure what you are observing is the result of the experimental run and not a flash from the sun (or a distant supernova)?

Anyway, we all piled in the van and I sat in back with the birthday scholar and phhhttt-phhhhtttt! Then the birthday scholar and I went to the bars afterwards and then back to my abode for some nightcaps. Last I heard that scholar was in Stoughton doing material science research for IBM trying to etch silicon chips with x-rays instead of ultra-violet.