Today’s decision by the Supreme Court of the United States regarding the constitutionality of mandating voters to show a valid state or federal ID photo when going to the polls is a win for the American people. The number one right for all Americans is the right to vote and have a representative type government of the people and its will. Opponents against the requirement of a photo ID card did not like the court’s opinion that voter integrity is key to a free election and reduces voter fraud. Americans can be assured that when a vote is cast in the states that require a photo ID a free and fair election is being held. The argument that the poor and elderly will be left out of the voting process is misguided. Anyone can obtain an acceptable photo ID in any state at a nominal charge. People who drive an automobile already have a photo ID. Those that do not drive can get an Identification Card issued by the state.

If anyone has a beef about Identification is people who have credit cards. More fraud is associated with credit cards than with a voting election. But the credit card companies do not care about credit card fraud because they pass the loss to the credit card consumer in the form of interest rates. Businesses that accept credit cards also pay a fee for the transactions when the credit card holder makes a purchase. When credit card fraud occurs the business gets paid but the credit card holder gets their money back. The bank that underwrites the credit card is stuck with the charge but the bank just passes the loss to the credit card holders in the form of fees and interest charges. So in essence, credit card holders get burnt even if it was not your card that was used fraudulently. An easy fix to reduce credit card abuse in most transactions is to have a photo of the card holder on the credit card. The convenience store clerk can look at the picture before he processes the card and if the picture shows an attractive blonde with baby-blue eyes and the person passing the card is an over-weight non-shaven and brown eye person with an Adams apple then the store clerk may ask for a second ID…………..Hmmmm, it’s not rocket science on this one.

David D. Andrews Sr.