Silly Silly Silly

Syndicated columnist Cynthia Tucker seems to think that common sense voter ID laws like the recently upheld law in Indiana are some sort of Republican plot:

So what's the real motive for these punitive voter ID laws? Republicans are trying to block the ballots of a few poor and elderly voters, those least likely to have driver's licenses. It's probably no coincidence that those blocs tend to support Democrats. (Indiana's prohibition against out-of-state licenses would also work against all of those Obama-loving college students.)

President Bush has touted democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq, proudly pointing to the purple-ink-stained fingers of voters who were able to cast ballots without fear of political retribution. But in this country, the president's political party denies the ballot to elderly nuns.

Of course, as usual, Tucker's reasoning is asinine and devoid of logic. The fact of the matter is that it requires identification to cash a check, it requires identification to enter a government building, so why in the world should something as precious as the right to vote be treated any differently? It has nothing to do with partisan politics; it has everything to do with protecting the sanctity of the ballot and ensuring that somebody who shows up to the polls on Election Day is casting their vote legally and properly.

I just wonder why so many Democrats seem to think that voter ID laws are some evil Republican plot. What exactly do they have to hide, anyway?