Voter Eligibilty of the 21st Century: Take Your Redefined Poll Tax & Shove It

Here we are, a few months away from the Mid-term elections and the great “Voter” debate is picking up steam. However, this time around the debate has gone away from the “Voter ID” to the larger view of “Eligible Voter.”

By now everyone should know what it takes to be an eligible voter, right?

Hm, yeah that’s what I thought. OK, let’s refresh our modern poli-talking Media minds and remember to be an eligible one must be: 1. U.S. Citizen, 2. 18 years old or older, 3.Meet State Requirements, 4.Be a registered voter (except North Dakota)

Let’s not forget that there is something called the National Mail Voter Registration Form. This little nugget is the only document that will allow a person to vote anywhere in the US.

Seems rather a simple process, 4 little rules yet somehow/somewhere people like to stick their politics into a simple system and create havoc for many.

Now, a few days ago, wealthy venture capitalist Mr. Tom Perkins was asked "what one idea would change the world?" Well Mr. Perkins simply stated "The Tom Perkins system is: You don't get to vote unless you pay a dollar of taxes."



Now stop right there and think about it, what one idea would change the world and this man answers with an "only those that pay can play" scenario.

Then again this is also the same ass-clown that wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal a few weeks past stating that the attack on the wealthy is comparable to the Nazi pre-Holocaust attacks on the Jews.

OK, so per the “Perkins Scenario” only those that pay taxes should be allowed to vote and to add salt to the wound, he believes the amount of tax you pay equals the amount of votes one can cast.

So $1,000 tax paid = 1,000 votes cast.

Well there are many people jumping on this scenario bandwagon, because many think only the wretched losers of our society skip out on paying taxes.

So who doesn't pay taxes in the U.S.?

Well according to CNN Money 43% of U.S. households (that's 70 million homes) ended up owing no federal income tax in 2013. And of those 70 million homes, a whopping 67% have incomes below $30k, which equals zero tax liability.

How can someone have "zero tax liability?" Well many take advantage of the many exclusions, exemptions, deductions and tax credits that cancel out any owed tax that would be paid and others simply have too little of an income to owe a tax.

Did you get that? These losers are using the tax code to their advantage.

So these people, per the “Perkins Scenario” would lose their right to vote. Do you really think our Political parties would let 70 million households go without, regardless of their affiliation?

But the Non-Paying "loser" taxpayer is not just that earning $30K or less in income. Nope there are roughly 18,000 US households earning $500k to over $1 million that are deducting, exempting, excluding and crediting their way to zero federal tax as well.

Now hold on, by all research, there are people making $500k and above also using the tax code to their advantage and have “zero tax liability?”

Wow the losers keep adding up and losing out on the “Perkins Scenario.”

In other words, the “Perkins Scenario” is just another attempt to tighten the rules on voting, much like how many believe Voter I.D. laws will do.

Personally, my only squabble with Voter I.D. laws is that lately States attempt to pass them during an Election year. But I do not have an issue with the law itself as I show my I.D., along with my Voter Registration card every time I vote and each time I've received a "thank you" by the precinct official even though they know who I am.

No, the “Perkins Scenario” truly is a new version of a "poll tax" even if not identified as one by the many poli-talking media experts.

OK, I understand many do not know what a "poll tax" is, so let's review: A poll tax is an inherent pre-condition of the exercise of the capacity to vote.

A little American history lesson will tell us the under the 15th Amendment (1870) gave the ability to vote to all races, yet Southern States placed many “poll tax” laws to restrict eligible voters from their right to vote.

Some of these restrictions allowed only adult males, mostly white, whose father or grandfather had voted in a previous election prior to the 13th Amendment (1865 - Abolition of slavery), without having to pay a tax.

These poll taxes effectively prohibited Poor Whites, Native Americans and African Americans.

Poll taxes stood in place around the Nation close to 100 years until 1964 when the 24th Amendment was ratified and stated:

So here we are, some 50 years later, debating who is eligible and non-eligible all over again.

Now there are some State restrictions that determine who cannot vote such as most States restrict voting rights to those that have been convicted of felony crimes like murder for life. But that restriction varies from State to State where as in Washington felons cannot vote while still in prison but in Ohio a convicted felon can register to vote once released.

And while no one under 18 years old cannot vote in a Federal election, some States allow the under 18 year old demographic to vote in State and Local elections.
And currently there is a movement to restrict the mentally ill/mentally handicap from casting a vote in any election.

Ain’t living in a Democracy awesome!

The “Perkins Scenario” is flawed in many ways and I do not see politicians letting 43% of American households, with a wide range in the economic ladder from poor to wealthy, young to elderly, student to business owner lose their right to vote over a tax code that many take advantage of.

In all honestly, I believe we are about 15 years away from a thumb scan voter registration to determine one’s eligibility. But then again I’m positive someone will speak about the ills of such a system as an invasion of privacy act.

That’s it, Slap the Tap on a tall cold Old Chub Scottish Ale and pay your political tab.

Cheers!