Thanks to Popcrave https://twitter.com/popcrave/status/1691852136236327316?s=46&t=lcH0dp9biwkMEBKsRQeVeQ
Who here is going to put their ID and photo on X/Twitter
this post was submitted on 16 Aug 2023
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Why would an ID be expensive?
In Belgium it costs about 20€ to get one when you first turn 12. And 20€ if you ever lose it.
When people in the US talk about a classist system, it's more of the structure than the cost. There are state IDs that are inexpensive in most states, but the Motor Vehicles branch (or whatever the state calls their department) that issues the ID are frequently difficult to travel to in lower income areas. Occasionally, the branches are understaffed and information about what can be used as proof of ID isn't communicated clearly. Combine this with the US's poor labor laws, and it means that it's risky for someone to take off work, spend significant time getting to a DMV branch, waiting in line a long time because of understaffing, then be told they need more proof of ID and to do it all over again.
It's frustrating for me and I have a driver's license and a white-collar job so I can drive myself to the DMV easily and not worry about losing my job or losing a half-day's pay.
It's still kind of messy also because proof of birth by birth certificate wasn't required until relatively recently. My grandad was never issued a birth certificate. As far as the government is concerned, he didn't exist until he joined the army. We all have to take his word on when he was born and his name. He told it to the army and had no legal proof before then. So my state establishes identification without using birth certificates, which takes more paperwork and complications.
Additionally, they're pretty much only open during working hours, and they're set up to often be an hour+ wait because why staff more than 2 people? It's a monopoly on a service.
So the ID may only cost $20 but the travel + missed work adds up fast
sometimes I suspect that the DMVs job is to tell people to fuck off until they give up and stop trying. It’s a pretty effective form of voter suppression. You hit the nail on the head, I dont think I could have explained it better. Everything you said is particularly true in southern states where it disproportionately affects black people, they have the poorest infrastructure, no viable public transport, laws forbidding mail in voting and very limited polling places with that are open for very truncated operating hours.
They want two things to happen: ID to be expensive and Voter ID to be mandatory. Nobody wants the poors to vote, especially because statistically people of colour are more likely to be poor.