Thanks to MSNBC, I now know I’m a horrible racist.
Via Mediaite:
MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts spoke with Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) on Tuesday morning about the expected enthusiasm of Democratic voters in 2012 as compared with 2008. They also touched on the issue of voter identification laws, which some have charged are aimed at disenfranchising minority voters. During the conversation, Roberts opted to casually frame a question on voter identification as the Republican Party advancing the institution of a “poll tax.” If the Republican Party is advocating for a poll tax to discourage minority voters, that would be a crime – a high charge for a journalist to make. Fortunately for the GOP, they are guilty of no such thing.
“One issue impacting minority voters is voter ID – early voting restrictions,” Roberts began his question. “In your home state, a federal appeals court tossed out a voter ID law last week saying that it was an ‘unforgiving burden on the poor.’ Governor Rick Perry responded saying, ‘chalk up another victory for fraud.’ With 19 states now involved in this fight, why does the Republican Party – the party of smaller government and less taxes – want to institute more red tape and basically a poll tax on Americans to vote?”