How come you never hear about the need for better access to IDs?

Common practice: make it impossible to get ID, then expect you to have an ID. My grandson is a good example. Birth certificate, mail with name and address from federal and state agencies, Social Security Card, but not able to get an ID because he can't prove who he is. Go figure.

He's 24, receives SSI for congenital disability, recieves Medicaid, he has a well documented life, but Indiana won't recognize it without a government issued photo ID. They wouldn't allow him a state ID when he was in school, and wouldn't accept his school ID as valid proof.

The young man is 24, but cannot vote because he cannot "prove" who he is.

I'm curious, what are they claiming the required documents are? In California it was Social security card and birth certificate.

BTW, if they are giving you the runaround, check your son's credit. They may be avoiding issuing ID because his identity has already been used fraudulently (they wouldn't be allowed to tell you OR him due to "privacy", even though its him.)

Grandson, not son. I'm not sure what all else Ray needed, but his mother was handling it. I'll ask the next time. I know when we moved back here in 02, eben with a picture ID and having spent most of my life here, I had a little difficulty getting my license switched back. I hop I don't have that trouble when I end up moving back to Arizona.

Doesn't seem that hard. Additionally Indiana has a non secure ID for voting purposes. Not hard just annoying. If he receives benefits he certainly all the required documents to obtain a secure photo ID.

I know it should be easier than my daughter makes it out, but she. Doesn't want Grandpa to interfere.

She forgets who told a judge he didn't want a hearing rescheduled because I was there at the time his office demanded. Some people just can't handle bureaucrats.

That's so true. There are those people who find life's little speed bumps unsurmountable mountains. And they are usually the ones who won't ask for help or they tell the helper they are doing it all wrong lol. I gots me a full grown ass man son who can't get to the Dr. on his own (shaking my head)

I've got a driver's license, military ID, and a passport.

Maybe they'd let me vote three times this year?

How, exactly, does one by liquor or tobacco without an ID?

You're right.
But because of the tone of the argument, I tend to try and leave the stuff that people need an ID to do, but don't need to do (such as air travel, buy liquor/tobacco, drive a car, ect.) Off the list. I try to focus on things people need to do that require IDs (such as apply for work, cash checks, open bank accounts, etc.).
I had assumed that one would need an ID to apply for government assistance, but some conversations I've had seem to indicate otherwise (which would make those programs easy to defraud and make fraud virtually impossible to detect, but I digress)

Yeah, I'm totally with you and get it. You're laying down some heavy, straight up facts and thought provoking takes on the issue.

I, on the other hand, am in an absurd mood, so looking at the issue through that prism.

I don't think your take on it is absurd. I used to live next door to "those" people (the ones who are clearly milking the system while claiming it's holding them down) but having gone to school and college around the liberal bias, I an acutely aware of what arguments will be shot down as racist, classist, or "out of touch with reality" (from the rich kid who has never never set foot in the ghetto)

as someone who was (at the time) still living with family and no bills to my name, it was very difficult to be able to get my licence

In California. It is easy to get your ID. It might be a little time consuming (you have to make sure you have your social security card, you birth certificate, and then spend a day at the DMV) My point is that since there are states where it's apparently hard, perhaps ID access should be the issue (not voting). IDs are important to do many aspects of life that are integral you our survival. For one, you need an ID to get a job. Everyone (who has no disability) should be looking for a job, even if they can't find one. You need to have ID to cash a check or open a bank account. These are basic financial transactions that everyone needs to be able to do.