The Strange Elegance of Joe Manchin’s Voter-ID Deal
Voter-ID laws are noxious. But they don’t suppress turnout that much.
In order to secure his vote on the most significant voting-rights legislation in more than half a century, Senator Joe Manchin is demanding that every American be required to show identification in order to vote. Democrats shouldn’t hold their nose and take that deal.
They should embrace it with open arms.
Manchin has been frequently and fairly criticized for . His recent op-ed in the , which argued that partisan voting restrictions should be undone only with bipartisan support, was . But now the staunch advocates, rather than the reluctant moderates, are facing a crucial test—and to pass that test, it’s time for Democrats to have a full, honest conversation about requiring
