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Saturday, November 10, 2012

Human rights The ID fixation: Voting is just the start

Posted by Max Brantley on Sat, Nov 10, 2012 at 5:45 AM

FINGERPRINTS FIRST: Then school, under Mississippi law.

Kim Palmer/Hechinger Ed
FINGERPRINTS FIRST: Then school, under Mississippi law.

Ah, Republicans. They abhor oppressive goverment and its infringement on personal liberty, except when they'd like it to infringe on personal liberties women's medical care decisions for example to which they object.

Voter ID laws are coming to Arkansas before long. (And given their failure in states already, can microchip IDs tied to voter records be far behind?)

But a good friend in the education community sends me word now of this advancement fingerprint ID requirements for Mississippi moochers otherwise known as parents of children who qualify for government-supported child care.

Mississippi parents will have to scan their fingerprints every time they drop off and pick up their children at daycare when a new program goes into effect next year. But childcare providers have been protesting the system for months, saying that it stigmatizes low-income families and may ultimately take away income from already cash-strapped centers.

Child care providers in Mississippi say the new attendance system may discourage low-income parents from enrolling their children in daycare. (Photo by Kim Palmer)

On Wednesday, the House and Senate Investigate State Offices Committee listened to concerns from a representative of the non-profit Mississippi Low Income Childcare Initiative, reports The Clarion-Ledger, in what has become a contentious battle between child care centers and the state government.

Under the new system, Mississippi eChildcare, parents who receive child care vouchers from the state will have to scan their fingers so the state can track their children’s attendance at daycare and preschool. Childcare providers say they fear that the fingerprint scanners could lead to a payment system in which the state would only reimburse them for the time a child is at their center. Providers say costs to run a center and pay staff remain constant even when children are absent.

Fingerprint scanning. Wonderful idea. After child care, it could be linked to food stamp use. Interstate highway access. A state database on church attendance. Rep. Justin Harris, the Republican whose church daycare center provides a government-financed income for his family and religious instruction for his charges, is the obvious sponsor for all these measures.

And, say, notice that creation in Mississippi? The Investigate State Offices Committee?

Tags: voter ID, fingerprint scan, government daycare, Mississippi

        
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Arkansas Blog

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Human rights The ID fixation: Voting is just the start

Posted by Max Brantley on Sat, Nov 10, 2012 at 5:45 AM

Speaking of...

As a result of what Dr. Joycelyn Elders once memorably called a "love affair with the fetus," Mississippi has embarked on a path to prosecute some women in cases of stillbirth or miscarriage. /more/

The Arkansas Republican Party, having passed a Voter ID bill developed nationally to depress turnout among traditional Democratic constituencies, mounted a PR effort this morning to show that they really do care about people voting. /more/

At 2:20 p.m., the House is hearing arguments from Rep. Stephen Meeks to override Gov. Mike Beebe's veto of the bill to require a photo ID to vote in Arkansas. /more/

The Arkansas legislature faces a six-day week next week because of the need for extended meetings to complete action on pending business before the currently scheduled end of the session April 19. /more/

When they say it (voter ID, whatever) isn't about race or poor people .... Check this out. /more/

Gov. Mike Beebe on Monday vetoed the Republican vote suppression bill because it unnecessarily restricts the right to vote. It was courageous. /more/

Gov. Mike Beebe has vetoed SB 2, the Republican-backed Voter ID bill. /more/

The line is open. Finishing up: * VOTING RIGHTS: Now that the legislature has approved a bill to make it harder to vote in Arkansas, it's a good time for reading the Encyclopedia of Arkansas's new entry on voting rights in Arkansas. /more/

Wider circulation on YouTube of Rep. John Walker's powerful remarks on efforts to make it harder to vote in Arkansas, a speech that a white-faced Republican unborn when Walker faced institutional discrimination found inappropriate. /more/

Comments (10)

More by Max Brantley

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down the Arizona law that put a ban on abortions beginning with the 20th week of pregnancy.

The evening line is open. Finishing up: * DATE GONE WRONG: ABC reports on a KAIT story about a Jonesboro man who arranged a fake assault during date with a woman at Crowley's Ridge State Park so as to impress her.

Event Calendar

Re: Small firm gets big share of state bond business

Re: Sources identify Steele Stephens as informant in Shoffner case

Re: Must read: Roy Reed's obituary on Orval Faubus' sister

Several people sent links this morning to yet another odd performance by U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, already distinguished by his opposition to replenishing to country's disaster aid money unless it can be taken out of some other recipient's hide.

It's plugged at the top of the page, but don't fail to read Roy Reed's obituary for Orval Faubus' sister, Bonnie Lou Salcido, and the story it tells about Faubus family opposition to his stance that created the constitutional crisis in Little Rock.

The Little Rock metropolitan area (which includes Conway, Sen. Rapert) is a place with a rich and deep religious tradition.

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Our news partner Channel 4 has a news story that deserves repetition in full. More national headlines for the small people of Arkansas should follow directly.

Perhaps U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin might want to reconsider his earlier decision not to include Republican Rep. Loy Mauch on the list of Republican candidates he'd asked not to use his campaign contributions, having read some of what they'd written.