Comment by arrrg

16 days ago

That’s the wrong framing.

In Germany every adult has to have an ID card. You cannot not have one. As a consequence requiring one for voting is practically unproblematic.

In the US the situation is fundamentally different plus there is a history of heinous racial targeted disenfranchisement of voters to consider that is in the extremely recent past and alive and well.

And what if germany turns authoritarian again? Unthinkable I know, but ID cards will only become a tool of oppression.

  • Only Anglo-Saxon society thinks like that. I never ever see another society think like this.

    It's like seething over criminal justice system (police, court, prisons), what if govt turns authoritarian? Criminal justice system will become a tool of oppression.

    Sure criminal justice system can be and have been a tool of oppression, but no sane society would forgo criminal justice under this fear.

    • To be fair some things that are considered normal in non-Anglo Saxon societies are considered authoritarian in Anglo Saxon societies, in particular having to register your whereabouts with the government, or having to carry ID at all times.

  • The USA is currently on the road to proving you don't need mandatory identification to turn authoritarian. The Flock cameras have taken over the manual process of following people around.