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On Voting Rights and School Vouchers
A week in Tennessee politics
The Tennessee political stories I wrote about last week included tales of voter intimidation as well as obstacles to expanding the state’s school voucher scheme.
First, voting. It’s a fundamental right of Americans. The ability to participate in the selection of leaders at all levels of government is one of the things that makes democracy special.
Tennessee leaders, though, aren’t so sure everyone should be voting.
When some 14,000 naturalized citizens were sent letters from the Tennessee Secretary of State asking them to jump through more hoops to prove they were, in fact, citizens (something they’d already done), one pastor noted:
“I have voted in every election since I was eligible to vote. I, like every citizen, have to produce a valid photo ID before voting. I use my driver’s license, but I could use my passport or any other form of government ID. So, why would Mark Goins, the head of the state election commission, send letters to over 14,000 naturalized citizens in our state, asking them to go one step further than what is already required of every citizen? The only reason I can think of is voter intimidation.”
While the state works to discourage some citizens from voting, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is running into roadblocks when it comes to expanding a school voucher program.
While Democratic lawmakers oppose the voucher scheme, the chief obstacle to Lee’s goal of universal vouchers is coming from inside his own party.
Republican Todd Warner, who represents a rural district, echoes a sentiment heard from many other rural lawmakers. Essentially, suggesting that a voucher scheme would shift money from rural districts to parents in urban and suburban settings.
“I’m for less government, but it’s government’s role to provide a good public education,” he said. “If you want to send your kid to private school, then you should pay for it.”
