The GOP, having abandoned reason almost altogether; and having lost the issues of Recession and Unemployment; and being in the process of losing on The Role Of Government - the Repubs are reverting to form by whipping the 4 Dead Horses of the Non-Apocalypse: God, Guns, Gays and Gestation, plus 1, GOTV.
Here's the gist of Virginia's Voter Registration setup vs Gun Sales per PolitiFact Virginia via Richmond TImes Dispatch:
Identification
To register to vote, you must present a document that shows your name and address. It can be a valid photo ID, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document.
To cast a ballot, you must show identification or sign a statement -- subject to felony conviction for false information -- that you are the registered voter you represent yourself to be. This requirement is being altered by the General Assembly this year, a point we’ll address later.
To buy a gun from a licensed dealer in Virginia, you must show primary and secondary forms of identification. The primary document must be a state-issued photo ID. The secondary identification just needs to contain your current address and can be a utility bill, voter registration card, bank check or hunting or fishing license.
But in the case of private guns sales -- if you buy a firearm from an individual who is not a licensed dealer -- the identification requirements go away.
Application
To register to vote, you must fill out and submit an application 22 days before a general or primary election. The form can be submitted at variety of locations or by mail.
To buy a gun from a licensed dealer, you have to submit to a computerized background check run by the state police. It’s usually completed in a matter of minutes, but can take as long as four days. The background check does not apply to private gun sales, and such transactions can occur instantly.
Disqualification
You can’t vote if you are a felon and have not had your rights restored, or if you have been judged mentally incapacitated.
Many things could turn up on a background check that would bar someone from buying a gun from a licensed dealer. They include conviction or indictment on felony charges, an outstanding warrant for a misdemeanor or felony, outstanding protective or restraining orders, use of illegal drugs, mental incompetency judgement, orders for mental health treatment, dishonorable discharge from military, and conviction on domestic violence charges.
In private sales, it is a felony to knowingly sell a gun to a person who would be disqualified under the instant background check. But there is no onus on a private seller to inquire about a buyer’s background, and no requirement that a purchaser disclose whether he or she is legally qualified to buy a firearm in Virginia.
Interesting little mash-up between Gun Rights and Voting Rights, with Repubs being far more concerned that too many of "the wrong kinda people" get to vote than they are with those gettin' to buy a gun. Classic.
No comments:
Post a Comment