#384 — Stress Testing Our Democracy
Making Sense with Sam Harris
Disenfranchisement under the guise of protection
The proposal of the SAVE Act aimed at enforcing voter ID requirements is based on a false assumption that non-citizens are voting in significant numbers, when in reality, there is no evidence of this occurring. The real issue at hand is the low participation of eligible citizens in the voting process. This act reflects a misguided approach to a non-existent problem, ultimately serving to disenfranchise citizens—particularly poor individuals and racial minorities—who may not possess the required identification documents such as birth certificates or passports. Consequently, the legislation appears designed to suppress voter turnout among demographics likely to favor Democrats, creating barriers that obstruct eligible voters while failing to address the underlying need for a more engaged democratic culture in which all citizens feel empowered to vote and influence governance.
