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The 'Save America Act' Racist? A Poll Tax? CNN's Scott Jennings Fires Back On 'NewsNight'
On Wednesday the House passed the Save America Act which would require those registering to vote to present proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate or a passport. Those already registered would need to show up to vote with a valid photo ID like a drivers license. As Craig Bannister noted recently, even CNN pointed out that requiring voter ID is overwhelmingly popular, even with minorities. But it hasn't stopped the leftist media, CNN included, from trying to twist the requirement into an act of racism.
That spectacle was in full swing Wednesday night on CNN's NewsNight With Abby Phillip, where panelist Scott Jennings went at it with both the Host, and fellow panelist Alencia Johnson, who accused President Trump of racism, for among other things, "championing a bill that actually would take voting rights away from a lot of Black people in this country."
Jennings wasted little time responding, and he repeatedly pressed Johnson for specifics, but all he got was the Chuck Schumer talking point. The way he just asks questions and expects a logical answer really underlines weak arguments.
JENNINGS: Wait. What voting rights is he taking away from Black voters?
JOHNSON: Oh, we look at The Save Act, that's exactly what we're talking about. That is actually going to continue to disenfranchise overwhelmingly a lot of people of color.
JENNINGS: How?
JOHNSON: There are so many civil rights organizations that have run the data. If we look at the way that it is going to disenfranchise Black voters, it's the same reason why Chuck Schumer called Jim Crow 2.0.
JENNINGS: So, how?.. You haven't said how yet.
JOHNSON: I am talking about it.
JENNINGS: How?
Unable to answer Jennings, Johnson switched gears a bit.
JOHNSON: It's the way that we're putting new poll taxes on this..
JENNINGS: Poll taxes?
JOHNSON: ..That's what we can call them now. It's kind of an idiom, right? If you want to say that people have to prove that they are citizens, that they have to prove with a voter ID. The reality is you're layering what is a constitutional right for the American people and making it harder for people to vote in this country, and it's going to disenfranchise Black voters.
JENNINGS: ..Does it concern you that you're making all these claims, you've yet to layout how it's hurting anyone but 76 percent of black voters think we should show an ID to vote 80 percent of Hispanic voters, 83 percent of the American people? Are you saying that Black voters are too dumb to know what's good for them? I mean it sounds pretty condescending.
Johnson denied saying that, and then Phillips took up her cause, with more leftist talking points, as she and Jennings would talk over each other a lot.
PHILLIP: Most Americans don't have a passport. Many Americans don't have access to their birth certificate. Many women, a majority of women who change their names for marriage have to provide additional proof that they've changed their names in order to register to vote.
JENNINGS: ..You're saying married women, Black voters and rural people are too stupid to figure out how to register to vote?
PHILLIP: ..I'm just saying a fact that a majority of Americans do not have passports. Many Americans, including white people, okay, do not have their original birth certificate or access to it....
JENNINGS: I guess I have little more faith in rural America and married women than you do.
PHILLIP: ...I don't know why you're making this about whether you're smart or not.
JENNINGS: You're saying that they can't vote, that they can't figure out how to document to register to vote?
PHILLIP: ...I mean, there are elderly people in this country who are 80 years old and they haven't seen their original birth certificate in decades. They would need to provide proof of citizenship --
JENNINGS: This is fear mongering, this is scare tactics.
It is indeed both. Unless an 80 year old is registering to vote, they do not need a birth certificate to vote. And any American who does, can simply click here to get it. And they can click here to get a passport. It doesn't sound like Jim Crow to me.