Letter to the editor: Voter ID, confidence in Democracy

Scott Herring. Photo submitted by Scott Herring.

I’ve been concerned by what I believe many on both sides of the political spectrum would view as the loss of confidence in institutions at all levels of society.  This loss of confidence applies to two definitions of the word; “The quality or state of being certain,” and “Faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way.” Democracy at its core is a social contract, the authority of the state given by a majority or plurality, to dictate away some of the freedoms for the collective good as seen by that group.

Not being a lawyer or even competent legal scholar by any measure, I can’t speak to the legality of many of the thing’s politicians do once they are in office. I can however speak to the Federal Constitutions Article 1 Section 4 view on state legislatures, and more pertinent to this letter North Carolinas Article 6 Section 2. On the Federal level as of writing this letter no legislation has been passed to alter the manner prescribed by the North Carolina legislature. As to the State level even prior to the amendment of Section 2, I see no issue with legislation to further validate the residency of voters as prescribed in the constitutions unchallenged sub sections.

Constitutions especially and legislation more generally are intentionally difficult to alter the course of affairs in large measure because the status quo is the consensus of the people in keeping with social contract. The very reason the constitution was amended on such a broad bi partisan basis was a reflection of the people’s desire to see such policy implemented. The post-modern shift towards judicial activism that has occurred since the Warren and Burger courts, I believe has played a central role in the undermining of institutions and the social contract that underlies them.  Rightly so people believe that the election of legislators accountable to them has been undercut by an intervening body, who is not responsive to this contract in a direct enough manner to maintain social cohesion at the desired level.

I hope that this letter persuades people of all political persuasions, that warmth and good feeling with our fellow man is something that can be achieved. A confidence in our core civic institutions both in the certainty of their authority, and of our faith that they will act in a right, proper and effective way. Let us reach out to those in our spheres of influence that we can either persuade those in power, specifically in the judicial branch, that our votes and our representatives should be respected. That our faith in the democratic process is being undermined by their intervention.

Scott Herring
La Grange NC