The amendment opens working people up to victimization and places substantial additional hurdles before parties that must collect signatures for their candidates to appear on the ballot. In many cases the main capitalist parties--the Democrats and Republicans--are exempt from petitioning requirements. Together with requirements by a growing number of states for individuals to provide a valid Social Security number in order to get or renew a driver's license, the measure is a significant assault on workers' rights and another step towards establishment of a national ID card.

Supporters of the Equal Protection of Voting Rights bill tout it as a measure that will open the door for more people to register to vote and reduce election fraud. The Senate summary claims that it "require[s] States to meet uniform and nondiscriminatory election technology and administration requirements" by the 2004 federal elections.

The amendment--approved by voice vote with one objection--paints a different picture. It states: "It is the policy of the United States that any state may, in the administration of any voter registration or other election law, use the Social Security account numbers issued by the Commissioner of Social Security for the purpose of establishing the identification of individuals affected by such law"

Senator Jon Kyl, the sponsor of the amendment, told congress, "I believe there are currently seven states that do this. Because of the way the Privacy Act was enacted several years ago, those states were grandfathered. Others states don't have that ability."

Kyl was referring to the prohibition in the Privacy Act that prevents any federal, state, or local agency from requiring a Social Security number unless it is specifically authorized by statute or executive order.

Both the Socialist Workers Party and Libertarian Party filed suit in Delaware and Kentucky respectively and struck down those states' violations of the Privacy Act that had required petition signers to write down their Social Security numbers.

In 1994, when the Socialist Workers Party succeeded in overturning the state law, the party pointed out that such steps would be used to target individuals who sign petitions to put communists on the ballot and would strengthen moves to create a de facto national identification card with the Social Security and other identification cards.

The new amendment will now go to the House of Representatives, which is debating similar legislation.
 
 
Related article:
Probe against workers' rights  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home