The Political Freakshow

Rick vs. Eric: Perry Accuses Attorney General Holder of Intentionally Inciting Racial Tensions in America

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) believes that US Attorney General Eric Holder “purposefully” made remarks meant to “incite racial tensions” by talking about voter identification efforts at the NAACP.

In a statement released Tuesday, Perry calls on President Obama to apologize for Holder’s speech at the NAACP, during which he said that voter identification laws amounted to a “poll tax“:

“Perhaps while the President is visiting Texas, he can take a break from big-dollar fundraisers to disavow his Attorney General’s offensive and incendiary comments regarding our common-sense voter identification law.

“In labeling the Texas voter ID law as a “poll tax,” Eric Holder purposefully used language designed to inflame passions and incite racial tension. It was not only inappropriate, but simply incorrect on its face.

“The president should apologize for Holder’s imprudent remarks and for his insulting lawsuit against the people of Texas.”

The Department of Justice blocked Texas’s law particularly because of its negative impact on Latino voters, saying that it violated the Voting Rights Act. Indeed, Texas judges seem to agree that the voter ID law would disenfranchise voters of color.

It’s not incorrect to say that voter identification legislation effectively adds up to a poll tax: 25 percent of black and 16 percent of Latino eligible voters lack photograph identification — which can be expensive to obtain.

In fact, voter ID laws themselves may incite racial tension. A poll released yesterday revealed that people who are most supportive of voter ID efforts also tend to be those who harbor a lot of “racial resentment,” particularly toward African Americans.