Voting: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Every American deserves an equal vote. But in some states, access to voting is becoming less and less equal.
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[@Wewius]

Wait! Wait! Wait! Are you Americans serious? You DON'T have mandatory ID's for EVERY citizen? In a state of mass surveillance, you don't have this most basic thing literally ever other first world country has?

[@ArgoIo]

+Wewius Because freedom.

[@Wewius]

Lorenz Zahn What does that have to do with freedom?

[@DUSTINISMS]

+Wewius America fights mandatory IDs at every corner. The religious see it as the mark of the beast and everybody else thinks it is too much of an imposition. There is also a slippery slope argument going around that the government would implement tracking of the the mandatory IDs. So yes, Americans do not have mandatory IDs and they don't want them.

[@CalvinNL]

+Lorenz Zahn That has nothing to do with freedom. In the Netherlands, you are obligated to have an ID and it seems to be much easier than in the US.

[@ArgoIo]

***** Sorry, that was supposed to be irony. ^^"

As a European, it just sound stupid to me, that there are people without ID.

[@PerthTowne]

+Metod Rybár Most people have some form of ID, like a driver's license, a social security card, a health insurance card. But there is no national ID card that you are issued by the government. It's not stupid. It's just different than what you do.

[@555Soupy555]

as an American it sounds stupid

[@Fragtastik]

Imagine your government trying to issue 350, 000, 000 brand new national IDs at the same time.

[@Epicaq]

+Fragtastic How about starting to issue Ids when they turn old enough to vote?

[@rjfaber1991]

As a European, the whole idea of voter registration sounds stupid to me...

[@ronraybjo]

If photo id is required to vote, then the local government should be required to provide voters with id as a free government service.

[@historyoftheromans2527]

Ronny Björnstad no lol

[@DominiqueMayfield]

I agree, not everyone drives a car.

[@raccoon6903]

@@WokelandDefector who tf dont have id?

[@cameron6262]

@@raccoon6903 idiots

[@Cinna_dog_official101]

@@raccoon6903 did you hit not watch the first 5 minutes. 500,000 in texas alone

[@justinkamperveen3860]

That woman absurdly said that homeless people go to the hospital. If you can't afford a place to live, you definitely can't afford healthcare in this country

[@Mixu.]

I was slightly lost until you said "this country". I always forget how you have to pay for basically everything in the US

[@justinkamperveen3860]

@@Mixu. the back of US currency should just start saying, "if you can't pay, you die." Much more accurate than "in god we trust."

[@whoispudd2641]

Mixu we have a law that makes it ilegal to deny someone health care in cases of emergency (EMTLA) even if they can't pay. They still bill you but from my understanding there is no legal means of going after someone who doesn't pay.

[@bidmcms3]

Justin Kamperveen homeless people 100% go to the hospital. That’s where many of them get all their healthcare; ie via the emergency room.

[@bidmcms3]

Justin Kamperveen so it seems like yours was the only “absurd” statement. Let me guess, you take issue with the notion that people should have to present ID in order to vote?

[@AndorRobotnik]

WAIT, In the US not everyone has a Photo ID?

[@hannaht4612]

+El Reino de Andor Basically yes, especially if you don't drive.

[@fwuushy]

+El Reino de Andor Yeah your identification is a birth certificate or social security number if you don't have a license. So if you live inlets say Manhattan where no one has a car nearly the entire city of Manhattan would not be able to vote except for the cab drivers.

[@AndorRobotnik]

Wow.... that's really weird

[@SuperKing604]

Yeah apparently its common in canada we need id to vote and proof of address i got ride of one piece of id by merging it with my drivers license. Plus i got a passport. Voter fraud isnt a problem i guess but people need to get ID

[@AlexElkins7]

+El Reino de Andor Doesn't have to be a driver's license though. In Ohio you can get a regular state ID just for purposes of identification. Just requires an annoying trip to the dmv to get your photo taken.

[@edwardstew5873]

The main issue is that they require a photo ID. Not just any ID, you have to pay extra for that photo ID. If you're going to require it in exchange for the inherent right to vote, then give the people free photo ids.

[@bertborne9079]

+Edward Stew Don't they take pictures or bio data when they are first registered?

[@deathpony698]

+Platt Blas (in NJ at least) you just fill out some forms. I had my drivers licence then but i forget if i had to show it.

[@StevenS757]

+Dardan M being poor does not preclude your right to vote, you fucking fascist.

[@typoded]

+Dardan M fuck off are you kidding me some people literally can't afford 5 dollars

[@Gfp49]

+Edward Stew Some states, like North Carolina, offer free photo ID if you cannot afford it. Other states, like Texas, who do not offer free ID, and the Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional, so now those states are passing bills to supply free photo IDs to those who qualify in order to reenact their voter ID laws.

[@x_8643]

"Everyone's vote should count the same" *laughs in electoral college*

[@khadijahmuhammad4771]

Conservatives: Noone's vote counts more than it should Wyoming: 😬

[@sagesheahan6732]

@@khadijahmuhammad4771 great point. Both you Khadijah and x.

[@rgderen88]

See, I'd love for stupid people to not vote. Maybe then elections would be about issues again and not just popularity contests (like they have been since JFK).

[@2DRonaldo]

@@rgderen88 Already have no Democracy, so doesn't matter who the idiots vote for. It'll be a Neo-Liberal, either Centre-Right (Butti-Juice) or Authoritarian (Trump) They've already hacked Ohio and they're doing it for Nevada now, like they did last time. We have no choice.

[@ivanvoronov3871]

The US is a federal system by the constitution. The electoral college protects smaller federal subjects from a tyranny of the majority

[@tshepomasiea3985]

Free IDs. Problem solved. A lot of countries do this.

[@cedrikdurand4740]

@VIII Maus since a shit ton of African Americans and latinos don't have an ID, and are just fine, you're lying.

[@TheNinthGenerarion]

marc bienduga they wouldn’t do those things, probably because if they can’t afford to buy ID, they probably can’t afford to fly across the country

[@TheNinthGenerarion]

marc bienduga for those programs you can use any piece of identification, but for voting you need to have a photo ID that includes a signature and address, it’s a different type of ID and costs you money in every state

[@TheNinthGenerarion]

marc bienduga if it was mandated by the state and paid for, it would be much easier to access and cheaper at the very least

[@Kinja427]

James T. Kirk that is called slippery slope. Here’s what we want: accessible ids. That’s it. We don’t want a lawless society we just want access to ids to be better than ice cream at McDonald’s.

[@sarahszabo4323]

Wow, the hypocrisy of those lawmakers is astonishing.

[@obamamaniacs]

+Sarah Szabo Indeed!

[@sarahszabo4323]

obamamaniacs I mean, regardless of the issue, no matter which side you're on. Essentially double voting when you're trying to stop double voting is hypocritical.

[@obamamaniacs]

Sarah Szabo I was agreeing.

[@sarahszabo4323]

obamamaniacs I know.

[@juanito10025]

+nunayafb The asshole who's not present to vote, doesn't she or he have a representative that can vote for them. Why does it have to be someone on the floor.

[@jdliauw]

The issue seems to be getting an ID, not requiring an ID to vote.

[@SergeofBIBEK]

+Jon Liauw But it's easy. That lady had to supply three simple documents. Birth Certificate, SS Card, Death Certificate. That's not unreasonable at all... why was she even complaining?

[@AndyTabelz]

+SergeofBIBEK Because she was rejected 3 times to get a simple ID

[@SergeofBIBEK]

AndyTabelz Yeah I tend to ask what all I need the first time so I can get things done on the first go... but yeah... It does seems excessively crazy to require someone to prove who they are before giving them an ID that is supposed to prove who they are...

[@HaussPray]

+SergeofBIBEK Now, I don't know any of the facts around the circumstances, perhaps she was just being stingy. However, being 68 years old, it's very possible that she no longer has her original birth certificate or maybe was never issued one in the first place, depending on where she was born way back in the '50s. Now, yes, she can get an official reissued one from her state, however have you seen the process required to do that? Several forms, photo IDs and fees are required. The process is more asinine in most states than just obtaining a voter ID.

[@dulcetelixirdemure]

+Jon Liauw what we really need to be talking about is those elected officials who were voting twice or for other people.

[@YamiSatoshi]

As someone who was a first grader in Wisconsin, I can attest to the fact that they absolutely teach that rhyme to us.

[@totallynameless8861]

Homeless people and people with disabilities/handicaps need to be able to vote too. We always need to make an effort to listen to the most vulnerable among us before making any big decision (like choosing the leader of a country). Someone in the comments suggested that IF government IDs are necessary to vote, then they should be provided for free by the government, in an easy process that doesn't discriminate against people with limited education or mental differences.

[@bademoxy]

if you pay no income nor property taxes WHY should you have a vote when you contribute nothing but expect handouts?

[@rebecca8525]

@@bademoxy sometimes people are homeless for reasons that they can't control. For instance, if your house burns down you will be temporarily homeless until they rebuild it or you can buy a new one.

[@haberdasherrykr8886]

@@bademoxy indirect taxes are levied on literally almost everything Every ONE pays taxes idiot in some form or the other all over the fucking globe

[@hahman12]

Canadian here. What's wrong with having an ID to vote? Or is it just the system really shitty so getting an ID is a massive hassle?

[@Minimoshu]

+The End, Again yeah its pretty messed up. I'm form Europe but spent some time in NY. I was pretty amazed to realize that besides a drivers license (which not everyone one has) they have no actual other state issued ID. I mean you can apply to get a passport but very few americans do that. Also try showing your passport to buy a sixpack of beer in a store...they literally had to call someone from some regional office to be sure that a passport is a legal way to determine someones age...

[@108wee]

+Robert Marinescu yeah... America isn't the smartest country in the world... Americans will freak out at any sort of change. My dad sometimes uses half-dollars to buy stuff and one employee had to call the manager to make sure half-dollars were a real form of money. America really needs to get their shit together or at least some of it.

[@purplegill10]

+The End, Again It can be hard for some people and not for others. The most common ID here is a driver's license but you can get it taken away (as said in the video) or if, like me, you can't drive due to health issues.

[@vortical911]

+The End, Again I was born and raised in the USA and I went to get my ID when I was 23 years old (strange, I know, but I didn't need one before then for anything). It took over a month to get my ID because apparently my Social Security Card and Birth Certificate and Address Verification form were not enough to authenticate my identity. No, I needed to go to my highschool and get a transcript from them as well as a document from the Department of Education. It was nuts.

[@hahman12]

Trevor Harris Jesus thats nuts

[@bshwkrec.7189]

I'm not trying to be a dick here, but I think it's logical to show any form of ID when you vote.

[@mbanana23456]

It's called social security number, that is shown

[@bshwkrec.7189]

***** That's exactly what I mean basic ID is enough doesn't have to be a special voting ID.

[@mbanana23456]

X Maneuver they're enacting laws to force a picture id which many people can't obtain for various reasons

[@apofis231]

We do you fucking dumbass. We have to provide our drivers license which has all of our voter information in a barcode

[@nathanripley8040]

+Michael Harbach So because he doesn't agree with you or John Oliver, he needs to be shamed and disgraced? The whole way a republic works is people will disagree, debate about it, and make a compromise that can fit the needs of both parties as best as possible. If you can't handle someone that doesn't have the same belief as you or a celebrity that you like then you have major issues.

[@imperatormaximus8952]

God, this hits differently now.

[@blinkger]

Well 10 months later and Texas fucked it up even more. The US is on its way to be as democratic as Russia.

[@JLF201]

"You can't fool a breathalyzer by whispering the word 'sober' into it." 😄 I must have missed that line the first time I watched this.

[@errorrestricted]

It seems very strange to me that it is even legal to not have an ID.

[@WaywardEnding]

+zukumoko zu yea... How can an adult person not have an ID..

[@Mattia_98]

exactly

[@harrysamuel2]

+zukumoko zu I realize many younger people might not understand, but the elderly and the poor don't travel so many do not have a passport. It costs money for passports so many do not have id. Many elderly do not have driver licenses, and to spend a day in hell to renew a state issued id just means they decide they can't vote. Now the credit bureaus know who they are, they have electric bills, phone bills, PROPERTY TAX BILLS, but to vote your PROPERTY TAX BILL is not counted. The government know who we are, but they stop us from voting. OH credit cards with pictures do not count, the bank will let use spend money pay bills, but we can't use them when we vote ????

[@errorrestricted]

+Harry Samuel interesting. In my country it's impossible to get any kind of social support, or create a bank account or get a job without an id . Actually it would be even difficult to bury a person without an Id. And obviously we need Id to vote. It is still difficult, expensive and time consuming to get a passport or an id card, but nobody complains here. Doesn't not requiring an id to vote mean that illegal immigrants would be able to vote?

[@revmpandora]

+WaywardEnding Well it's a bit of a chicken and egg situation. There is no law requiring anyone to possess ID, there is no such thing as a national ID, therefore no ID issuing agency is compelled to make the acquisition of ID fiscally and logistically feasible for everyone. Many people, particularly the poor, elderly, and those without reliable transportation find it an unsurmountable burden to acquire any kind of state issued ID. For example, to get a drivers license or equivalent ID requires going to the DMV or RMV (dept egistry of motor vehicles) which being a state run organization is generally only open Monday to Friday during daytime business hours. No or very limited weekend hours and certainly closed on every possible holiday. So for many people taking the time off work to go when they're open is either logistically or economically impossible.

[@darraghtate440]

Hang on, most Americans DON'T need an ID to vote? What the hell? That is so strange.

[@darraghtate440]

Also, stop saying that the US is a democracy. It isn't. It's a republic.

[@maxstein4716]

+Darragh Tate en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_democracy

[@purpleghost106]

+Darragh Tate Dude, it's a democratic republic. I am not sure if you realize, based on how strongly you're making your statement, but these things are not mutually exclusive; and in fact the USA is literally both.

[@theamericanorange3084]

It's more that it is both hard to get an id in the first place, and it is hard to get the right id. Basically it is used to get rid of the people who want to vote for Obama and other democrats

[@cyphermasq7870]

+TheAmericanOrange that's just plain incorrect, it's true that not everyone has an ID but it's not hard, at least not in Wisconsin to get one. The voter ID laws were put in place to protect the right to vote because democrats were abussing it. During the last few governor elections there were groups literally ferrying in people from other states to try to make sure walker wasn't elected. It's way more common than Oliver makes it out to be. It's not about racism it's about making sure the system works. To claim otherwise is sophistry abc race baiting.

[@purpleflametarot39]

It's not so much about an ID. It's that they want a PARTICULAR ID, that has to be purchased..

[@srccde]

So? In Germany, you are by law required to have an ID (not just for voting) and you still have to pay for it yourself. It's just a few euros every few years - and there are programs to help people who can't even afford that. It's simple but america doesn't want simple. They want drama.

[@Ali-gh7rj]

Karafallout 1992 No democrats want illegal immigrants and want to comment fraud in order to win. They use their corrupt media to brainwash and indoctrinate people’s mind so they don’t think for themselves. Fucking snowflake go educate yourself and wake up

[@some-one-else]

Ace Inferno How many illegal immigrants voted? How much voter fraud did the democrats commit? Got your answer? Okay good, now prove it.

[@yorkiemom6144]

@@srccde I agree. Not having the places to get ID open is a problem, but the cost? I'm sorry I don't see it. The id itself cost 20 and a copy of your birth certificate is 10. That's $30 total, or fifteen cents a week (4 years between presidential elections). I've been poor, still think I could have managed 2 cents a day.

[@srccde]

@@yorkiemom6144 And even if you hadn't been able to afford that, you could've applied for a help program to help you. As far as I understand, since every german citizen is required to own an ID, the state is also bound to give out help in dire cases because it might otherwise (at least morally) incriminate itself.

[@seanmatyas3938]

When i became an united way volunteer i had to take a simulation of the challenges someone may have to go through just to get the most basic things like groceries or cashing a cheque. It was only an hour but it opens your eyes. I think anyone working in a position of power that can dictate how people live should have to live like someone below the poverty line for a month just to see what their policies actually to do these people.

[@txlee5513]

Oh but they know. They are doing this on purpose

[@johnpinkston3818]

If these people really gave a damn about the quality of our voting, they wouldn't gerrymander the hell out of our districts and enact stupid voting laws.

[@hundejahre]

+John Pinkston Thank You.

[@detox4u]

both parties gerrymander dummy

[@MrAndrewtheguru]

+detox4u "Everyone's doing it, so it can't be wrong" is a terrible way to look at our political system. That can only serve to hurt the integrity of our already failing democracy.

[@bandmanager007]

+detox4u Where did he mention which party? He just said in general....dummy!

[@DavidJGillCA]

+John Pinkston Who are the hell are"THESE PEOPLE"? It's not the staff at "Last Week Tonight," so what's the point of your comment?

[@Checkzover]

It's an ID !!! They're not asking for your first born son, it's just an ID

[@matthewh2549]

+Checkzover Did you watch the video?

[@canefreak12]

+Checkzover You missed the point. These people have ID's. The states are asking for Picture ID's which are not necessary for any other aspect of normal life except now to vote.

[@roar9019]

+Checkzover you seem butthurt about losing the civil war

[@muffinman5741]

+canefreak12 well then they should make foto id obligatory for anyone like u know every othrr country in the world.

[@Leviathon672015]

+Checkzover Original birth certificate, original social security card and original death certificate of your husband to get the voter ID. Watch the fucking video, you idiot.

[@vandayshataylor4096]

“This is an agrarian economy” that’s what I thought as a child. They need those! 😭😭😭😭😂❤️

[@mattjamison484]

So many fairytales have not aged well.

[@jamalhartley5863]

When you sit and think about it. Yeah. That was a bit of an overreaction.

[@jaycievictory8461]

@@jamalhartley5863 Kings for you 😉

[@teamvlcn6820]

What is an agrarian economy?

[@Kalandra86]

@@teamvlcn6820 one where the economy is based on farm production ie: crops, wool, meat.

[@UD2]

As a Canadian, I laughed at this 4 years ago and I am still laughing at this now.

[@CondosNkarens]

You’re lucky

[@vandy2019]

Here's an idea... If they want to enact these laws... Provide, for free, voter ID cards with a picture of the voter on the card. Problem solved...

[@DavidJGillCA]

+Eric Vandernoot No it's not solved. Do you want a national ID? lots of people don't. But you don't get what the issue is all about. Voter ID laws are being passed to reduce turn out for Democrats. THAT 'S IT - THAT'S THE PURPOSE!! There is no real purpose for needing an ID ....and, by the way are states passing these laws funding an effort to make sure all registered voters have ID? No.

[@vandy2019]

Oh, I understand the issue full well. I watch Newsroom. They covered this topic in some detail on the final episode of season 1. The main purpose is to stop people that won't vote for them from voting. I'm just saying to the Rep. politicians that want to pass these laws and stick by them that if they're going to pass these laws, they need to issue voter cards with picture IDs for free. That way they stop the "voter fraud" and no one loses their right to vote.

[@Kelly-ik6pn]

They already do

[@vandy2019]

No my sweet Summer child. They do not.

[@sabin97]

+Eric Vandernoot i think that's what's done in pretty much every country....except usa for some reason.

[@MrHashemt]

I don't mind the ads. I don't mind the buffer. But when the ads buffer, I suffer

[@runningwithSaul]

+MrTeebzHD Never heard of that but that's gooood!

[@kah0922]

+MrTeebzHD Cool story bro.

[@Trithis2077]

+MrTeebzHD Adblock would do you wonders

[@Xoediac]

+MrTeebzHD But, we need to let people peddle stupid shit in 1080p. Drink this drive that fuck you welcome to america!

[@ashtonleo1418]

वाह उस्ताद, बहुत खूब👏👏👏

[@damshek]

1. It is the government's job to issue every citizen with an ID, for free or a symbolic small fee. If getting an ID is unreasonably difficult or expensive, it's a broken system. 2. The idea that you can rock up at the booths, vote and go, with no registration being made that it's you who has actually voted, is insane. Why not just wave your hands in the air and let some random guy count it, while you're at it?

[@jeddgangman4502]

damshek we have that last part in the form of caucuses

[@ZeStreD]

Its called elections in the town hall of a New Hampshire mountain village and its usually the first set of votes to get counted in each election. At least the shit-show voting system starts right off the bat 6 feet under. Still not as bad as the Iraqi elections though.....

[@jb888888888]

It varies by state but in all but one state you do have to register in order to vote. At that point you do have to provide ID (usually more than one) to prove that you're you and you live at the address you're claiming to live at. Once you've registered, unless you move you don't have to re-register for each election. If your doing same-day registration then you have to show ID (usually more than one) to prove both that you're you and you live where you claim to, same as if you had registered beforehand. Having registered, when you go to vote in a non-ID state your signature is your ID. You sign an affidavit saying "I'm me" and your signature is compared to a database copy of the signature you provided when you registered. If they match (which is 99% of the time) then you vote, and you're record is marked as having voted so you may not vote again. If the signature doesn't match the election judge can ask for additional ID such as a utility bill or credit card (again it varies by state), for which you've already demonstrated that you're you.

[@Resi1ience]

"Alright, it's voting time. Everyone in America who wants a democrat, move to the North and stand out on the streets. Republicans, same, but South. We'll do a fly-by and let a guy with binoculars eyeball the hands and tell us who the next president is."

[@Valyssi]

I agree, although I do have to add, there are safety measures in place against the latter. You sign an affidavit which means you can be prosecuted for a significant fine and jailtime if you impersonate another voter. Your vote will also be invalidated if the person you claim to be is not registered to vote. If the person you impersonate happens to also vote, your votes would come into conflict. The real person would get called, they would confirm their real vote (same as they would with signature verification) and you would be at significant risk of prosecution. I believe being found guilty also makes you permanently ineligible to vote, meaning you'd waste your future legal votes. All in all it'd be one of the dumbest crimes you could commit and there are far more efficient ways to commit voter fraud if it were desired. All that said, it'd be much better for democrats and republicans alike to get this over with. Provide everyone with free government photo ID upon request. If people without ID are truly as rare as republicans claim, such an effort can't cost any more than the amount spent every election on litigation, recounts etc.

[@ivanahugankiss8414]

I just realized I'm running out of John Oliver videos 😭 I've seen almost all of these now

[@stefanozurich]

If voting fraud means 5 years in jail, shouldn't every politician be in prison?

[@stefanozurich]

***** Shouldn't something be done about it rather than accepting that sorr of bullshit from them?

[@RadiantSolarWeasel]

+stefanozurich Only elected officials are in a position to do something about it, and if a majority of them don't want to, it won't change.

[@typoded]

+stefanozurich yay america!!

[@stefanozurich]

+RadiantSolarWeasel Politicians don't have immunity, lock them all up for a weekend. Give them a taste of 5 years in prison. You've gotta bring them back down to earth somehow.

[@James_Wisniewski]

+stefanozurich Pretty much every politician in America should be in prison for a fuck of a lot more than that. American politicians are so corrupt that politician voting fraud is by far the least of our worries.

[@HolgerJakobs]

Why isn't a photo id given to everybody like it is in most European countries? Even refugees get an id within days after arrival (although they aren't allowed to vote).

[@WhoopsImhere]

Here is the shit land of 'Merica we must spend our money to get some plastic with your picture and name on it. The homeless need food not plastic and some of us 'Mericans need to pay bills instead of buying plastic.

[@obamamaniacs]

+Holger Jakobs Capitalism at it's finest is Why.

[@SirFelyne]

+Whoops Imhere Uhhhhh........ How the fuck will that cost more than the fucking Voter IDs you get now?

[@gnarlyneurosis6351]

+Holger Jakobs because they actually are given to immigrants for free... this is just propagandist bullshit

[@magan847]

In my state of Washington to sign up and get an ID it costs around $60

[@catherinestickels2591]

I'm glad to live in Washington State, where we've made it as easy as possible to vote. I can't imagine life without mail-in ballots.

[@jjp7914]

Some native Americans do not have ID's as they live on reservations. That's not even the most important point. The point is they called for ID's from states they didn't want to lose to a Democrats running,at the LAST minute. When the republican party saw their numbers were too close for comfort,they got nervous and orrin hatch shit his depends.

[@Joe_J-MT_Boy]

It's REAL important in Heidi Heitkamp's state as the Native American vote may just help her keep her Senate seat. So if the GOP can put in place Voter ID laws that are so restrictive to tribal members they may just win my cheating... and that's what Mr. Mueller is working on now only on a much larger scale.

[@bademoxy]

provide EVIDENCE that natives or any other citizens are prevented by law from obtaining photo ID . you can't , so STFU

[@fruitygarlic3601]

@@bademoxy "There's no law against it, so it's not a problem." Always a classic with people who can't use two braincells at the same time.

[@pamgreen7178]

It’s the Democrats that do not want voter ID and cannot win an election unless they cheat. Republicans offered to pay for the voter IDs but they still didn’t want them

[@panicatdx]

i'm from europe so maybe that's a weird question but.... why would you not have an ID?

[@panicatdx]

like of course you need an ID.. how else would the people at the polls know that you're actually you????

[@bailieboo6502]

We don't have specific IDs that just state who we are. We use things such as drivers licenses, passports, military ID, things that can expire or be taken away. My grandmother never learned how to drive, so there was no reason for her to get a drivers license. Some people lose their licenses because of DUIs or things like that. Just a lot of technicalities. EDIT: I got it, my bad. Ya'll can stop correcting me now. But I have never seen a basic state ID my whole life, so I was unaware that we had them.

[@filipe5722]

+panicatdx I guess, first was the country of migrants thing and everyone can vote that shaped American voting history, which was good at the time, but now having an national ID would probably mean, for the American people, a way for them to be controlled for the government, so they don't have one national ID. In my view, is kind of historical symbolism and paranoiac fear that shapes the population opinion towards ID.

[@chillaholic]

+Max S. Same here in Germany, with the difference that here you need to have an ID. You dont always need to have it with you, but you need at least have a valid ID at home. It stays property of the state and you are not allowed to give it away to someone else.

[@chewie481]

+panicatdx Well I'm from Switzerland (and trust me, we do *a lot* of voting, there's one next week and at least one more this year) and I do not have to provide ID at the ballet. What I do have to provide is a signed paper that's dealt with separately from the thing that states my actual vote.

[@kathrinbaka7338]

Wtf? You are pissed off for requirement of an ID? In Germany you cant even travel with every train ticket without ID o_O how the hell do you live without ID or some pictured document..

[@obamamaniacs]

+Kathrin Baka-dono even in Germany there are farmers who've never been outside their city who may not have photo ID.

[@xBris]

+obamamaniacs It's legally required for every German to either own a photo id (Personalausweis) or a passport. You don't have to have it with you - you just need to own it. And btw: our farmers are first-world citizens, too.

[@kathrinbaka7338]

Yeah same here, so I dont get, why its not legally required to have a freaking ID. This is what puzzles me way more than the stuff John talks about.

[@obamamaniacs]

xBris I don't know about that assertion. I lived in Hamburg and traveled throughout Germany. Some are really not so cosmopolitan.

[@kathrinbaka7338]

Refugees also get Photo-Documents, sadly it takes hell of a long time to get a german passport. And Obamaniacs as said, not every trainticket needs an ID. I just wanted to underline, that I couldnt live without one and I think its part of a modern state that every citizen has at least one Document for identification.

[@PalmBalms]

I loved that lady that said ( I'm not bin ladens wife) I started rolling in the floor

[@yazminmata809]

i'm glad you brung it up i've been dying to talk about this

[@lars9925]

The US has no modern system to register its population. In Germany, for example, everyone over 16 has a detailed identity card (Personalausweis) and of course you have to carry it to vote in the elections. Everyone should have such an ID, not just for the elections, but in general, it makes the work of the police easier (e.g. it makes identity theft and illegal employment harder).

[@Qfungi]

Didnt you germans come up with an ID system involving little stars to make the jobs of police easier? Then you wonder why people are resistant about being put into government databases. Obviously joking, but fuck Nazis.

[@Qfungi]

@@pilattebe thats understandable. I dont personally see it as black and white either. But no one should be immune to being made fun of.

[@raryraru]

@Elliot UNDERHILL He was just whataboutism'ing. Leave him to his stupidity.

[@Qfungi]

Lol I feel like Joker in Dark Knight.. Why soo serious!!!

[@0HollowTubes0]

@@Qfungi Modern day Germany is actually rather resistant to identification laws and privacy infringement, compared to surrounding nations, due to this. Facebook has had some real issues in Germany due to this.

[@Jane009T]

I'm not American and we do require to show IDs to vote, but that's because the IDs are given to us since everyone turns 15.

[@metropolisatlantas]

Yeah, this video is kinda useless.

[@petersears7426]

+Andrius Mindaugas Bloznelis agreed

[@trisscar05]

+Andrius Mindaugas Bloznelis So you think. ID's can cost actual money to get here in Murica. Choose between food this week and an ID to vote in an election in which most people think their votes don't matter, please. Not to mention the hassle that lady he showed went through, oh, and don't forget that even if we were to try to set up an automatic, free, and all-covering ID assignment program right now, these same politicians would likely do their best to ruin the idea as fast and as completely as possible.

[@fawkzzz428]

+Andrius Mindaugas Bloznelis How is it useless? These fuckers are making it harder for people to vote.

[@gublinchscrivener7891]

+Andrius Mindaugas Bloznelis It's easy to say it's useless when you aren't actively dealing with this problem in your own country. Wow, did I just accuse someone of having privilege because they *aren't* in the USA? This is such a strange feeling. Kind of giddy! I can feel the imaginary righteousness flowing to my head already...I'm off to hashtag something about a matriarchy and reverse racism!

[@ninalee8625]

I once tested our system in Oregon by sending my son's ballot in and signing it for him. I was surprised it was rejected as they said the signature didn't match. I trust the system now.

[@cggc9510]

I applaud your experiment, but why are we relying on a system that uses the easiest thing to forge and the thing that changes often to confirm an identity? While I don't agree with ID laws, they do make a bit of sense. That said, the ID should be one that is accessible to all and doesn't require 8 other documents to get. Talking to you NY, OH, and AK!

[@bryanhendrix1113]

"Stabby Crab" always gets me. I love that little guy.

[@100nni]

I think the fact that many people don't have an id is quite a bigger problem

[@armstrongali16]

👌

[@pookz3067]

+100nni The same people who want stricter voter ID don't support making it easier to get IDs. It's systematic disenfranchisement.

[@stephan2053]

+Thanatos I'm pretty sure when you register to vote you have to prove that you're a citizen.

[@stephan2053]

+Thanatos who in the world said Democrats do not want to do any of those reforms? Where's the proof? If anything it should be the representatives or senators who support these voting rights bills who should answer the question of why they do not simultaneously make it easier to get voter ID's, especially representatives and senators who are being hypocritical in their support for these bills when they do voter impersonation in legislatures, where it really counts. They said in interviews that the whole point of the ID laws was to screw over voters and help the candidate they support win for crying out loud! They need to answer for this obvious restriction of democracy.

[@James-pj4ez]

You do NOT have to prove you are a citizen to vote. You just state that you are under penalty of perjury. Basically it only matters if someone finds out that you aren't or you later apply to be a citizen (then they check to see if you ever voted and if you did then deny your citizenship).

[@Xaw13]

It's actually the first LWT I disagree with... showing an ID to vote is just logical to me. John Oliver missed the point here: the problem is not showing an ID or not, it's the accessibility to an actual ID card. Every European citizen has an ID from their country, other than a driver license or an insurance card. Why does America not have this?

[@tristanking151]

+Xaw13 Because here in America, we charge anywhere between $20-$70 for said ID. We don't have the luxury of free ID's because that would be "anti-American" according to some of our radical groups. We show ID to register to vote initially, and once we get our registration card, then we use that to vote. It seems overly complicated, yes, but it means you don't have to show an ID every time you go to the booth to vote. Now, these new laws requiring ID's to vote on top of a registration card seem redundant, don't they?

[@munstergirl25]

+Xaw13 Actually, not all European countries do ID Cards. In the UK you mainly rely on your passport (which not everyone owns) or Driving licence as well. I don't object to showing ID at the voting stations, but the question of how hard ID is to get, is a relevant one.

[@elhoward7440]

+Xaw13 There are many valid forms of identification other that a picture ID. I.e. all those forms of identification one is required to present to get a picture id in the first place.

[@emantabrizi]

+Xaw13 No, YOU missed the point. Voter fraud is NOT a problem. Therefore, voter ID laws are correcting a problem that doesn't exist. They are being put in place for one purpose: to disenfranchise minorities.

[@jeffreytan2333]

+Xaw13 Agreed. Help everyone vote by making access to IDs easier and drop the price until it's essentially free.

[@lotta7235]

How can they make it so difficult to get an id? 😳 Everyone needs an id. This is beyond crazy...

[@eugenioconti4688]

I thought I had already heard some of the craziest things about US... and there are many. But I guess you never stop getting surprised. How the hell do you even live without an ID. I mean this is like the first thing a federal government should do. Release an ID for each citizen. Then each citizen go to vote with that. Why do you even feel the need to make things more complicated?

[@broddr]

Eugenio Conti -- why would I need an ID? We don't have universal health care, and I don't buy products like tobacco or alcohol that require proof of age. In an urban area and some suburban areas there's enough public transport that one doesn't need a drivers license. It was several years before I finally got my drivers license. And I often don't have it on my person when I'm just walking to the supermarket or riding my bicycle. The state I grew up in only required my voter registration card (bare cardboard with no picture). And I was only asked for it the first time I voted. After that the poll worker would simply compare my current signature with my signatures from the prior times I had voted. So anyone trying to impersonate me would have to know my signature and be a good and fast forger.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

@@broddr how about opening a bank account, having a job, renting pretty much anything, interacting with any institution or government entity, getting a phone subscription. None of these institutions or service providers will even talk to you if you can not prove that you are who you say you are, anything that possibly involves dealing with personal or private information requires you to prove that you are who you say you are in order to make sure nobody else can have acces to it.

[@broddr]

Baron von Limbourgh -- I've never needed an ID to get a job, when I opened my credit union account, to rent anything, or to get mobile or landline phone service. Of course that excludes renting a car, but that is less for identity and more to prove that you have a valid license to drive the vehicle you're renting. Seriously, do you even live in the US?

[@tifforo1]

People don't want a national id card because they think it's dystopian.

[@broddr]

meh! -- but a Social Security Card is not proof of ID. And the original legislation that established SS Numbers stated that explicitly. Look at your SS Card closely and you'll see that printed right on it, it states that it is not to be used for ID. Of course many states and employers have ignored that part of the law, e.g. by improperly reusing SSN for driver's license number or employee ID number. Stupidity like that makes identity theft _so_ much easier. Yes, every job I have had has asked for my SSN, because they need it for tax purposes, and sometimes used it for a credit check. Because for some reason many believe that good credit means a good employee. But none ever asked me to show the physical card. And only jobs that required driving for the company ever asked for my driver's license. That's because states allow non-citizens to get a driver's license. All you need to provide is proof of legal residency. At least one state doesn't even require that, just proof of residency. So even a driver's license is not proof of citizenship, unless a state distinctively marks non-citizen licenses. Or records citizenship status in its license database and electronically validates each license at voting time. That's what happens in my state, which can make for long lines at polling places when the system bogs down.

[@Scyths1]

To be fair, I strongly believe that the US is one of the most fucked up country in the world in some areas, but I would also strongly argue that having an ID is the most basic thing as a citizen and the requirement to show it when you vote is a simple required one. John Oliver likes to compare much of the american systems to the ones in europe, guess what, in most countries in europe if not all, you are required to have your ID when you go to vote.

[@Rodman200818]

+Scyths1 The problem in the US is that getting an ID isn't trivial, which is a barrier to certain groups of people, thus a significant portion of them cannot gain access to voting. The ID should be a right, just as voting is a right -- and accessible to all. But it isn't.

[@greg.sym.4115]

They don't have standard issue ids. It's weird but true. So they need a drivers license or something similar which isn't universal and can under some circumstances be confiscated.

[@jurjen1504]

+Scyths1 as far as I know, in most (western) european countries you're pretty much required to have at least some form of ID with you all the time, and you need it to proof who you are to either police or something like hotels or campsites, and to have proof of your age with anything age-restricted

[@MidnightPictures]

+Scyths1 In Hungary, and I think in most European countries you are obligated to have an ID on you at all times, how on earth wouldn't you need it when voting?

[@larrywolf2509]

+Scyths1 John isn't stupid. He knows *exactly* what he's going on about. He wants anybody anywhere to walk into a polling place and be able to cast votes... In a nation full of people who have no Constitutional right to cast those votes. John knows exactly how those people would vote.

[@EsprittGames]

nothing better than LWT at 1:30 AM

[@xBinksy]

+Espritt what about 2:30 am

[@EsprittGames]

***** even better

[@PlamenDrop]

+Espritt I can confirm that 2:30 is better

[@TylerDehan]

+Espritt so there is something better after all

[@ModCraftServer]

+Espritt 1:39 am here. Love John Oliver.

[@kennethmaples3982]

Mr. Oliver, I've been binge watching you on KZbin for the past few days. I know you are left of normal as I am right of normal. I think you are not for legalized abortion unless it's medically necessary or in case of rape or incest. I agree with that seeing as I have a daughter. Not sure on your take on socialism from your story on Venezuela. Other than some Trump rants you definitely bring to light many problems in our country and around the world. Thank you for doing so. I'm not a smart man but I know what fucked up is. I thank you and your researchers for their diligence.

[@jeremiahdempsey4334]

This is a very respectful and nice comment. If you are educating yourself on both sides of the political spectrum, you're probably smarter than you give yourself credit for

[@snowjob1954]

Well said.🙏

[@bhnnad]

How about everyone who suggests you need an ID pass a law that gives out state IDs for everyone free of charge like they do in other countries?

[@eleanortaylor4768]

They charge you for ID passes?! I was kind of against John here, like "all you have to do is click a few buttons online and scan your birth certificate" but they charge you?! M8 America is confusing.

[@margaret928]

+Eleanor Taylor yeah they charge you that is why people call it a modern day poll tax for the poor.

[@eleanortaylor4768]

+margaret928 You poor sods, my country is far from perfect but boy America has got issues buddy. Good luck son, I wish you well.

[@margaret928]

+Eleanor Taylor Thank you, we need it. But that is part of the reason people find it offensive :)

[@Andrew-pi3xl]

ID should be necessary, Any of which should work a passport , a drivers license , birth certificate, a non driving ID card. Your vote is important and nobody should be able to use your vote. I don't know how people operate without ID its needed for so many things. Plus its not the governments fault for you not having the responsibility to go get one.

[@TheFoolishSamurai]

+dawn wolf Voter ID Fraud is pretty much non-existent, actually watch the video.

[@Andrew-pi3xl]

+Mario Hyrulia That has nothing to deal with it. You are voting for who you think should run the country . Its important and even if it is not common it shouldn't be possible in the first place and asking for 1 piece of ID to prove who you say you are is not that much to ask. And thanks for the advice but I already watched the video.

[@TheFoolishSamurai]

dawn wolf "Asking for 1 piece of ID" pretty much requires showing ALL of your obscure papers.

[@Andrew-pi3xl]

+Mario Hyrulia to get 1 piece of ID in the first place does yes. Which is why people take the responsibility to get there ID before they actually need it. Those "Obscure" papers are all important and if you cant keep them strait that is your fault and not the governments. If they need a "Voters ID" specifically then ya it can be a convoluted system but there is nothing wrong with a system if all they need is just 1 random ID to prove who they say they are.

[@Avrysatos]

+dawn wolf They're not letting people register to vote with their birth certificate, didn't you watch the video?

[@ShawnsterVideos]

Thank you, again.

[@crlhr123]

Well said

[@Echa37-H37]

You do not know how long I waited here on the other side of the world

[@jirobow]

+Hersa37 I know your feel bro.

[@diansoegito7175]

yeeeesss!!!!!!

[@Animaniacs11]

+Hersa37 Ditto

[@jemroko7887]

what?

[@9erner]

Me too...

[@Duo_Fish]

I'd recommend checking out CGP Grey's videos about voting as well if you want to learn more.

[@gyugyua]

+Duo Fish Fancy seeing you here! Also, I agree that it's best to check out CGP's stuff.

[@SaiprasadPrabhu]

+Duo Fish Exactly ! +1

[@averytaylor7823]

CGP Grey is the best :)

[@r.b.4611]

+Kahler Jex Only in the sense that it's better than Britain's. In the scheme of potential voting systems that aren't in use, Australia's alternate voting system still isn't great. Better than FPTP for sure though.

[@shieh.4743]

+Matthew Taylor I love him too! I love his stuff on STVs.

[@lilieallison1720]

I bow down deeply, roll my hand three times and tip my hat to you sir. I didn’t think it was possible to change my mind on this subject but it appears you have. 👏 Bravo. It also made me really look at the plight of the working class people in sleeping beauty so double bravo to you. 👏

[@neillinneball]

You are the best...please keep doing your show

[@divyanshusingh3937]

In India, we have a special ID for voting. You need IDs for voting. By the way, they are free.

[@OemmaGeom]

John Oliver also said that obtaining ID needed for voting may be very hard to obtain (office is open 4 days a YEAR)

[@Ben-bt9qr]

same in France

[@HarryPotter-ix9ln]

My ID was 50$ and I had to take off work for the day and spend 6 hours at the DMV. To wait for them just to copy my ID and give it to me. America is fucked

[@simonwellsted]

They are not trying to stop voter frauds more like stop people who would not vote for them from voting

[@NLTops]

@@HarryPotter-ix9ln I live in the Netherlands. replacing an ID costs 50 bucks. But it doesn't take me anywhere near 6 hours. Instead there are 2 appointments made at my own leasure. On the first you just bring over a photo for the ID (and you have to know your personal details including a CSN (Citizen Service Number) to prove your identity. On the second you pick the thing up and pay for it. Excluding (negligible) travel time, it took me at most 30 minutes. The flip side is, if you just show up hoping they have some time between appointments you could end up waiting a long time. They advise everyone to just make an appointment.

[@TheoneandonlyDrops]

Wait Americans aren't required to have IDs? THAT sounds way crazier than requiring an ID to vote. I've had a (mandatory) Birth certificate, Passport and photo ID since I was 16. And getting a new one (here) is a matter of 10 minutes to a maximum of an hour...

[@internetceo]

I totally agree with you. This sounds crazy :'D not having an ID sounds pretty illegal to me.

[@ProjectRedfoot]

Massachusetts arrests you for not carrying ID

[@shaamaan]

I'm from Poland, a backwards country when you look at our insane politics. But we have IDs. Having an ID is mandatory once someone is over 18 years old. You don't need to have it on you at all times, but you must own it. Heck, there's even a fine if you forget to renew it in time.

[@ProjectRedfoot]

yah huh

[@TheoneandonlyDrops]

***** No it isn'T, the point is it SHOULD be (and the ID issuing offices should be more easily accessible)

[@uthmanbaksh3530]

Watching this on Super Tuesday 2020!

[@williamperez5537]

Awesome 👌 show as always 👏

[@TheodoreCaesarMoseby]

Wait... A John Oliver video... Available in Australia?!?!

[@stanmckhanic2554]

+Theodore Caesar Moseby shhhhh, maybe they haven't noticed yet.

[@henryhill92]

+Theodore Caesar Moseby Yeah I was thinking that, either they've decided to stop being pricks or someone made a boo-boo

[@TheodoreCaesarMoseby]

+Stan Mckhanic The gods descended from the HBO satellites, and gave us a miracle, even for a small time, before an asteroid will eventually destroy the satellite.

[@Denz292]

+Theodore Caesar Moseby I cried with tears of joy

[@racershot2860]

Finally Australia is a little less crap now because john oliver has blessed us, praise be praise be

[@JohnDoe-en2nh]

Activities where requiring a photo ID is apparently not racist: Purchase alcohol, purchase cigarettes, open a bank account, apply for food stamps, apply for welfare, apply for medicaid, apply for social security, apply for a job. apply for unemployment, rent a house, buy a house, apply for a mortgage, drive a car, rent a car, buy a car, get on an airplane, get married, purchase a gun, adopt a pet, rent a hotel room, apply for a hunting license, apply for a fishing license, buy a cell phone, visit a casino, get a prescription, hold a rally or protest, donate your blood, buy an "M" rated game

[@TroyVan6654]

+John Doe Don't forget going to a rated-R or NC-17 movie.

[@Trekari]

+John Doe How many of those activities are Constitutionally-protected rights? Oh, none of them? Go fuck yourself.

[@TroyVan6654]

+Jason “Wizard” Cavanaugh OK, so the status of a benefit as constitutionally mandated or not can affect whether requiring ID for it is racist. Got it. But if I may ask: why?

[@cookiebandit18]

+Troy Van Those rights are mandated because we've all agreed that every human should have access to them. It's very important to a democracy that all groups get proper representation. Putting barriers up for voting hurts that system which has a lot bigger of an impact than being able to buy booze.

[@TroyVan6654]

+cookiebandit18 I do agree on this point. What I was refuting is the point the second reply seems to make that the constitutional status of a benefit affects whether regulating it can be seen as racist.

[@jamesdunn1112]

A good way to break down the issues in simple terms.

[@JLF201]

I was one of those people who simply thought photo ID makes sense because everyone has one. I see it differently now. I love this show. I learn and I laugh.

[@rustyyb8450]

Government needing to identify individuals before paying unemployment or other benefit is racist!

[@JLF201]

@@rustyyb8450 Provide for a free ID, a convenient location to obtain the ID, and a way for people to fill documentation gaps. It's not rocket science, but it does require a bit of consideration.

[@rustyyb8450]

​@@JLF201 LOL. How do these folk survive without an ID? I'd like to understand how they are able to survive and remain out of the governments purview. Got no ID, the government doesn't know about your right? Who employs you? Can't buy smokes. Can't buy alcohol. Can't enter bars. There must be more can'ts :p Voting is the least problem.

[@JLF201]

@@rustyyb8450 You are correct; there are a lot of "can'ts" for people without photo ID. I would not classify voting as the least problem though.

[@rustyyb8450]

@@JLF201 So how do these people survive between elections without an ID?

[@Ebob101]

Honestly that thing about legislators voting on behalf of each other while they're not looking is so funny, they're like little kids sneaking extra cookies or something, it's so immature and ridiculous that you almost forget how fraudulent and hypocritical it is.

[@chocolatebudgie]

+pallersen Nope, American politicians are just very good at appearing wholesome and honest and reasonable when they are nothing of the sort. Both parties, all levels. Never listen to what a politician says, only watch what they do.

[@Jatt2613]

+Ebob I do think it's wrong and a bad practice, but I don't think they're voting for each other to try to steal votes. It seems like they're voting for other members of their party who are missing for whatever reason. I can sort of see both sides ... if they're missing, they shouldn't get a vote, but why should a bill fail just because one supporter was grabbing some food or something? But yeah, still probably a bad practice.

[@Ebob101]

Man, even if it is innocent (which it doesn't seem like it is) "they were getting food so I voted for them" just sounds so unprofessional to me, like, these are people who make the rules Americans have to live by, they shouldn't be having button-pressing contests at work :/

[@jonathanstegeman3132]

+Ebob This post made my day.

[@Jabberwocky869]

I don't understand why the US relies so much on drivers license as a form of ID. Here in Germany every citizen gets so called Personalausweis (an ID card) at 16 but you can actually have it since birth). Not everyone has a drivers licence or wants to have one.

[@slemm8335]

Kathrin Fuchs we can get those here too. but people are too stupid to go get them. some states even offer them for free!

[@yvetteesandoval6638]

Kathrin Fuchs three million voters were found to be illegal voters, therfor trump won popular vote, google it share it

[@PedroToledo.]

Here in Brazil of all countries you need a day tops to get a voting ID.

[@FUCK1980]

Yvette Sandoval That's just not true.

[@slickm7]

Basically everyone here has a driver id and drives basically everywhere

[@sharongillesp]

I'm a Democrat and against voter suppression however, everyone should have a voter ID - why waste our time fighting republicans over voter ID? A voter ID is your ID for citizenship. Democrats should run a mass voter ID registration campaign.

[@rahulpanicker1453]

Exactly. I have the same question. I'm from India and everyone has some form of ID or the other (ours is called an Aadhar card) that enables us to vote/avail other government services.

[@sylviapiggott4213]

Listened to Anastasia, what talent. I am a fan. Good luck in winning a grammy, so early in your career. Cheers, Sylvia

[@rubyia312]

To be clear nothing is wrong with getting an ID; ideally, everyone should have such identification. The problem arises when it is disproportionately more difficult for poorer demographics to get one.

[@chimmon19]

Couldn't have said it better!

[@zachglover3428]

+Angela Siu Right? They could make them free and all you have to do is show your birth certificate or SS card, but they make them way harder than that to use and of course charge a fee to do it

[@vinwald]

+Angela Siu It's actually very easy, and not that expensive. See details here... www.dmv.org/wi-wisconsin/id-cards.php Such items should not be a problem for any legal resident of the state. Although I understand concern about it being disproportionately difficult for illegal residents. And as for the endless parade of bullshit spewed by John Oliver, I'll just copy/paste a previous post I had made: John Oliver is a total douche. Always will be. I guess I hate being lectured to by a Brit, who is extremely selective in the information he provides. It's very, very easy to get a WI (non-driving) ID card... and not limited to the cherry-picked Sauk County location he was referring to. But even if we are to take some poor soul who faces that dilemma in Sauk County, they could go to any DMV office - in any county - which will suffice regardless of where the individual actually lives.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

+vinwald Illegals shouldn't be voting period, so that shouldn't even enter into the discussion.

[@xzst]

Why the fuck are there so many people who dont have an ID in the USA? Everyone has an ID in Europe, how else would you be able to vote or do basic stuff like paying taxes or proving you are old enough for beer?

[@sundustii]

+smok3ybg they're not given to us and it's not mandatory to have them; tbh a lot lot of people don't. I didn't actually have one until I was 22(our legal drinking age is 21 but I don't drink) because I never learned how to drive either. It was a huge pain for me because I had changed my legal name from my name from when I immigrated to the US as well. ALSO I got mine done during the summer when I hadn't started work yet. The offices are usually only open on weekdays until 5pm or so, making it really hard for anyone who works fulltime on a low income to make time to get one. Also it costs $30 for my state which is a sizeable amount of money. TL;DR it costs money, it costs time, it takes a lot of documents and hassle, which isn't a luxury a lot of people can afford just to be able to vote. Like $30...should I put that toward getting an ID so I can vote....or should I save it so my kids can have a slightly better dinner for the week. (For paying taxes we have social security numbers, which we just fill out on the forms. We never have to reproduce a copy of the card or something for filing taxes)

[@reaperoa]

+smok3ybg You seriously have to go down and show your ID to government officials to be allowed to pay your taxes? That is fucked up. That would be even more hugely fucked in the US for people that live in rural areas where going down to government offices can be a full day trip. As for buying beer, yea you still have to show ID for that. On the other hand, you're not required to buy beer. If you don't want to buy alcohol, you don't have to.

[@jaquelynngering3586]

+rentamobtv Every job I ever had in the US asked me for my ID. You need an ID to get married. You need an ID to travel on plane. You need an ID for a credit/debit card. It's expensive and time-consuming, and it shouldn't be, but to say "meh, they don't need them" is just downright stupid. Not having an ID puts a lot of constraints on person.

[@sundustii]

not everyone has the money/luxury to fly, nor the money to own a car, so they likely take public transportation. I applied for a bank account and a credit card and never needed a photo ID, I used my my SSN(in fact I did both online) Same with all the jobs I've had, I gave them my SSN. It's not necessary honestly in a lot of situations. Like sure a lot of things could be easier with an ID, but you can get by with your SSN in most situations. I will give you marriage license tho.

[@jaquelynngering3586]

Rissa "not everyone has the money/luxury to fly, nor the money to own a car, so they likely take public transportation" I didn't suggest they did. Read again. I said not having an ID puts constraints on them. If they had the opportunity to travel, they would have to get ID first. You've never been asked for ID when using your card???? No wonder it's so easy for people to fraudulently use stolen cards! When I worked retail I was supposed to ask people for their ID if the signature wasn't readable, if it was a new card, if the machine prompted me to ask... What do you do in that case, walk away? You can't just give your SSN to the cashier. As for jobs, where the heck are you working? SSN is not a substitute for an ID. Of course you need an SSN for your job, but every job also needed a copy of my ID. I guess you've never in your whole life worked anywhere that needed you to prove you were over 16 or 18? I had to prove I was over 16 at one of my very first jobs, in order to work the ovens. I had to prove I was over 18 work the night shift. People who don't have an ID are at a pretty big disadvantage.

[@jonezzjazz]

Well done

[@leilacherradi3485]

Mind-blowing, the stick!

[@blankface_]

We trust comedians more than politicians now

[@Cooz.]

Looking from the outside looks a lot better than listening to the corrupt fucks on capital hill

[@Sandman382]

+Empire Stories That's been true for years. Just look at the videos they showed in THIS SINGULAR episode and you can see why. They can't even not act corrupt when in front of camera's.

[@avedic]

+Empire Stories Is that a _bad_ thing....?

[@frederf3227]

+Empire Stories Now being all times in history since 300 B.C.E.?

[@clouddavis]

Well, yea lol. The politicians will lie to your face and smile, the comedians drop truth bombs while making you laugh at how stupid our politicians are

[@o2wow]

No ID? How the F do they live without an ID? Cash a check or pay a bill?

[@quickster6625]

it means like photo I'd pretty much everyone has non photo id but there is not a lot of different options for photos

[@Kajenko]

+Septic Beast what kind of ID do americans even have

[@lizzycorvus5109]

Really poor people don't cash checks or pay bills, they scrape by with what cash they can get. And yet the impoverished have the right to vote, which is being threatened by Voter I.D. laws.

[@o2wow]

Nonsense, chances they are getting one or several forms of government assistance, for which, they have ID. People don't fall out of the sky naked and without any form of ID, a few homeless, possibly mentally diminished, but it not that common.

[@paulthespacemouse7785]

+wbbh. so that's ok huh? a few marginalized people over here, a bunch of people with special needs over there, who cares? EVERYBODY in a true democracy should have the ways, means and opportunities to vote for the candidates of their choosing, without question. preserving that freedom was/is a consistent reason for many American-lead conflicts throughout the world. voter disenfranchisement is a social injustice and the people that present barriers to the voting populace are abhorrent.

[@jasminejackson3499]

My favorite part of this is where he compares Sleeping Beauty to the voter fraud issue. Love it!

[@elisaarends7276]

You're totally right about Sleeping beauty😂👍, I always think that if I watch sleeping beauty movies

[@SojiRo23]

For those asking how it is that people don't have photo ids...The government only really offers three forms of photo id: 1) a drivers license, but not everyone does or can drive, plus you have to pay for it (2) A passport, which are really expensive and less than 50% of Americans have one (3) non drivers id, this would be the way to go but in order to get one you have to have access to your birth certificate which not everyone has access to, especially minorities. You have to shell out some cash, cash that not everyone has. So as simple as having a photo ID seems, it's not so easy a gain in America for a lot of people, as John Oliver pointed out in the video. This is a small problem that's part of the bigger systemic problem.

[@SwobyJ]

+SojiRo23 Exactly.

[@shccer2]

well, seems to me like this is the real problem, and not the fact you do or dont need to present a photo id to vote. where i live everyone get a photo id at age 16 for free and everyone use it all the time (banks,social security any sort of interaction with public institutions etc) in fact, denying someone or a sertain sector from having it is considered a form of inequallity, and many times the ones sopposedly representing minority groups use the fact its less strict with the people they represent to stay in power even though they dont do anything to help those they are sopposed to represent. sure, until you fix how difficult it is to get an id it would be awfully discriminative to demand people to present a photo id in order to vote.

[@Crazmuss]

+SojiRo23 Why goverment can not issue free passports?

[@philw4025]

And let's not forget, in certain parts of Bumf*** Nowhere, USA, they don't even recognize a U.S. Passport as valid ID because they're too stupid to do so. A friend who lives in Missouri now, has had issues both there and in Texas with trying to use a Passport as ID to buy cigarettes and encountered employees at convenience stores who have never heard of a Passport before. Here in Wisconsin, in a rather rural county, when I switched my car registration to the state, I couldn't find a copy of my original birth certificate in time, so I used my U.S. Passport as a substitute for it, as the state mandated list of IDs allowed. It was the first time anyone except one employee at the DMV had ever seen one in real life and they shut down every other line to show the other employees how to use a Passport as ID in the system for plate and vehicle registration.

[@ollieanntan4478]

+Phil W I've seen it happen in San Diego; I worked with a person from Australia and there were several people who wouldn't let her into bars based on her passport. When I first moved here I once wasn't allowed in with my state ID from another state because they said it looked fake!

[@metropolisatlantas]

Wait, you don't have to show an ID when voting in America??

[@carlosibarra9720]

nope, all you have to do is registered to vote by filling out a form. then you get a notice by mail stating your location to vote. once you arrived there, all they ask for is your name. they check there voter list and if your name appears they cross you out and you can vote now.

[@neues3691]

+Carlos Ibarra so illegal immigrants can vote?

[@fil1g]

+Carlos Ibarra but couldn't that mean that potentially other people could vote under your name without you knowing it??

[@carlosibarra9720]

Nope only u.s citizens can that's why you have to register. The government they are supposed to look at the registration to see if you're eligible to vote.

[@TheGerm24]

+Andrius Mindaugas Bloznelis I sure have to show my id in Texas now. Before they passed the law I just told them my name and address.

[@florazuideveld2038]

I'm 68 and live in Virginia. Approx 20 yrs ago my purse was stolen, including all my IDs (waiting for a bus after jury duty, btw). I don't drive so other than reporting my missing passport, I didn't bother about getting a new state ID or social security card for a few years. When I finally did try to, stricter laws for obtaining IDs were in place and I didn't have enough identification to get an ID from the DMV (even though I was a full-time Virginia employee as I still am). After 10 years and two visits to Florida (where I was born), I finally got them. Yeah, it's not always easy.

[@candicezhang8619]

Congrats! It must be a frustrating 10-year period...But late is better than never!

[@Helo_rides_for_commies]

Boo hoo

[@florazuideveld2038]

@@Helo_rides_for_commies Guess you would've stayed with Britain during the Revolutionary War.

[@Helo_rides_for_commies]

@@florazuideveld2038 That's an ignorant comment.

[@veselgana]

This ist exactly the same way to get a new ID if it is stolen or lost like in my country-you go to your hometown, because you are registrated there. But the people do bother to get a new one, because they know they will be need it, for things like voting... Why is this to much for the american people...?

[@yennev]

This is a great video

[@LifeOfIzzy]

So glad John is back! Praise be!

[@Rhaifha]

Thing is, if you make photo IDs mandatory (to have in general), you can also automatically register people to vote. In the Netherlands you just automatically get sent a piece of paper to confirm you are eligible to vote. You take that and your ID to any voting location in the country and you can vote. Voting can be made really easy, and IDs might even help streamline the process.

[@eirikarnesen9691]

we in norway all have id on our debit cards. everyone has an id. i dont think you are allowed not to have a id to be honest. if you dont have one, one is given to you kind of thing.

[@noahschwartz1222]

Congressional Republicans are the type that hates the idea of mandatory ID but loves the idea of mandatory ID to vote.

[@GUIDESPERSPECTIVE]

What a concept, You can vote anywhere in the country. That would never work in America because then they couldn't control the vote. America is so fucked up and the voting system and process currently doesn't represent a democracy. I'm an American and I think America is fucked the way it is. One country, one vote no matter where you are, Shouldn't have to be in your district, or state or wherever you are registered, It shouldn't matter. It's time we took the word "United" away from the States, and just call it the Separated States of America

[@lesbrown9850]

sadly my country is now a shithole country

[@virginiaoflaherty2983]

@@GUIDESPERSPECTIVE What are you talking about? You must never have voted in your life! I just voted for a county school board member in my county in Maryland. I voted for changes to the County Charter to bring it up to date. And for the County Sheriff, as well as for many other candidates and issues. There is NO WAY I could vote in Nebraska for the candidates who are specific to my state and county. People like you who respond to postings from people who live in other countries, like Norway, don't know what you are talking about. Norway has a total population SMALLER that the population of tiny Maryland. Really I can't imagine that Norway doesn't have local issues. I know in Maryland the issues that concern citizens in western Maryland are quite different from issues that concern people on the eastern shore or those in central Maryland. Perhaps you need to study civics and do some research about your state, its history before shooting your mouth off about what you obviously don't know. Oh, I get it you are only talking about voting for the president.

[@maikutsukino4743]

Oh my God.... That rhyme is just killing me! ROTFLAMO!

[@genericname6505]

The solution is simple. Just give everyone an ID

[@TheNinthGenerarion]

But that’s communism

[@genericname6505]

@@TheNinthGenerarion Please explain how. Not being a smartass, genuinely interested

[@TheNinthGenerarion]

Adam Blakeman i was being sarcastic since giving everyone an ID is seen by some people as “the man” knowing who you are even though they already have you birth certificate and if you own any device they likely have tons of information already

[@Sniiskuu]

America shouldn't feel to bad about their failing democracy I know many 3rd world countries with the same problem

[@nithishkoppula3465]

+Sniiskuu Not even third world countries have this problem. Take India, for example. Most people over the the age of eighteen have a voter ID card. Why is it so hard for USA, the richest country in the world , to ensure something as basic as this?

[@Sniiskuu]

+Nithish Koppula My guess is that it comes down to the 2 party system they have in the US The Democrats and the Republicans just do things to spite each other all the time as it seems

[@PerthTowne]

I can see none of you people from other countries who watched John Oliver's piece actually understood it. All you took away from it is, "they don't do things the way we do, so it's stupid." Maybe he should have made it clearer.

[@CoolioXXX52]

+Sniiskuu its not you idiot its barely affect anyone

[@neues3691]

+Sniiskuu And Europe

[@TheSassi14]

They should make it easier to get an ID, like in Germany: When I lost my ID I got a list of documents I needed off the internet. I took them to the office and got a new ID a short time later. It cost like 20€ because it was my fault I lost it. If it were stolen I would not have to pay at all.

[@lynnerose7891]

“Business Casual Kevin Smith.” Lol

[@BernhardRose]

You mess with crabbo, you get the stabbo

[@dhmaree]

How don't they have IDs? How do they identify themselves to officials?

[@niamy1]

+BlackBaron They don't. That's the issue. If they can't afford an ID then they can't vote. If they can't prove who they are to get an ID they can't vote. Which is why these laws target low income area's to prevent them from voting.

[@Skippy0330]

why should you have to have and Id "to present yourself " to an "official"

[@alexandru5302]

+niamy1 Sorry, from an european standpoint..That just sounds ridiculous.. In every european country, and correct me if I'm wrong,all you need is to be BORN to be recognized as a citized.. You get a birth certificate and depending on each country, at 14, 15 or 16 you get an ID.. It's just the way it is.. doesn't matter if you're a milionare or super poor.. It's sort of a basic right and a a basic thing to make democracy work in the 1st place... Not to mention ID it's needed in many places here.. It's so sooo strange when I look at your situation.. It is just unbelivable...

[@dhmaree]

+Skippy0330 If a cop stops you, how can he knows who you even are if you don't have an ID?

[@jayzonedc6474]

+BlackBaron There is no reason for a cop to know who you are unless you are driving. And there are driver's licenses for that. Requiring someone to have an ID even when they are just walking around is a crazy law that no civilized country should have.

[@allah2062]

I used to like Jon Oliver. Now I see him as a leftist shill. He will defend anything that the left does good or bad. He also believes in the wage gap myth. Fuck it, I'm done with this show.

[@thesilverspooner]

+Allah Um.. what is the wage gap myth? that it exists? If so that's not a myth that's a un arguable fact. You are right when you do say that he is a leftist shrill atleast

[@brianrhiel5292]

+The Silver Spooner The wage gae myth is how the data is collected. In job to job comparison males & females make roughly equal pay. But with more females taking jobs as secretaries and other lower paying positions then you can make the data fit the message. Look at the article from the WSJ (less bias than most) www.wsj.com/articles/the-wage-gap-myth-that-wont-die-1443654408

[@allah2062]

+The Silver Spooner The wage gap myth does not exist. It compares all income of women vs all income of men instead of comparing SPECIFIC JOBS AND POSITIONS. When these are compared it is that women make .995 cents per every 1.00 dollar that a man earns. So yes a very small amount which is .005 less than what every man earns, but it gets smaller every day.

[@thesilverspooner]

Allah Okay that was mistake on my part. I was thinking of the economic gap between the poor and the rich. You guys are right, I heard all of it before

[@incogneat0901]

+Allah the wage gap exists, but employer discrimination isn't enough to explain it. Its boils down to societal expectations of a woman's role in her family, and that women are expected and raised to value family over career. It exists, it just isn't as simple as some people would like you to believe.

[@Arbolist]

As a former 1st grader in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, I approve this message.

[@MarySmith-xo8gc]

I get mine by mail, and I already voted! It's so easy and convenient!

[@killgoretrout3671]

Thumbs up for stabby crab

[@mikaelprezila1563]

Killgore Trout read this right after he said it lol.

[@ilianaderraugh2934]

As a Canadian, ID is required to vote, and there's never been any issues with that. Elections Canada runs non stop ads before elections showing what you need to bring with you to polling stations, and there are many options, including using your passport, etc. I just can't understand how anyone could go vote and not be asked to show ID. Voting is extremely important, so it is therefore important to ensure the proper identification of the people voting. It just really does seem like common sense.

[@SwobyJ]

+Iliana Derraugh How Canada treats a voter's right to obtain ID is much different than many states and their degrees of obstruction.

[@ilianaderraugh2934]

+Malcolm Swoboda Very true, can't really argue with that.

[@markwillows5722]

+Iliana Derraugh The hard requirement to have photo ID to vote was introduced less than ten years ago by Stephen Harper. Fifty years ago many people in Canada did not carry IDs, government photo ID are a fairly recent phenomena.

[@malaysiancommenting]

+Suprise Anschluss imake it easier to have id, and make them a necessity to vote.

[@bademoxy]

@@markwillows5722 fifty years ago , lots of irrational crap happened

[@tamarrajames3590]

In Canada we show identification to vote, it can be a letter addressed to your home, but it must match your name. We haven’t had any issues in our elections because of it. I realize that it could be a problem for the homeless, but am not sure how that might be overcome. We register to vote, and our name is checked off the list when we present identification at the polling station. 🖤🇨🇦

[@dem2917]

In New York State we compare voter's signatures with their signatures of record. If their new signatures are different, we ask for an id and complete a new signature form. The system works well.

[@weregrettoinformyou5676]

It's true we do get taught that in Wisconsin lol

[@sathvikrachakulla]

Hey!! I wanted to sleep damnitt!!! Ahh fuck it. When god speaks you listen :)

[@sergeantmajorhomeslize5823]

i know right

[@PlamenDrop]

Praise be!

[@darthlogicus]

Hahaha! Nice

[@NovaGN]

+Sathvik Rachakulla I ain't sleeping tonight anyways. Might as well have some fun doing it.

[@GokuSS400]

+Sathvik Rachakulla wait i thought Morgan Freeman was god........

[@nemraps]

Somehow, watching this video reminded me that I had jury duty coming up. I thought I missed it. Then I looked at the date and it didnt miss it yet. Thank you John Oliver, thank you!

[@abyss9256]

that crab hahahahaha

[@EdTube444]

This video needs to be revisited often