Metcalfe says 'lazy' people don't deserve to vote
State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe is nothing if not blunt. The Butler County lawmaker lands at the center of almost every controversial issue in the Capitol be it immigration, gun control or voter ID. Now he has inserted himself into the middle of the "47 percent" debate by suggesting, on a Pittsburgh radio broadcast, that Pennsylvania's new voter ID law, which is still being fought over in the courts, will only disenfranchise the "lazy."
Metcalfe says 'lazy' people don't deserve to vote
State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe is nothing if not blunt. The Butler County Republican positions himself at the center of almost every controversial issue in the Capitol, be it immigration, gun control or voter ID.
Now he's dived into the middle of the hot "47 percent" debate by suggesting, on a Pittsburgh radio broadcast, that Pennsylvania's new voter ID law, will only disenfranchise the "lazy."
Metcalfe on Wednesday told KDKA Radio that the law, which is still being fought in the courts, may exclude those on the "public dole," like the people GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney referred to in the leaked video taken at a private fundraising event - who are too lazy to go get a proper ID.
Metcalfe, the lead sponsor of the voter ID legislation signed by Gov. Corbett in March, said the burden is on the citizenry to get the documents needed to vote.
When asked about the tens of thousands, if not more Pennsylvanians who may not be able to vote on Nov. 6, Metcalfe cited Romney’s mention of the 47% of the country who will never “take personal responsibility and care for their lives” as evidence that some citizens do not deserve to vote.
HOST: Are you absolutely convinced…that the methods to implement this law are effective and will in fact make sure no legitimate voter will be disenfranchised?
METCALFE: I don’t believe any legitimate voter that actually wants to exercise that right and takes on the according responsiblity that goes with that right to secure their photo ID will be disenfranchised. As Mitt Romney said, 47% of the people that are living off the public dole, living off their neighbors’ hard work, and we have a lot of people out there that are too lazy to get up and get out there and get the ID they need. If individuals are too lazy, the state can’t fix that.
(Audio/ Think Progress)
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this guy is the laughing stock of the capitol. even his fellow republicans make jokes about what an idiot he is.— Ryan- "a republican showing disdain for people with limited resources"?...
.....Is not nearly as bad as a Lib showing disdain for people with limited resources who worked their a**es off for years and now have unlimited resources due to all that work...BUT..."They didn't build it" !!! that's so nice!!!.... LOL!!!
"And he didn't bother to interrupt them to tell them the truth because he couldn't bare to break their hearts".
WOW, that sounds like what Barry does on a daily basis...talk about ...SCUMBAGS!!! "THIS GUY HAS TO GO"...lol!!!— sarah89 - you know, these poor people who despite working 3 part time jobs to feed their kids, can't even afford cars and thus have no driver's license. these people have it so easy. they're so lazy. too lazy to take a day off from work and spend 6 hours at the DMV so they can exercise their right to vote. never mind that a day off from work might mean that they can't pay the rent this month and that'll get them evicted and their kids tossed out on the street. these lazy bums have it so good in life.— Ryan
- owning a gun is also a right but gun buyers have to jump through hoops too. That said, the law needs to be delayed another year. 7 months isn't enough time.— palmyra21
- Here's an idea; instead of responding defensively to this idiot who truly doesn't value many of the voters of this state, why not fight ASSERTIVELY for something else; for Election Day to become a day off..a la Labor Day, July 4th, Memorial Day, etc. No excuses; while there would then be certain jobs(like restaurants, 7-11's, health care facilities)that would have their usual hours, many other people would have more ability to(and no excuse NOT to)vote. I wish I believed that the GOP was looking to end voter fraud; too often, it seems like a number of politicians(GOP nationally, Dems in Philly)like to discourage voting more than encourage it.— 76erfn
- The man is correct. If a voter wishes to vote and does not make the effort to get a valid ID between March & November, then they are clearly too lazy to vote and have "disenfranchised" themselves...— kelprod2-freemarket
Democrats new economic philosophy: "More on the dole, easier to control".- He's absolutely correct. Go get an ID. Not that hard. Lazy people should not vote.— Mr. Underhill
- ...and owning a gun is a constitutional RIGHT as well and you rightfully need an ID on top of a whole bunch of other requirements before you can purchase one.— Mr. Underhill
- Another example of a republican pandering to his racist supporters. These comments are designed to appeal to those who see a bogeyman behind ever tree. These comments are nothing more than pandering to the racist element that supports the republican party. This man is a shameless fool, just like Mittens Romney.— mike 1717
- If there were tens of thousands being disenfranchised, then why was that evidence not submitted in the lawsuit? Simple. they don't exist. The state has issued 8800 id's, 9000 have been applied for and there are several thousand who have not yet done anything. Where are the tens of thousands? If they really existed, then the State Supreme Court would have tossed the law out the door. Instead they have asked the trial judge if there is any evidence they exist. So where are they?
— Dutch-wayne - I love when a politician, by definition on the public dole, in the highest paid part time legislature in the country, complains about those "on the public dole."— DogfightingAficionado
- Metcalfe is a GOP robot, not at all interested in the facts. I spoke to a farmer last week who said he could not stop working to drive the 20 miles to the only DMV photocenter in his county. He is a hard-working, industrious man; the word lazy certainly does not apply to him. How can Metcalfe NOT acknowledge that there are legitimate reasons why some people cannot get a photo ID? If you live in Bucks County, PLEASE vote him out of office. He's a disgrace to PA.— StrayCats
- It wasn't necessary for the reporter to identify Metcalfe as a Republican. His party affiliation comes across loudly and clearly in the headline. Only a Republican could be so factually incorrect and so inhumane re: the 47 per cent. The majority of these Americans are low income WORKING people, retirees living on Social Security only, students, and the military ( whose combat pay is tax-exempt ). They are NOT, for the most part, lazy, irresponsible freeloaders. Why anyone who isn't rich would ever vote Republican is beyond me.— PROUD LIBERAL
- The only logical conclusion for Mitt's refusal to release his tax returns is that he paid no federal income tax all those years, along with, according to the Tax Policy Center, 3000 other multi-millionaires in 2011. Why isn't Metcalfe trying to deny them the right to vote? Republicans are the scum of the earth.— PROUD LIBERAL
