jim crow redux

pennsylvania is now the 32nd state to pass a voter ID law. it amounts to a de facto poll tax, since eligible voters with no acceptable proof of identity or residence must spend money to obtain such proof. a study at NYU law school indicated that "11% of voting-age American citizens—and an even greater percentage of African American, low-income, and older citizens—do not have current and valid government-issued photo IDs." poll taxes were made unconstitutional in 1964.

the state has had two jim crow laws before. the first, passed in 1869, prohibited black children from attending school in pittsburgh. the 2nd, in 1956, required adoption applicants to state their race. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_ID_laws

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jim_Crow_law_examples_by_State

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/citizens_without_proof_stands_strong/
http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm

Corbett signs voter ID into law