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Also non-american here who lives in America now though. I was also confused about the backlash to voter ID back then (this is a VERY old issue) as in Germany you are required to show your ID when voting.
It has been explained to me that most Americans do not have ANY form of identification other than their drivers license. There is no personal ID you are required to possess like in Germany. The vast majority of Americans does not have, nor will ever have, a passport. Driver's licenses are cheaper to obtain than in Europe, but you still have to provide a host of documents many poorer people might not be able to provide + you need to pass a driver's test of course to get it. There are a lot of people who for one reason or another can not do that.
In other words, if you don't pass a driver's test in the US, you might as well not exist. There is still the "social security number", but that one is NOT MEANT to be a form of identification, plus immigrants without citizenship can also obtain them (I should know, I have one). I don't think a common driver's license counts for voter ID's purposes under that proposal, so the way to identifying yourself as a citizen is even more limited. There is a REAL ID program in some states, but not others. You also get that from the DMV, which again is just the motor vehicle office. It's really fucked up here. All of it. A solution would be to require citizen ID's like its done in Europe, but the government doesn't want to pay for that and Americans are usually against something like that ("government overreach wah wah what's next, chips in my skin???"). So...hm.
I don't know how it is in other states, but here in Nebraska, you can get an ID card that's pretty much the same as a DL for identification purposes. No need to fuss about with a driver's test. Your ability to go anywhere is pretty much nonexistent, but that's a completely different discussion.
Yeah my understanding of the ID situation in the US is certainly flawed. It seems labyrinthian to me at times due to all the different state ordenances. Although nothing compared to the US health care system. Jesus Christ. One thing I've learned here is that freedom certainly isn't free.
This is not true. You can get an id card that is not a drivers license.