Michael Shannon: Sometimes, Dems don't get the picture

Column

When Democrats are busy ordering con­servatives around for our own good, one of the justifications for their bossi­ness is they are the party of science, while Republicans are the party of examining chicken entrails.

Yet when it comes to the science of photography, Democrats are the party of schizophrenia.

On one hand various liberals want to place lurid photos of cancerous lungs on the front of cigarette packs, Photoshopped im­ages of diabetic amputees on candy bar wrappers and the skull and crossbones on individual M&Ms — all in an increasingly fanatical effort to prevent individuals from doing potential harm to themselves by exercising free choice.

But when it comes to photos that may prevent in­dividuals from doing actual harm to others, Democrats quickly lose interest in prevention and move to im­mediate opposition.

In Virginia, it appears a law requiring women to view an ultrasound before deciding to execute her baby will finally pass this session and be signed into law. The prospect of women being exposed to more informa­tion before the decision to abort has predictably driven the Party of Death into a frenzy.

Sen. Janet Howell (D-Planned Parenthood) was in such an uproar she couldn’t even produce a relevant legislative metaphor. The Senate defeated Howell’s amendment to the ultra­sound bill that would’ve required men who wanted a Viagra prescription to undergo a rectal check and cardiac stress test.

Anyone with even a mini­mal knowledge of equiva­lency — and not blinded by abortion obsession— would have known the proper sex-specific amendment would have required men in the market to enhance their structural integrity to first buy a copy of “American Baby.”

That amendment would have had a much better chance of passage and left both sides of the gender divide better informed regarding the consequences of their actions.

The second example of photophobia involves requiring voters to show a valid photo ID. Judging by the Democrats response to this bill you would have thought someone was trying to stop an abortion.

NAACP director Benja­min Chavis screamed that Republicans were trying to “lynch democracy” by instructing voters to show ID. That’s strange. Are hotels trying to “lynch sleep” when they require a photo ID before allowing you to check in?

Is the bank trying to “lynch currency” when you must show a photo ID before cashing a check?

Is 7-Eleven trying to “lynch parties” when they ask for a photo ID before selling you the MD 20/20?

Yet people check into hotels, cash checks and get hammered every day even with the photo requirement. Voter fraud in the U.S.

is much more real than earthquakes from hydraulic fracking, manmade global warming or Keystone pipe­line environmental devas­tation, yet Democrats will do nothing to prevent the occurrence.

A federal investigation in Chicago estimated that at least 100,000 illegal votes had been cast in the 1982 gubernatorial election and that voter fraud was routine for years. In Atlantic City, Democrats’ campaigns regularly request absentee ballots for the homeless and then cast those ballots fraudulently. And in Louisi­ana I’ve personally seen the man who carries cash and a .45 to pay the vote haulers.

Before its demise, ACORN was notorious for producing fraudulent voter registra­tions, which are a precursor to fraudulent voting, just as buying a wheelbarrow of Contac is the precursor to meth. Yet hysterical Demo­crats claim voter ID laws are designed to prevent stu­dents and the elderly from voting.

Is that a fact?

When is the last time you saw a student without a driver’s license?

When is the last time you saw a senior citizen who had never in their entire life­time had a driver’s license?

Even if they had never had a license in the past, DMV will issue ID for voting and other identification purpos­es to seniors and students.

I’ll concede Grandma may have lost a step over the years, but even the pokiest should be able to get an ID with a two-year lead time.

Anyone who doesn’t place a high enough priority on voting to obtain the proper ID before the election is probably someone whose input the republic can limp along without.

The judicious use of photos can preserve life and the integrity of the voting process. In fact, using pho­tos during many decision­making processes can add much to the quality of life in Virginia.

I’m going to contact my legislators and ask them to introduce a bill requiring all potential tattoo custom­ers to first examine a photo of what that tattoo will look like on their saggy old behind when they reach the age of 65, before they go under the needle.

Gym, beach and public pool customers can only benefit.

Shannon, a public relations and advertising consultant with corporate, government and political experience around the globe, can be reached at michael-shannon@comcast.net.