Ted Cruz

Legitimacy in a democracy rests on two pillars.

First, the mechanical integrity of the system to produce a valid result.

And second, the public's confidence in that system.

If either one fails, the system falters.

If both fail, the system collapses.

A system that cannot be trusted is a system that cannot govern.

If you look around the world,

between two-thirds and three-quarters of countries require some form of identification to vote.

Why?

Because it safeguards the integrity of their elections and reinforces public trust in their system.

So it begs the question, why hasn't the United States fully embraced this standard?

Well, for the last several months

We have heard claim after claim about how this legislation would somehow inhibit people from voting, that requiring identification is discriminatory, that the American people do not support voter ID.

Mr. President, our Democrat colleagues are fond of bellowing into the TV cameras that photo ID to vote is Jim Crow.

They tell us with mock earnestness.

Now, I will admit

Our Democrat colleagues should be experts in Jim Crow because it was Democrat politicians who passed the Jim Crow laws.

It was Democrat politicians who founded the Ku Klux Klan.

It was Democrat politicians for decade after decade who enforced discrimination, separate but equal,

poll taxes, and a host of other laws designed to prevent African Americans from voting.