Today, Attorney General Eric Holder will deliver a speech at a rally in South Carolina. He's expected to defend his Justice Department's blocking of South Carolina's new voter identification law. Under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, nine states (mostly in the South) and several counties and townships in other states have to get "preclearance" in order to change their voting laws. South Carolina is one of those states.

Will someone please tell me why it's okay to require a photo ID to board a plane, to purchase alcohol or cigarettes, apply for food stamps or welfare, cash a check, open a bank account, etc. but heaven forbid we insist on a photo ID in order to cast a ballot, one of the most important things we do as citizens. It's ridiculous. AG Holder and those who are against these new photo ID laws claim they discriminate against minorities, but that's simply untrue. According to Chris Whitmire, a spokesman for the South Carolina State Election Commission, the law provides exemptions: for those who vote by absentee ballot, have a religious objection to having their photo taken, or due to a "reasonable impediment" like a physical disability. So if it's truly too difficult for you to provide a photo ID, vote by absentee.

My home state these days is Florida, which also recently enacted a new voter ID law. But even though they require a photo ID, if you don't have one, you'll still be allowed to vote by provisional ballot. The canvassing board determines the validity of those provisional ballots (that it was cast at the correct precinct and that the voter hadn't already cast a ballot). Of course, you can also vote by absentee. So nobody is disenfranchised like the liberals claim.

Speaking of Florida, part of the new voting law included reducing the number of early voting days to eight (from 14), and prohibiting early voting on the Sunday before an election. I can't believe people are complaining about this. People, it wasn't that long ago when there weren't any early voting days. You went to the polls on election day or you voted by absentee ballot. The polls are open long enough for people to come before or after work. And again, there's always the absentee ballot by mail. All these early voting days simply makes it easier to commit voter fraud and cost taxpayers more money to man early voting locations. Sorry, critics, you get no sympathy from me on this issue.