Illegal immigrants, imprisoned felons, foreign terrorists, compulsive ballot stuffers and dead people breathed a collective sigh of relief in Georgia after a local judge ruled that voters do not need photo IDs.
That there's not been a proven case of voter fraud in Georgia in almost a decade is offered as justification by opponents of voter photo IDs and proponents .
Superior Court Judge Melvin K. Westmoreland blocked enforcement of Georgia's voter ID law. Mr. Westmoreland says that requiring a voter photo ID "unduly burdens the fundamental right to vote rather than regulate it" -- even though every county issues IDs free of charge .
But Westmoreland's surreal jurisprudence permits the 17 forms of ID (some without photos) that had been allowed in previous elections for Tuesday's primary.
Given that the U.S. Department of Justice recently had approved the photo ID rules, and that photo IDs don't unduly burden motorists or Sam's Club members, Georgia plans to appeal.
And given that the judge used circular logic to justify his dizzy decision -- "It is a given that any illegal restriction of the fundamental right to vote is prohibited" -- the Georgia Supreme Court has two choices.
If it does not lift the restraining order, it had better propose a new state motto to replace "Wisdom, justice and moderation."
