Obama's dance partner persona non grata in D.C. government

[darnkatz]

This pisses me the fuck off.


Obama’s dance partner is persona non grata in D.C. government

Virginia McLaurin, who recently turned 107, was still basking in the glow of her dance with President Obama in February. A White House video of the meeting has been viewed nearly 66 million times. The attention has resulted in invitations to New York and Los Angeles for media interviews.

To board an airplane, however, McLaurin needs to replace a long-lost government-issued photo ID.

To get a D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles non-drivers’ photo ID, she needs a birth certificate from South Carolina, where she was born. To get the birth certificate, she needs the photo ID. A classic bureaucratic Catch-22.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get that face card,” McLaurin told me during a recent visit to her apartment in Northwest Washington. “I was birthed by a midwife and the birthday put in a Bible somewhere. I don’t know if they even had birth certificates back then.”

On the bright side, I noted, at least the District didn’t require a photo ID to vote. McLaurin treasured her right to vote and would still be able to cast her ballot in the D.C. primary come June.

But roughly 30 states have adopted an array of restrictive voter ID laws, and elderly citizens who live in those states seemed particularly at risk of having their rights denied.

“I’d pray long and hard to my God if they ever tried to do something like that to me,” McLaurin said, her voice rising in righteous indignation. So much for my notion of the bright side.

In Asheville, N.C., a state DMV office denied 86-year-old Reba Miller Bowser a photo ID in February even though she had a birth certificate, Social Security card, a Medicare card, cable bill and apartment lease.

The reason given: Bowser needed a document that showed she had legally changed her maiden name to her married name.

Fortunately for her, the DMV reconsidered the decision and issued an ID in time for her to vote in the state’s primary elections last month.

“Yes, the DMV is bending over backwards in my mother’s individual situation,” Ed Bowser told the Asheville Citizen-Times. “But if the DMV hadn’t been called to task by the media and there hadn’t been so much outrage and concern, would they be doing it?”

McLaurin’s dealings with the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles have not worked out as well.

She and her son, Felipe Cardoso, met with a supervisor at the DMV. They were told that the Department of Homeland Security had instituted tougher guidelines for issuing photo IDs. Cardoso was given an application that he could fill out requesting a birth certificate from a bureau of vital records in Columbia, S.C. He would need to include a $12 non-refundable records search fee — and a copy of a government-issued photo ID.

“When we receive applications without proper identification, we reject them automatically; we do not process them,” the instructions read.

The District’s DMV actually issued McLaurin a temporary ID for use when she leased an apartment last month. But the image of her is barely recognizable and, as Cardoso understood it, new Department of Homeland Security rules do not recognize those kinds of temporary IDs as sufficient for obtaining either a permanent government-issue ID, birth certificate or even a plane ticket.

“It’s sad to see my mother having to stand in lines, getting tired,” Cardoso said. “She can’t understand how her picture could be in all those newspapers and all over the Internet, how so many people could recognize her on the street and want to take selfies with her, and she can’t even get a photo ID.”

At one point, McLaurin seemed on the verge of blaming herself for the predicament. She could have gotten her original DMV photo ID replaced many years ago after a purse was snatched with the identification card inside.

She couldn’t recall exactly when the incident happened. But she could recall how it happened.

“I was standing on 16th Street, waiting for a bus, and these three fellows passed me in a car and went one block, then I saw two of them walking back together, like they were playing,” she said. “Before I knew anything, one of them had walked up to me and said, ‘I’ll take this.’ ”

She motioned as if removing a purse strap from her shoulder.

“I didn’t get any of my things back,” she said. “Then I started putting off replacing them because I didn’t want to think about carrying around stuff that people would steal.”

McLaurin isn’t sure she’s up for taking a long plane ride. Having made it out of the cotton fields of Chesterfield, S.C., to a dance with Obama at the White House may be enough travel for one lifetime.

Moreover, she seemed more upset about people being denied the right to vote because of voter ID laws than about not being able to get a photo ID for herself.


Nevertheless, a copy of her stolen photo ID ought to be on file at the DMV. And it would be nice if she finally got it back.

[cville]

But voter ID laws are about fraud. Mmmmmkay.

[sfy]

Oh gosh, this is terrible. It made me smile that she called it a "face card."

This reminds me of this older guy who flagged us down trying to get someone to follow a bus he'd gotten off because he left all his important papers on the bus. We tried to catch the bus, but couldn't. We ended up at the bus depot, but there was nothing there. It was awful. I gave him the number to the lost and found, but I have regretted so many times not getting his number so I could make sure he got his papers back or at least helped him try to get replacement. It sucks being old, especially not driving and trying to replace this kind of stuff and it's even worse when the agencies seem not to want to help you replace it. I had to show four things to get a new license and that was with my photo ID.

And like this?

In Asheville, N.C., a state DMV office denied 86-year-old Reba Miller Bowser a photo ID in February even though she had a birth certificate, Social Security card, a Medicare card, cable bill and apartment lease.[/quote}

Stop the madness.

[bugandbibs]

Articles like this are another reason I am glad I didn't change my name when I got married.

[mrsd2006]

What kind of low life scum mugs a 107 year old lady?

[ttt]

I want someone to beat the hell out of the POS who stole her purse.

[womet]

Apr 25, 2016 19:30:50 GMT -5 darnkatz said:

In Asheville, N.C., a state DMV office denied 86-year-old Reba Miller Bowser a photo ID in February even though she had a birth certificate, Social Security card, a Medicare card, cable bill and apartment lease.

I just got my new license. They told me the same thing-- I needed to have a copy of my marriage license showing a name change, even though I had my birth certificate, SS card, bank statement, copy of my lease, and my valid GA driver's license. Yup folks, my valid GA driver's license wasn't considered a valid form of identification or proof of my age. 

[darnkatz]

Apr 26, 2016 9:21:07 GMT -5 womet said:

Apr 25, 2016 19:30:50 GMT -5 darnkatz said:

In Asheville, N.C., a state DMV office denied 86-year-old Reba Miller Bowser a photo ID in February even though she had a birth certificate, Social Security card, a Medicare card, cable bill and apartment lease.

I just got my new license. They told me the same thing-- I needed to have a copy of my marriage license showing a name change, even though I had my birth certificate, SS card, bank statement, copy of my lease, and my valid GA driver's license. Yup folks, my valid GA driver's license wasn't considered a valid form of identification or proof of my age. 

 That is some serious bullshit.

[calmcosmo]

All of this is why my kids have passports. I wanted them to have government issued IDs as early as possible *just in case* I was to lose any of their documents. Just to get the paper trail going. I realize I am privileged to be able to afford to spend the $$ on passports, but I was very uncomfortable with them not having any ID (they are 5 and 6, so it is a reflection of our beaurocracy that I felt they "needed" it).

That said, when I went to get the passports done I needed TWO forms of government ID to do it (my husband was deployed at the time so I had to bring a slew of paperwork, POAs, and notarized forms to do it without him present). And they wouldn't accept expired passports (and I was having their passports done when I renewed my expired one). The only thing that saved me was my military ID which I know a very small percentage of the population has. I have drivers license, passport, and military ID - all government issued and "valid" for things like TSA, banking, and the rest. She still told me I was "lucky" they could get it done for me. Seriously?! It's so messed up.

[cattledogkisses]

Apr 26, 2016 9:21:07 GMT -5 womet said:

Apr 25, 2016 19:30:50 GMT -5 darnkatz said:

In Asheville, N.C., a state DMV office denied 86-year-old Reba Miller Bowser a photo ID in February even though she had a birth certificate, Social Security card, a Medicare card, cable bill and apartment lease.

I just got my new license. They told me the same thing-- I needed to have a copy of my marriage license showing a name change, even though I had my birth certificate, SS card, bank statement, copy of my lease, and my valid GA driver's license. Yup folks, my valid GA driver's license wasn't considered a valid form of identification or proof of my age. 

I had the same experience in my state of having my valid driver's license not be considered valid proof of identification for renewing my license. Here it's because you have to prove your US citizenship every time you renew your license, which seems kind of crazy. 

[earlgreyhot]

Apr 26, 2016 8:36:03 GMT -5 bugandbibs said:

Articles like this are another reason I am glad I didn't change my name when I got married.

Me too!

[earlgreyhot]

I don't even get the DMV. When I went to transfer my license I had every piece of information and then some, but got hung up on proof of signature b/c what I brought didn't match my passport's. (I'd moved from spelling out my name to scribbling my initials). The person I was dealing with was not going to budge, but as I was insisting a supervisor walked by and told her I was good.

But my interactions with DC DMV have been pleasant.

[andwhat]

We had the same issue with a family member over 100. I think it required contacting a few Congressmen to get it resolved. Honestly, I am not 100% positive it ever did.

[GilliC]

Apr 26, 2016 11:08:18 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

Apr 26, 2016 9:21:07 GMT -5 womet said:

I just got my new license. They told me the same thing-- I needed to have a copy of my marriage license showing a name change, even though I had my birth certificate, SS card, bank statement, copy of my lease, and my valid GA driver's license. Yup folks, my valid GA driver's license wasn't considered a valid form of identification or proof of my age. 

I had the same experience in my state of having my valid driver's license not be considered valid proof of identification for renewing my license. Here it's because you have to prove your US citizenship every time you renew your license, which seems kind of crazy. 

What if you need to renew your license and you're not a US citizen?

[earlgreyhot]

[cattledogkisses]

Apr 26, 2016 12:50:21 GMT -5 GilliC said:

Apr 26, 2016 11:08:18 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

I had the same experience in my state of having my valid driver's license not be considered valid proof of identification for renewing my license. Here it's because you have to prove your US citizenship every time you renew your license, which seems kind of crazy. 

What if you need to renew your license and you're not a US citizen?

I looked up the regulation, and it says you must prove that you are either a citizen or in the US legally. 

[GilliC]

Apr 26, 2016 13:03:37 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

Apr 26, 2016 12:50:21 GMT -5 GilliC said:

What if you need to renew your license and you're not a US citizen?

I looked up the regulation, and it says you must prove that you are either a citizen or in the US legally. 

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks!

[alleinesein]

Apr 26, 2016 9:21:07 GMT -5 womet said:

Apr 25, 2016 19:30:50 GMT -5 darnkatz said:

In Asheville, N.C., a state DMV office denied 86-year-old Reba Miller Bowser a photo ID in February even though she had a birth certificate, Social Security card, a Medicare card, cable bill and apartment lease.

I just got my new license. They told me the same thing-- I needed to have a copy of my marriage license showing a name change, even though I had my birth certificate, SS card, bank statement, copy of my lease, and my valid GA driver's license. Yup folks, my valid GA driver's license wasn't considered a valid form of identification or proof of my age. 

I encountered similar asshattery when I lived in Denver.  A government office told me that that CO state issued DL was not valid ID to prove that I lived at the address on my license and I needed a cable bill, phone bill, or utility bill to prove that I lived where I claimed I lived.  I had no TV so no cable bill, utilities were included in my rent and the phone bill was in my mom's name b/c it saved me from having to pay a huge deposit.  My lease could not be used to establish residency.  All I was trying to do was get a stupid 3 month parking permit so that I could park in front of my apartment building.

California tried to pull some similar crap when I moved back home.  The DMV would not accept my social security card and my CO license as valid ID; the idiot at the check in desk wanted my passport and my birth certificate. Fortunately I had an old CA drivers license that I brought with me and I threw a fit until a supervisor came over and told her that my old license was the only 'proof' I needed to get a new one.