{"id":1091,"date":"2026-07-22T15:37:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T15:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=1091"},"modified":"2026-07-22T15:37:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T15:37:57","slug":"republicans-push-voter-id-by-comparing-it-to-olive-gardens-pasta-pass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=1091","title":{"rendered":"Republicans Push Voter ID by Comparing It to Olive Garden\u2019s \u201cPasta Pass\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In a press conference this week, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) pushed for voter ID laws, citing the fact that private industries sometimes require identification \u2014 including the Olive Garden.<\/p>\n

\u201cShow a picture to vote \u2014 not a complicated subject,\u201d Scalise said, adding, \u201cNowadays, if you want to go to Olive Garden to get unlimited pasta, you gotta show a picture ID.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scalise made the same argument in an interview appearance on CNBC<\/em>. <\/p>\n

\u201cFor God\u2019s sake, you can\u2019t go get pasta at Olive Garden without a picture ID. Why not be able to show a picture ID to vote?\u201d Scalise complained on Tuesday. <\/p>\n

To be sure, Olive Garden is not requiring a photo ID to enter the restaurant or to eat from its menu. Instead, Scalise (and other Republicans who have made the same comparison) are referring to a \u201cNever-Ending Pasta Pass\u201d that the popular Italian dining chain is offering, which gives customers 13 weeks of unlimited items after a $100 payment. In addition to the pass, each time a customer wants to redeem the deal, they must show an ID with a matching name. Only 10,000 passes are being sold.<\/p>\n

While the comparison between voter ID laws and the pasta pass is an easy analogy for Republicans to make, the argument does have holes. For example, Olive Garden doesn\u2019t enforce its policy beyond an ID \u2014 a person with a stolen pass and a fake identification card could, theoretically, take part in the promotion, whereas a person attempting to do the same in an election would likely be caught by underlying voter protections. The punishment for trying to undermine the \u201cPasta Pass\u201d deal would also likely be a confiscation of the pass and a refusal to serve the customer; meanwhile, the punishments for attempting to illegally cast a ballot are much more severe, including heavy fines and prison sentences.<\/p>\n

Republicans like Scalise are pushing the analogy in order to demonstrate a need to pass the SAVE America Act, a bill that would require voter ID in all states across the country. Such laws are incredibly burdensome to many marginalized groups of people and act as a form of voter suppression, voting rights organizations have pointed out. <\/p>\n

The SAVE America Act would impose even more burdens, including requiring proof of citizenship (e.g., a passport or birth certificate) for anyone attempting to register to vote. Such requirements could negatively impact many groups of people, including:<\/p>\n

Read more Attempts to Charge People With Assaulting Immigration Agents are Falling Apart<\/a><\/p>\n