Can you imagine having a business in which your employees conspired to steal your rights and hinder your input? It seems a bit absurd when put so nakedly, but it’s happening here, in America. This is not a Bolshevik revolution seizing the means of production, but rather a political party attempting to seize the means of democracy. They are striking at the lynch pin which keeps the United States, or any democracy, from falling into a fascist state: the ability of citizens to vote.
Every 2 or 4 or 6 years, there is an employee review when office holders must run for re-election. Critical roles from all three levels of government are decided by elections, and for many other positions of profound importance are ultimately filled by elected officials. In other words, there is a direct line between elected politicians and judges or school board members. And so many other important offices.
So what does affecting an election look like in practice? Despite what some hateful loons my suggest, no one is directing hurricanes. Instead, vote theft looks like voter purges and voter suppression. Intimidation of both voters and poll workers. Gerrymandering. Restrictive policies and days when the polls are open. Voter ID's. Curbing the participation of college students, and screaming that the election was rigged after clearly losing.
Just how big a deal is this? In just 10 states over 19 million voters were purged in a two year period, and the advent of big data analytics has made sure such eliminations are surgically focused on specific demographics and precincts.
In an especially galling piece of hypocrisy, the party running a convicted felon for president is the same one preventing so many others, including those formerly incarcerated, from voting themselves. Desmond Meade and his group were able to secure the hundreds of thousands of signatures needed to get restoration of voting rights to those now released from prison on the ballot in Florida. The constitutional amendment passed with 65% of the vote, easily clearing the threshold. In fact, having super majority approval.
And that’s without those affected being able to vote at the time!
Of course, Governor DeSantis, and the Florida Republicans immediately worked to undercut this victory. This occurred throughout the country.
A woman on parole in Texas was sentenced to five years in prison for voting when she thought she had that right. While the conviction was reversed it has instilled fear and doubt for people who have been released from incarceration and are uncertain of their rights.
The people already spoke clearly: let them vote.
It seems Instead of proposing cogent ideas and public policy solutions, it seems easier to some folks to restrict the electorate.
But we hold the collective power. There are organizations everywhere fighting to protect and expand this franchise. Groups like the Poor People's Campaign have been working nonstop to get people out to the polls. Remember we also have more aggregate economic power than the elites who are currently dictating public policy. They are just a handful of folks but we dominate in both financial heft and size
Voting will make a difference in the people elected/ our employees/ and the work that they do.
Politicians should not be able to take away or restrict this right.
Stand up. Demand more. Vote. And Don't Shop on Tuesday.
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