The New York Times published an editorial one day before the election:
Five Ways Republicans Are Threatening Voting Rights.
The piece by Anna North outlines some of the unethical practices used to manipulate the vote count. www.nytimes.com/…
1) Voter ID laws
2) Early voting restrictions
3) Limiting automatic registration
4) Disenfranchising people with convictions
5) Condoning voter intimidation
On the same day The Financial Times published an article comparing current political and social trends with the fascist movements in Italy, Germany and Spain.
Written by Mark Mazower, it explains that one of the conditions leading to dictators like Mussolini was a public mistrust of political institutions, including the government's legislative branches and most political parties. The parties denounced each other and claimed sole legitimacy, leading to corruption and authoritarian measures introduced by the right wing.
That sound a lot like Donald Trump’s campaign for US President!
https://t.co/dtmGvEEbbL
Whenever elections are this close, there's always a temptation by political operatives to manipulate the system. Some Republicans are expert at these kinds of shenanigans.
Anyone remember Katherine Harris and Jeb Bush?
These bitter memories linger and the bad taste hasn't gone away...
This year complaints are coming in across the country from voters who feel their access to the polls has been greatly reduced in places like Arizona and North Carolina.
Are we going to see long lines and voter suppression again?
Native American Voting Rights Struggle In Arizona:
www.ibtimes.com/…
North Carolina Voting Rights Court Case:
www.nytimes.com/...
We all should have seen this coming, but US media is obsessed with the political horse race. The press hasn't done a good job of adequately addressing voting rights issues. The mega media companies treat the election like it's their little party - a big entertainment event. They care very little for the rights of the average voter.
Last minute manipulations of the voting machines or voter registration lists could tip the election. Long waiting lines and bogus purging of POC voters could spell disaster for the Democrats. If past experiences are any indication of future trends, there is a corrupting influence inherent in Big Money politics.
