America's Election Insanities

A long war used to be a several years. A long presidential campaign used to be several months. Today, things barely reflect those benchmarks of the past. The Afghanistan war has gone on for over 10 years. Iraq lasted a bit longer than WWII. The so-called war on terror has no predictable end in sight. The present presidential campaign, at least for Mitt Romney, began about eight years ago. The Republican campaign against Obama began the day he won. Remember Mitch McConnell's comments after the election. His, and the Republican Party’s, number one priority was to make sure Obama failed. And that is exactly what we saw Republicans in Washington do from day one after Obama was elected. They have acted worse than the Party of No. They have sacrificed the welfare of the great majority of Americans for their narrow-minded ends.

I am in Canada on vacation. What a blessing. I barely listen to the news from America. I have heard about that Republican hopeful from Missouri whose rape comments have even stirred up some Republicans. And, why are they stirred up? Simply put. It is OK to think what he said, but not OK to say it. The game plan is to do whatever it takes to get elected and then implement some of the most horrible and draconian legislation that the American public has ever experienced. Candidate Aiken broke the Republican Party’s rules.

The Republican game plan exemplifies what is wrong with most of the elected officials in Washington and in a growing number of states in the US. The members of the Republican party barely resemble the members of the Republican Party in office prior to the Clinton presidency. The Republican Party is now a collection of super rich benefactors and a collection of crazy, corrupt, immoral, anti democracy people who simply want to create a new ruling class in America. Their ideas are not good for America. Their tactics are mean and nasty. But they are good at one thing—saying anything to get elected and appealing to some of the most base and bigoted attitudes.

There is one tactic that particular disgusts me. Over 26 states controlled by Republican majorities, governments have or are enacting voter ID laws. The net effect is to suppress the vote. These laws will mostly impact people who are considered likely to vote Democratic. Students, the elderly and minorities will be those most affected. Some Republicans have actually announced that is the intention of these laws. 

I hold on to the belief that the right to vote is sacred. Every American should have an absolute right to vote except in rare circumstances. None of these voter suppression laws have a good reason to exist. The proponents of these laws say they are designed to prevent voter fraud. Problem is, there is no reason, NONE, that can be cited as justification for these gross intrusions into an American’s right to vote.

Never mind that it is already a criminal offense to vote twice. So, here we have those small government, anti-regulation Republicans enacting a host of unnecessary regulations to combat a non-existent problem.

The supporters of these laws are the lowest form of politician. They are dishonest. They are against the democratic values that make America an exceptional country. As one commentator recently pointed out, when America boasted about bringing democracy to Iraq, all the Iraqis had to do was show up, provide a finger print, and vote. No ID, no picture ID, no waiting period, nothing but show up.

All the Republicans and any Democrats who voted to enact these laws should be tossed out of office. They are ruining America’s institutions and are a threat to democracy.