The Right to Free and Fair Elections

[knapplc]

Apparently this isn't something the Republicans want us to have.

 

 

 

 

Quote

 

Recording of Trump advisor at private event gives glimpse into campaign’s re-election strategy

One of President Donald Trump’s top re-election advisors told influential Republicans in Wisconsin that the party has “traditionally” relied on voter suppression to compete in battleground states but will be able to “start playing offense” due to relaxed Election Day rules.

 

Asked about the remarks by AP, Clark said he was referring to false accusations that the GOP engages in voter suppression.

 

The roughly 20-minute audio offers an insider’s glimpse of Trump’s re-election strategy, showing the campaign focusing on voting locations in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, which form the so-called “blue wall” of traditional Democratic strength that Trump broke through to win in 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

Quote

 

More than 1600 Polling Places Have Closed Since the Supreme Court Gutted the Voting Rights Act

In 2013, the Supreme Court gutted a core provision of the Voting Rights Act: The requirement for certain states with a history of voter discrimination to “preclear” changes in their election rules with the federal government. For decades, the 1965 law helped secure the right to vote for hundreds of thousands of people in nine states, as well as certain jurisdictions in six other states, which had such a history of discrimination against minority voters. But in the 5-4 decision in Shelby County v. Holder, the court ruled that the coverage formula for determining those jurisdictions subject to preclearance was outdated and therefore unconstitutional.

 

The consequences of the Shelby County decision were immediate: States that had previously fallen under the jurisdiction of the VRA immediately passed tough voter restriction laws and restructured election systems. But a new report released today by the civil rights coalition The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights adds another dimension to the picture of how this 2013 ruling has undermined voter access by analyzing the number of polling place that have been closed since the ruling. According to the report, entitled “Democracy Diverted: Polling Place Closures and the Right to Vote,” 1,688 polling places are now shuttered in those areas. The report, which is a follow-up to a 2016 analysis, looked at 757 counties and found that 298 of them, or 39 percent, reduced their number of polling places between 2012 and 2018.

 

“Next to the ballot itself, the most identifiable element of our democracy’s voting process is the polling place. It should—and it must—be accessible to all,” the report states. “When it is not, the barriers to participation can be high. Moving or closing a polling place— particularly without notice or input from communities—disrupts our democracy.”

 

 

 

 

#MAGA

 

 

[Nebfanatic]

If he gets reelected get ready for them to try and abolish the 22nd amendment 

[sho]

4 hours ago, knapplc said:

Apparently this isn't something the Republicans want us to have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#MAGA

 

 

 

I didn't pay too  much attention 8 years ago, but how frequent does the incumbent president's party cancel primaries for current president's second term?   I would think fairly often.  Unless the president isn't going to run for a second term, there really isn't a need for them.   And even as boorish as Trump is, he still gets over a 80% approval rating among Republican's polled, he's a lock to win the nomination, even if they went full primaries.

[BigRedBuster]

11 minutes ago, sho said:

 

I didn't pay too  much attention 8 years ago, but how frequent does the incumbent president's party cancel primaries for current president's second term?   I would think fairly often.  Unless the president isn't going to run for a second term, there really isn't a need for them.   And even as boorish as Trump is, he still gets over a 80% approval rating among Republican's polled, he's a lock to win the nomination, even if they went full primaries.

 

I have no idea.  But, the main reason why it's being done is so that he doesn't get attacked politically from Republicans running against him.  He would have to go through debates, which he hates and is horrible at.  There is going to be one hell of a lot that's thrown at him in debates during the general election.  He is dreading that and doesn't want to go through that just to get the nomination.

[knapplc]

21 minutes ago, sho said:

 

I didn't pay too  much attention 8 years ago, but how frequent does the incumbent president's party cancel primaries for current president's second term?   I would think fairly often.  Unless the president isn't going to run for a second term, there really isn't a need for them.   And even as boorish as Trump is, he still gets over a 80% approval rating among Republican's polled, he's a lock to win the nomination, even if they went full primaries.

 

Obama ran unopposed on the Democratic ticket, so eight years ago isn't a good comparison. Trump is opposed on the Republican ticket. For good comparisons we have to go back a little further.

 

In 1976 when Ronald Reagan campaigned against incumbent Gerald Ford, the Republicans didn't cancel any primaries. Reagan nearly upset the incumbent Ford, and Ford won by 43 delegates out of a total of 2,200.

 

In 1980 when Ted Kennedy ran against incumbent Jimmy Carter, the Democrats didn't cancel primaries. Carter won easily that time.

 

In 1992 when Pat Buchanan ran against incumbent George Bush, again no primaries were canceled. Bush won every primary, though.

 

One of the reasons the Republicans want to quash any primary challengers for Trump is that in each of these previous instances the incumbent who was challenged in their own party's primary lost the general election - in 1976 Ford lost to Carter, in 1980 Carter lost to Reagan, and in 1992 Bush lost to Clinton.