The TX GOP has also kept a 93-year old veteran from being able to vote (because, ya know, fuck him and his “freedom”) along with a whole bunch of others this year that we’ll get to in a moment, thanks to their new polling place Photo ID law which was found to be both “purposefully discriminatory” and an “unconstitutional poll tax”. Unfortunately, despite the U.S. District Court judge’s well-documented findings after a year-long trial process, the U.S. Supreme Court is allowing the law to be implemented this year anyway. Their apparent reason: the lower court struck down the law due to illegalities and unconstitutionalites of the Photo ID scheme, but that determination happened just too close to this year’s elections to be allowed to stand this year.
Today is Election Day (Have you voted yet??)…which means that by tonight we’ll know the winners and losers. Unfortunately, we’ll also know how much government the wealthy and well-connected have been able to purchase. Worse, we’ll know how successful Republicans have been at cheating their way into power.
This has not been a banner year for democracy. All one need do is look at Texas to understand just how successful Voter ID voter suppression efforts have been. I say voter “suppression,” because Texas has required the presentation of a government ID in order to vote since 2003. Though the claim all along has been that Republicans want to “protect the integrity” of the electoral process by “preventing voter fraud,” there’s no denying that their efforts are a solution in search of a problem. Demonstrable voter fraud in infinitesimal, with a rate of far less than .1%. You read that correctly. With a fraud rate that doesn’t begin to approach 1 in every 1000 votes cast, Texas Republicans have decided that VOTER FRAUD MUST BE STAMPED OUT NOW!!
Texas voter ID law turns away voters - "She voted regularly without any trouble — until she moved to Texas" http://t.co/YAdfqP4Fug
— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) November 3, 2014
This argument might be something other than laughable if the methods employed didn’t disproportionately impact the poor and minorities- traditionally Democratic constituencies. There’s simply no way Texas Republicans can convincingly argue that their new Voter ID law isn’t racist and designed to ensure that only the “right” people vote. When you pass a law that prevents a 93-year-old veteran from voting, your ideas suck…and there are thousands of stories like this from El Paso to Beaumont and Galveston to Gainesville.
The law is working as it was intended…by creating a de facto poll tax (unconstitutional, BTW) and placing enormous burdens on poor and minority populations, particularly in rural areas. Texas by some estimates has succeeded in disenfranchising more than 600,000 voters, which should be a matter of considerable shame. Texas Republicans, to the contrary are proud of their efforts, and while they trumpet the integrity of the electoral process, they conveniently gloss over the truth that one person’s “integrity” is another’s “disenfranchisement.”
TIP: Don't vote for the guys who make it impossible for a disabled veteran to vote. http://t.co/KIT6epkvFg
— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) November 3, 2014
Texas is by no means the only state that’s succeeded in making it far more difficult for traditionally Democratic constituencies. Red states nationwide have increasingly placed obstacles to voting before those least able to surmount them. That’s not not democracy, but the truth is that while Republicans love government (as long as they’re in control of it), it’s not about democracy. It’s not about “one man, one vote.” It’s about doing whatever it takes seize and maintain power.
If you can’t win through the force of superior ideas, about all you have left is to subvert democracy…which explains why Republicans have been working overtime to disenfranchise voters who don’t vote the “right” way. I’d say that Republicans should be ashamed of themselves…but that would presume they actually possess the capacity for shame.
If you can’t beat, your only viable option is to cheat ‘em…and Republicans have proven themselves capable of tilting the playing field in their direction.
