A week ago or so, I posted "It Only Takes One Man to Steal an Election (And It's Not Who YOu Think)" in which I attempted to show that everything done by the RNC, Karl Rove, Katherine Harris, Diebold, Ken Blackwell and their fellow travellers has been illegal, in violation of federal and state law, especially the Voting Rights Act. The only reason they have been able to do what they have done, is because first John Ashcroft and then Al Gonzales have deliberately chosen to allow Republicans to violate all election laws when it benefits Republican candidates. The post is online at
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/McCamy%20Taylor/12 . My purpose in posting this was to show that it does not take a conspiracy of monumemtal proportions to steal a presidential election. It only takes one corrupt attorney general looking the other way. As long as the cat's away, the GOP underling mice will do what comes naturally, and in the case of the Republican party, especially the Southern Republican Party, that means reverting back to old habits of minority voter disenfranchisement, suppression, vote tabulation fraud etc.
It has probably come to the attention of the Republican majority in Congress that the reason they have control of the federal government is because the Voting Rights Act has not been enforced in six years. Therefore, were the situation in Washington DC to change----for instance, were Al Gonzales to be replaced or if one body of Congress were to fall into the hands of Democrats or if the Supreme Court of the United States were to hear the wrong case---the current corruption and fraud ridden election system might be jeopardized. This could lead to a sudden reversal of fortunes for the GOP, since the majority of Americans do not want them running the country.
Therefore, it must seem like a gift from God that the Voting Rights Act, the thorn in the side of all GOP election strategists, is up for renewal in 2007. If they can just keep from ratifying this act, then they will be free to keep minorty voters from the polls forever---the way it was when the country was founded two hundred plus years ago.
What do Republicans have to gain from a struggle over ratification of the Voting Rights Act now (as opposed to just ignoring the issue until later)? The main benefit is that they can mobilize the far right base to vote. If there seems to be a chance that a Republican controlled Congress might decide to let the Voting Right's Act expire, this might encourage the right wing extremists to flock to the polls this fall "to keep Congress white". This is part of the New Southern Strategy, Karl Rove's attempt to rekindle the ashes of racism in the South which has turned away from W. in the wake of Katrina, Iraq, rising oil prices and disenchantment with his lack of commitment to values.
This is a very tricky business, this mobilizing the right wing base by appealing to its latent racism. Most of the GOP base is not racist, and if it suspects that its party is pandering to racists, it will hurry to switch parties. This is where the Democrats come in. The Democrats need to be very vocal. They need to make this a big issue right now. The GOP is attempting to pretend that a "handful" of rogue Republicans in Congress can stall efforts to OK the Voting Rights Act this year, before the election. We all know this is bull. All the Dems and (supposedly) most Republicans want it to pass. So, why isnt it passing? Demand that the Republican Party account for its members who are stalling the Voting Rights Act. Make every Republican go on the record as being either for or against the Voting Rights Act. Make the Republicans fear a voting backlash from their own moderates and a mobilization of Democratic Voters. Mostly, talk about this, write about this, keep the heat on.
If a rape at Duke University can dominate every 24 news network, why can't the Voting Rights Act do the same? This is much more important. If the GOP gets a chance to let the Voting Rights Act expire, we will never see legislation like it again in our lifetime.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
