E.J. Dionne, Jr.: Rigging the 2012 Election

[babylonsister]

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/rigging_the_2012_election_20110619/

Rigging the 2012 Election

Posted on Jun 19, 2011
By E.J. Dionne, Jr.


An attack on the right to vote is under way across the country through laws designed to make it more difficult to cast a ballot. If this were happening in an emerging democracy, we’d condemn it as election-rigging. But it’s happening here, so there’s barely a whimper.

The laws are being passed in the name of preventing “voter fraud.” But study after study has shown that fraud by voters is not a major problem—and is less of a problem than how hard many states make it for people to vote in the first place. Some of the new laws, such as those limiting the number of days for early voting, have little plausible connection to battling fraud.

These statutes are not neutral. Their greatest impact will be to reduce turnout among African-Americans, Latinos and the young. It is no accident that these groups were key to Barack Obama’s victory in 2008—or that the laws in question are being enacted in states where Republicans control state governments.

snip//


In part because of a surge of voters who had not cast ballots before, the United States elected its first African-American president in 2008. Are we now going to witness a subtle return of Jim Crow voting laws?

Whether or not these laws can be rolled back, their existence should unleash a great civic campaign akin to the voter registration drives of the civil rights years. The poor, the young and people of color should get their IDs, flock to the polls and insist on their right to vote in 2012.

If voter suppression is to occur, let it happen for all to see. The whole world, which watched us with admiration and respect in 2008, will be watching again.

[leftistboy]

1. why look at this as a racial issue? Again, pluralism is pushed at us by the corporate media

this Dionne works for a huge corporate media outfit. He is pushing a race-oriented tack. Once again, this sort of idea comes from the powers that be, not from the bottom up.

Just pointing that out...

[babylonsister]

2. So how should this be looked at? nt

[leftistboy]

3. i observed and analyzed

I offered no opinions. Please comment on my observations and analysis.

[babylonsister]

6. And I'm asking you for your opinion, because their motives seem

pretty darned racist to me. The rethugs want to put the kibosh on some of the biggest voting blocks this President has/had. How can you not interpret that as racist?

[paulk]

8. otoh, perhaps , instead of being "racist", the conservative motive

is simply to win the 2012 election... the groups targeted are groups that the Democratic party needs to win, regardless of the color of the nominee.

[flpoljunkie]

7. Don't forget this hurts women and college students, as well--no matter their race or ethnicity

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

4. And the Democrats aren't gonna do dick about this including the White House. nt

[polichick]

5. Which is why international election watchers should be brought in.

[66 dmhlt]

9. GOTV ... It's going to be CRITICAL!

[indepat]

10. There is nothing subtle about this return of Jim Crow voting laws in states wherein Republicans

control state houses: it's about as unsubtle as unsubtle gets. :patriot: