A fear often expressed by members of the Resistance is the possibility that Trump will declare a “national emergency” of some sort and use that declaration to cancel the midterm election. I don’t entirely discount that possibility, but I do think it is unlikely, for a number of reasons.
That said, the fear is reasonable, based on the GOP’s persistent assault on voters’ rights, and on its long history of vote suppression. The Brennan Center recently shared their study of the effects of those efforts, and the conclusions are depressing. It turns out that there are multiple ways of invalidating an election without actually cancelling it.
States have enacted dozens of laws that make it harder for citizens to vote. What impact will they have in next year’s vital midterm elections?
The Brennan Center has provided compelling evidence that these laws directly suppress the vote. And our newest research shows, even more significantly, that eligible voters turned away from casting a ballot once are much less likely to try again in later elections. They give up, it seems. Voter suppression can last years, perhaps a lifetime. That is a deeply disturbing finding, suggesting that even small effects of these new laws can cascade over time.
Researchers looked at the results of S.B. 1, a Texas law making it more difficult to vote by mail. The state rejected thousands of mail ballot requests and mail-in votes during the 2022 primary. (Unsurprisingly the rejections were disproportionately those of nonwhite voters.)
They found that the voters whose ballots were rejected were 16 percentage points less likely to vote in the 2022 general election. “And the trend continued for the 2024 primary election — a full two years later.” As the report emphasized, “These citizens are not disinterested slackers. These are routine voters who have properly cast ballots year after year — 85 percent of those whose mail-in votes or ballot requests were rejected voted in the 2016, 2018, and 2020 general elections.”
This is one more strong piece of evidence that the recent wave of restrictive voting laws will have a great and growing impact. Last year, a Brennan Center study relying on a voter file with nearly 1 billion records showed that the gap between the participation rates of white voters and nonwhite voters has grown across the country — but grew at twice the rate in counties once monitored by a robust Voting Rights Act.
Some have suggested that the tumult over these new voting laws was sound and fury that ultimately signified little. Sure, they say, these laws may have had bad intent, but the impact was negligible.
As it turns out, voter suppression laws . . . suppress the vote. Who’d have thought it?
If readers from central Indiana are interested in learning more about the impact of the GOP’s ongoing effort to suppress the vote, Common Cause is screening an important film at the Kan Kan theater on June 12th at 7:00 pm.
The documentary film, Vigilantes Inc, is based upon reporting done by investigative journalist Greg Palast, and it reveals how self-appointed “vote-fraud hunters” challenge the ballots of millions of voters–with a special emphasis on young voters and voters of color. There will be a discussion following the screening, featuring the filmmaker and Indiana advocates fighting voter suppression.
As the Brennan Center article points out, the effects of long lines at a polling place, requirements to produce birth certificates or proof of citizenship, or “errors” disqualifying a ballot can effectively suppress an individual’s motivation to vote for years–even a lifetime.
Political analyst Michael Podhorzer has astutely observed that a “generational replacement” is being engineered: “Older and established voters keep up their voting habits, while new restrictions stymie younger voters.” Our research shows the effects of voter suppression on older voters, but it underscores how potent silent disenfranchisement can be…
The right kind of national legislation would expand access while strengthening election administration and security. The Freedom to Vote Act would set baseline national standards to ensure that ballots cannot be discarded for minor errors and discrepancies, and it would bar many state restrictions on mail and early voting. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore the strength of the Voting Rights Act.
These reforms came achingly close to enactment a few years ago. We predicted then that if the federal courts and Congress did not protect the freedom to vote, states would be left unchecked to abuse the rights of their people. Sadly, that has happened. Congress should once again be prepared to act.
If your schedule permits, go see “Vigilantes” on June 12th. And vote for Democrats to take Congress next year, assuming there’s an election…
Gee, Republicans suppressing voters rights … imagine that. Isn’t this the party that once touted its red, white and blue patriotism and fealty to the Constitution?
In my book, “Racing to the Brink: The End Game for Race and Capitalism”, I recount the history of the G. H. W. Bush misguided upbringing to WIN at all costs. Enter Karl Rove and Lee Atwater and the scorched earth politics of the Republican party became normal to them.
So, it seems that Republicans read the Constitution as not “We the People ….”, but “We the People in Power … “ And they intend to keep that power no matter what.
While voter ignorance remains the primary challenge to a democracy, consider the numerous obstacles placed in the way of voting by our country, from the top down to our local elections. I appreciate Greg’s journalistic style, so I’m looking forward to watching this documentary.
However, I happen to be one of the people who believe the 2026 election will be cancelled or delayed due to the imposition of martial law. They are already setting the groundwork with all the hints about our inevitable war with China. At the same time, Xi Jinping has given us no reason to escalate the rhetoric or war propaganda. Hegseth and Vance are leading the way.
I also believe that today’s rhetoric against China is to distract from our genocide in Gaza through bombings and starvation, and in recent cases, bombing and shooting civilians standing in line for food. If you believe these people aren’t sociopaths by now, there is nothing I can do. The United Nations is screaming to the international community, but the US propaganda machine (mainstream media) is ignoring them intentionally. They will pivot to China and increase the propaganda as we approach the 2026 election.
Like Musk, the Republicans know there is voter backlash. Our political puppets are getting their ears full of rage from voters. Joni Ernst commented, “Everyone eventually dies,” about people losing their healthcare. These are our “public servants.” They know consequences are coming their way, and they’re preparing to prevent them from happening. The oligarchy can’t afford to lose control at this point. Watch as Musk separates himself from Dear Leader to try to regain his lost market share.
In addition to sociopathy, we also have a group of bribed officials. Both our Hoosier Senators get mid to high six figures from AIPAC to keep voting for genocide (see https://www.trackaipac.com/states/indiana). All of our officials are greased by AIPAC, except Andre Carson.
Fascism, gives rise to a lot of different traits. Authoritarianistic, militaristic, nationalistic, antagonistic, narcissistic, and theocratic hypocrisy.
Watch that word hypocrisy, for hypocrites. The Greek hypocrite in philosophic terms, were those who wore masks to pretend they were something other than what they were. So, very deceptive and deceitful.
If you look at the supposed difference between Catholicism and protestantism, you would think the Gulf would be very wide and deep. But the papal bulls that were edicts from the Pope, especially in the 13th and 1400s, were used extensively in the slave trade. These edicts were put out, to give those traders of humanity a clean conscience. Because the churches Protestant and Catholic filled their coffers with ill gotten loot from slavery. Don’t take my word for it, it’s available for anyone to read on Google or any other search engine. That’s quite astounding actually. This is some of the earliest examples of fascism.
The traits that are mentioned in Sheila’s thread today, point to the beginnings of the church and secular government becoming recombinant. Selecting portions of different ideologies, and combining them to form whatever is needed to suppress, deceive, promote, or hide as in hypocrisy, true motives.
An excellent case study in these things was the fascistic movements of world war II. There was fascism the way before then but the Germans and Italians through their relationship with the state religions, honed it to a fine sharp blade of butchery and compliance.
Once that hypocritical fascistic ball started rolling downhill, picking up steam and looking to recombinate, and, either created acolytes that looked to suppress others, or, sent those others into hiding. The effects were astoundingly effective and powerful. It brought the world to its knees, and was responsible for many millions of murders through its wars and executions. Those Chinese and Russian revolutions disguised themselves as communal readjustment, but in actuality was just fascistic leaders hiding behind that mask of hypocrisy, like players or attendees in a Halloween party or maybe a Kabuki theater.!. People didn’t know what they were getting with these lying hypocrites until it was too late as they proceeded to cull the populations of these immense countries to serve the purpose of leadership.
In this country, they’re always was a flirtation with fascism that’s why the fascia is pictured on both sides of the speaker’s chair in The Congressional House of Representatives. This was from the Italian or the Roman form of fascism, which is rooted in exclusion, and also rooted in the hijacking of Christianity during the Nicene councils and all of those shenanigans.
So if we want to be informed, and we want to speak truth to power those things need to be revisited by the general populations of those who want to resist, because you would need to know how to do that. Otherwise it’s failure on an epic scale.
Coincidentally, it was Jesus Christ himself who predicted these very things. But when he and his apostles were gone there was going to be a great apostasy. The apostasy, was the hypocrites leading the churches and the secular authoritarian monarchies and their rush for recombinant joining together. The church, The Romans and The Greeks! But, it goes even further back than that. That’s why research is so important. The sweetener that made all of this easier and more palatable to the masses at the time, where the philosophical houses of Greece. There were many, and religion adopted most of these philosophical beliefs and traits. That’s why people felt comfortable, because these beginnings of fascism, the nanescent fascist movements had a comforting message in a way. Just like today. Not comforting for everyone, but comforting for those who are the most active and are pushing for that absolute power. And remember, absolute power corrupts absolutely. And we could see great examples of that right now.
It’s going to be tremendously stressful when a lot of this stuff comes crashing down because of its unsustainability. And people will ask the mountains to cover them over because they’re going to be so afraid of what’s happening.
Jesus Christ said to the women who are following him wailing and weeping, do not weep for me daughters of Jerusalem, weep for yourselves, whoa to you who are nursing your child, pray that you are barren during those times when you beg the mountains to cover you over. Luke the 23rd chapter.
Whether you think so or not, there will be an accounting for the hypocrisy, there will be an accounting for the ruination not just of the earth, but of humanity. And there will be a time when many will ask the mountains to cover them over but there will be no protection.
The liars and the cheaters and the thieves and the carpetbaggers and the con artists, and the authoritarianists and the militarists, and the theocracists, in the hypocrites, will have so lopsided society, that tipping point so to speak, will lead to great fear, and it will be unlike anything anybody has ever imagined or read about.
OMG; I cannot believe this is the issue of today on the blog after the day and night I just spent after a simple trip to the bank to withdraw cash and ask if my Social Security check had been deposited.
Only two tellers working at my PNC branch and one of them moved from the counter to the drive-through window. Finally reaching the teller I handed her my completed check for Cash, my drivers license and PNC Visa credit card for identification. After lengthy working on her computer and reading whatever she said something to me and I told her I am deaf, this moved on to more keyboard work and reading whatever on her computer screen before I received my cash, license and card. When I got home I checked my cell phone for calls while I was banking, it was in my purse but of course I couldn’t hear it and didn’t feel any vibration but I would NOT have stopped my bank process to answer my phone. On my full screen was a message, this is as close to verbatim as I could remember:
“Thank you for calling PNC, we appreciate your business. Below is your confirmation number, do not share it with anyone but the person you are dealing with. XXXXXX. If you did not make this call please call 1-800-etc.” I immediately E-mailed my Banker to ask if there was a problem; he informed me that was the confirmation number the teller sent to me while I was standing in front of her and she had my drivers license, credit card and check. IS THIS WHAT WE WILL FACE NEXT WHEN WE GO TO THE POLLS TO VOTE????
That situation ate at me throughout the rest of the day and into last night; a headache that wouldn’t go away and bunched muscles in my neck and shoulders kept me awake. Sheila; I kept thinking of E-mailing you, not that you could resolve my problem but you might have information or a source as to what new ID demands we will be facing today and beyond. I have been forced to work my way through lengthy attempts to make contact on line to businesses and my medical care due to the required confirmation numbers which are sometimes slow in coming and the contact process must be repeated from step one. By the way; I have the Real ID Drivers License, I provided my original birth certificate, 8 1/2 inch heavy paper document with the official Indiana gold seal. It was questioned and took discussion among the BMV workers whether to accept it or not.
While we are struggling to prove who WE are, THEY are openly showing who they are and we now watch the mentally unbalanced president and his deputy president, the chainsaw wielding drug addict in their dog fight as the deputy processes his self-deportation in his personal jet. We are trapped in the Cuckoo’s Nest and even Nurse Rachedd would provide better leadership than we are suffering through now.
As hard as it is, we cannot afford to give in to fear. Big Ego stems from instilling fear in people and witnessing, before your eyes, the power it gives. We have to make Trump more afraid of us than Republicans are afraid of Him.
It’s taken Elon Musk 150 days to learn that.
Every day, a few more are realizing they must rise without fear rather than run before it.
Anger does not equal violence. It is demonstrative righteous indignation. It is righteous demonstrations for now, followed by righteous voting whenever we can.
Trump is a bully conman. Let’s stick our noses right in his face on June 14th, right in the faces of all of MAGA, and say never again. Never. Again.
Orange Jesus (OJ) said that if everybody voted, the GOP would never win again. So even he knows what a free and fair election means. We need a veto proof majority in both houses of Congress to see the change necessary to make it easier to vote. It’s not likely to happen. Perhaps when OJ and his ilk are gone and we only need a sixty vote count in the Senate and a majority in the House to get a bill through, it will happen. I pray for that day.
Karl Rove, and Co., along with Newt Gingrich and more, have long made a mockery of Democracy, here. Rick the Scott cancelled 86,000 voting registrations under the flimsiest of pretexts, in Florididia, leading the way for Death Santis to become gov’r by a measly 15,000 votes, his first time out.
To say that the party of Law and Order has been the most lawless would be to continue to revisit the oft said obvious truth, and would bring to mind Missy Lindsey Graham’s infamous quote.
This is all actually pretty simple. Treat constitutional rights identically. Make it as easy to vote as it is to own a gun. Or, make it as hard to own a gun as it is to vote.
JoAnn,
I’m so sorry for the problem you had. How many times have you been to that same branch? I’m guessing that you went to the same bank before. PNC took it over. If I’m right, you should be raising cane with the branch manager. Did the teller suspect you of criminality? Do they text to everyone who banks in person? Even ask when was the last time they were held up by a woman fitting your description?
It’s not appropriate to treat a client that way. The bank should know better.
Patrick J. Traub. As a friend of mine used to say, “That’s way too logical. They won’t do that.” 😠
A lot of people don’t vote as they don’t trust “pols” of either party. Take the often respected Democratic governor of Colorado, mentioned as a possible presidential candidate:
“Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) has been on a veto spree, striking down a series of Democratic-led consumer-protection measures under the auspices of preventing unnecessary red tape.
Polis, whose $400 million tech fortune makes him one of the wealthiest elected officials in the country, champions a political ideology once fondly described by Klein as “individualistic liberalism.”
Consumers lose. In defense of the free market, Polis has taken a sledgehammer to commonsense consumer safety measures. One bill, introduced by a state lawmaker after she was sexually battered in a Lyft, would have boosted protections for drivers and passengers, including by strengthening background check requirements and empowering consumers to directly sue rideshare corporations over cases of assault. But Polis vetoed these so-called “unworkable regulations” after Uber threatened to leave the state.
Another bill would have required social media companies to properly investigate and ban accounts linked to child pornography, illegal drug sales, and sex trafficking. But industry trade groups representing Meta and TikTok lobbied against the legislation, arguing it was regulatory overreach — a justification that Polis later used to kill the bill.
Corporations win. Polis also recently vetoed legislation that would have restricted corporate landlords from using algorithmic price-setting to corner the market and keep rents high after opposition from the real estate and developer industry. That includes property management giant RealPage, which is facing civil penalties after the Justice Department accused the company of using artificial intelligence to expand its monopolistic grip on the market.
Polis’ laissez-faire gears are greased by cold, hard cash from Big Business. Polis — who has shown no issue with trading money for influence — self-financed most of his recent $13 million bid for office, but accepted more than $1.5 million in inauguration donations from a comically villainous list of special interests, including fossil fuel behemoth Chevron, health insurer UnitedHealthcare, sports betting platform DraftKings, the parent of tobacco giant Phillip Morris, and Jeff Bezos’ Amazon.”
Peggy; you are so right. I am still not over fuming before I get back to my always faithful Banker Steve. I know he is following new procedures and when I suggested the only way to end Trump’s rule is the Mussolini Solution, he applauded. They have been a source of help for many years, including staying open for me to be released from the hospital after my mugging and robbery 12 years ago, had new checking and savings accounts set up and my VISA criminal use of almost $1,000 reported to their fraud division. Simple things like activating new credit card needs an appointment with them because I cannot call; they are always ready with what I need when I get there. I don’t want to alienate them so I’m choosing words carefully. Thanks for understanding.
John Sorg,
My “favorite” cleansing by using the finer analyses from the Bible is the adoption of the “Sons of Ham” passages that the Dutch used to create their colony in South Africa and enslave the black men and women to do the farming and mining. The Dutch Reformed Church openly practiced this discrimination for purely economic benefit. Sound familiar? It summarizes several chapters in my book, “Killing the Dream …”
Joann – oh my goodness! Can’t someone help you set up online banking on your computer? You’re a smart person – know how to use a computer and cell phone.
You just sign in and then have an access code texted to your phone to enter – for security. You can view your account to see all activity- deposits, checks that have cleared, print your monthly bank statement, see your PNC credit card activity. You don’t have to pay bills through online banking if you still want to write checks, but you get total access to your account.
No need to talk to a teller. Use your bank card to get cash at the ATM without even getting out of your car. It couldn’t be more easy or convenient.
Gail; thank you for your suggestion but I chose not to bank on line, Internet hacking of the federal government and reporters receiving military plan attacks doesn’t exactly make me believe my financial system is safe. The text posting which thanked me for calling them, which I did not and cannot do, as I wait every month to know if my Social Security check is there, it actually frightened me that my accounts had been hacked in this current political frenzy to privatize Social Security and do away with my health care. Had the text mentioned my visit to the bank, I would have responded to the usual contact I get from them after conducting business in the bank.
Joann – I’m sorry you have chosen to believe the lies that T is trying to take away your healthcare. If you really believe your account could be “hacked” that’s all the more reason you should have online access to check it. You don’t have to do any transactions on it – just view it and set up alerts. Living in fear is no way to live
My goodness, Gail, I’m sorry you have chosen not to believe the facts. My health care is providing less and less care, does not respond to texts when my Ortho specialist sent a referral for serious problems, and I also could not contact the clinic he sent my referral to on their own web site or through my healthcare provider. The Ortho specialist has left my service and the receptionist he said would respond to texts refuses to answer. Those lack of responses are violations of the Reasonable Accommodations section of the ADA, which is federal law. By “T” I am assuming you meant Trump; why not say his name if you believe him and believe in his destruction of sources of aid to people in need. I am seeking health care which I will pay for but have no guarantee I will continue receiving what is my rightful return on my tax investment through 25 years of working and I still pay $168 every month out of my Social Security checks for my Medicare. Unless and until TRUMP ends them.
I do not have, nor do I want, ATM or Debit cards; I have a credit card for emergencies and repairs; I keep my checkbook up to date each time I write checks and I reconcile my checkbook monthly when I receive my statement. I prefer using my mind rather than allowing it to lay fallow; I have been doing it for over 70 years. I do have concerns about my 29 year old car which Pep Boys helps keep it in good running condition; major repairs I do use my credit card but pay it off quickly by paying more than the minimum payment requested. I have watched family and friends put themselves in precarious financial conditions by using debit, credit and ATM cards to run their lives by immediately getting what they want, sometimes forgetting what they need till the bill comes due. My computer is primarily for communication due to my deafness; my daughter-in-law insists on providing a cell phone for family contact and emergencies, texting only. My problems which need attention are trying to find someone to do maintenance and repairs on my home; 4 different men have looked at the necessary work needed, took measurements, talked with me about the situation then drove off never to be seen again. They do not have the balls to tell me they aren’t interested in the work, don’t have time or to kiss their butt and not bother them again.
This old dog has learned a few new tricks regarding electronics which are now rule most people’s lives but I choose to maintain the simple ways of life which serve me well; and the information is always at my fingertips and needs no electricity to provide most information I need. When the law requires I stop doing things my way, I will do so but sincerely hope I am long gone before that happens.
JoAnn,
Read Vernon’s account from his comment. He is absolutely correct. And really, the descendants of him were the white races, not the darker ones. So The Dutch kind of got that backwards. But the church, the churches, backed that particular level of ignorance because it made it easier to throw edicts out there to soothe the consciences of those involved in that sort of despicable conduct that Vernon was speaking about. And his book is very good by the way. If you recall, Abraham met a priest king named Melchizedek, and it really is more commonly known today that Melchizedek was actually Noah’s son Shem. And this was some of the first sacrifices or gifts to God through a high priest. IE Melchizedek. Melchizedek’s city-state Salem, is the exact location of the current iteration of a holy city Jeru’salem.
What we see today, is what they’ve done throughout history, historically, remove benefits from the sick and the elderly, those who are widows, the children who are orphans, so that they don’t have any sort of support mechanisms. And hope that they would just go away and die. And we can see that that’s what’s happening today. They would prefer everyone who is sick, everyone who is getting some sort of aid, seems to be a drag on business and the economy, so if they can force them to check out, to die, their bottom line looks much better. The Germans conducted a master class on this very issue. But they didn’t show mercy, they took the elderly and the orphans, women married to undesirables, those who belong to religious groups that did not go along with the Nazi program, they were taken out in front of huge pits and gullies, and executed by the tens of thousands. This is history, this is what actually happened. And this is where this country is headed.
Vernon, see my comment to JoAnn!
To offer some international perspective, our recent Canadian election engendered higher emotions than any in recent memory. We always have an early-voting period, but because of the high emotions, it was busier than usual. I voted early, of course, and this overall voting time was the longest I’ve ever experienced. From the moment I arrived until the moment I left, it took me nearly 45 minutes to cast my vote. (The norm is 10-20 minutes.)
If it’s taking you longer than that–and I know it is–then it’s simply that your governments don’t want to allow you to vote.