Posted on 07/08/2021 5:47:01 AM PDT by Kaslin
We have a voting crisis in the United States right now, and it's not the story we're being told by Democrats, the media or even Republicans. It's a crisis of poor and inconsistent voter involvement and engagement. It's a crisis of finding compromise over voter integrity, which clearly does not exist by virtue of Russia's ability to interfere with the 2016 elections and subsequent attempts in 2020. The United States does have problems with its voting, but it's not in the way many may think.
During the 2020 presidential election, at least 158.8 million people voted for then-President Donald Trump or for Democratic nominee Joseph Biden. This staggering amount is 20 million more than the 137.5 million who turned out in 2016. It was also 25 million more than the 132.9 million who voted in the 2012 election.
Pew Research Center did an analysis of turnout rates in recent national elections of 35 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of self-described democratic and "market-oriented economies." The United States ranked 30th out of 35 nations for which data are available. This is surprising and disappointing considering the power and wealth of the United States; however, it showcases that our voter crisis is far more complex than what meets the eye.
One of the very first problems we need to address is our low voter turnout and participation. While the 158.8 million that turned out in 2020 might seem impressive, the reality is that 80 million eligible Americans failed to show up to the polls. Too many Americans feel the process is rigged against them, that their vote doesn't matter, and just don't bother to participate at all, which is both an embarrassment and a catastrophe. The United States should represent the highest form of democratization, which also means having high and consistent voter participation, yet we find ourselves near the bottom of the barrel when compared with other industrialized nations.
While our main focus should be mobilizing and empowering Americans to vote, it is also important to place our attention on Russia and Vladimir Putin, who continuously seek to undermine the free and fair elections of the United States, which, as I see it, is a violation of U.S. sovereignty. A comprehensive look into Russian meddling by our intelligence agencies has made it clear that Russia is a consistent and present threat to the United States, not only by continuous attempts at interfering but also by spreading disinformation in an attempt to divide Americans based on their race and their ideological differences.
Russia has perhaps proven itself to be the greatest adversary in the history of the United States. Russia's ability to infiltrate the United States in a way that has turned the country on itself from the inside out is akin to a third world war, even in the absence of any missiles being launched or troops being sent onto foreign soil. Our immediate attention should focus on how to thwart Russia's continued attempts to create chaos within the United States as it attempts to reignite global Russian supremacy. However unlikely that may be, Putin's Russia has been effective at one thing, and that's weakening the United States by attacking our election process and sewing internal discord.
I point out each of these things not because I don't believe that having fair elections is an essential part of democratic republic but because I believe that they, too, warrant our immediate attention, though they have gone ignored when compared to voter ID laws. From my perspective, having voter ID laws isn't racist in nature, and requiring citizens to verify and show proof of who they are shouldn't be a partisan issue. With that being said, however, I do believe that we must make access to IDs and other forms of identification easy, particularly for the poor and elderly. If we are able to accomplish this, I strongly believe that most people would have no problem with showcasing proof of identity to vote. It's not a burden as long as people have easy access and the means to procure said requirements. Additionally, I disagree with states that prohibit people giving out water or basic snacks. It just seems unnecessarily cruel, particularly in areas where people wait in lines for hours and hours to cast their vote, so this is another thing we need to fix. It just doesn't make sense that people have to wait in lines all day to vote. Maybe if we had a federal voting holiday where everyone was off and could vote, we could see historic numbers and consistent participation. Whatever we ultimately decide, we must compromise and create a system that works for all Americans regardless of race and socioeconomic status.
A safe, but reasonably strong system is beneficial to our country and to all Americans. Regardless of whether your vote is cast for a Democrat or a Republican, each American has something to gain by strengthening our election process. Everyone wins and the country is better off when all voices can be fairly heard. To be abundantly clear, this isn't a partisan issue, but an American issue. The sooner we put partisanship to the side, the better off we are. Combatting Russia, consistently improving voter turnout and engagement, and making an efficient and streamlined process for voters should be our focus.
BS. Voting is a right, but that doesn’t mean it should be ridiculously easy. If a person isn’t willing to register, get an ID and show up at a polling place, that person most probably has done no research and in reality, shouldn’t vote.
I wouldn’t say voting is a right. I would say it’s a responsibility of an informed citizenry. But only those who are truly informed.
What state is going to be the 1st to explain how vote totals were reached in 2020? They don’t need to “prove” it, just explain it well enough for voters to have confidence. Does any state have the confidence to say this is how it’s done & how we did it?
Imagine if election officials from each state were required—sometime after each election—to release an explainer video with links to relevant documents demonstrating how the election totals were determined. Sounds simple & reasonable but I doubt they could pull it off.
“Accessibility”?
Where is the problem?
And standards in a state should be consistent. No 24 hour polls in certain districts.
Both parties should adhere to the Constitution.
Natural born citizens are born here of citizen parents.
The children of foreigners are precisely who the founders were excluding.
HAH!!
Just wait until RCV becomes the norm.
“I wouldn’t say voting is a right. “
It is a responsibility, but it is also a right. An adult citizen can not, and should not be denied the ability to cast a ballot. Just because it’s a right doesn’t mean that it doesn’t require some effort to exercise that right.
Rights are not absolutes. Even 2nd A rights are restricted if a person is a felon. I have no problem with putting limitations on voting. Being a taxpayer should be one. No one on the gov’t teat should be able to vote themselves other people’s money.
“No one on the gov’t teat should be able to vote themselves other people’s money.”
I agree.
Where does Russia fit into this crap? Did Hillary Clinton write this nonsense?
Exactly. Russia my ass
We had that garbage for three years non stop
Bottom line is Donald J Trump , our wonderful president, is the squeakiest cleanest businessman that’s ever existed on planet earth!
If Mueller $25 million and those 18 angry Democrats couldn’t even find a parking ticket you know the guys clean!
Of course when Russia fall dude the evil lying Demoncats came up with all the other nonsense Covid ; Ukraine Riots. blah blah blah
I genuinely truly detest the Democrat party
“One of the very first problems we need to address is our low voter turnout and participation. “
Bullsh!t.
We already have TOO MUCH DEMOCRACY.
We have slipped into ochlocracy while nobody was paying attention. And a republic cannot survive ochlocracy.
Here we go again with Russia, Russia, Russia. How is buying about $100,000 in Facebook ads comparable to over 1 Billion dollars in spending by other organizations in 2016?
The disinformation being spread is not coming from Russia, it is coming from our own government, elite leftists in major corporations, foundations, and universities, and our wholly left wing propaganda based media.
A better plan would be to make the election officials conduct the entire process in public, like election officials in New Hampshire and other New England states do.
Among the many factors that turn off voters is the constriction of our two party (gang) system. For all practical purposes, voters have to accept the entire package of one gang or the other.
Neither major party approximates my views, values, and objectives, and I am not alone in that. The party ideologies are cobbled together to attract special constituencies, and are fraught with internal contradictions. For one egregious example, the Democrat Party opposes the death penalty for serial killers, but backs abortions in extreme late-term.
Party adherence becomes not a matter of shared ideals, but a dismal calculus of who will best slather your bread with stolen butter, or alternatively, steal less of your butter. I cannot remember an election in which I was actually enthusiastic about a candidate. The votes are always defensive and joyless.
A multiparty system would have its own problems, but would afford a make it much more likely that individuals could find a group they mostly agreed with. In terms of voter turnout, it’s hardly a surprise that so many are apathetic about rambling, uninformed dimwits who avoid standing for anything, and what they do stand for aligns with only a narrow band of the electorate. 15-20% of the population is functionally non compos mentis, and can’t manage their own lives, much less make strategic decisions in the best interest of the country. That allows campaigns to pander to the lowest denominator, using marketing techniques aimed at television consumers.
This is one reason that I don't believe that Biden fairly won. It's just the complete improbability of this many new votes.
Sadly, I don't think the audits will prove much, though I hope I'm wrong, because I think most of the cheating came from illegal mail-in ballots being mixed in with legal ballots and there's no longer a way to separate them.
Both parties like the status quo. 2020 style elections is the name of the game.
>>It is a responsibility, but it is also a right. An adult citizen can not, and should not be denied the ability to cast a ballot. Just because it’s a right doesn’t mean that it doesn’t require some effort to exercise that right.
Even convicted felons?
Even people currently incarcerated?
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