Robin Sears writes it's hard to steal an election in Canada because
we maintain a paper record of every ballot, plus the ballots themselves, electronically counted or not. We have national systems and regulations which are rigorously followed by a centrally trained set of election officers. We also gave up long ago on any role for the parties in local electoral administration.
South of the border, it's a different story:
The foundational weakness in the American system is that electoral administration remains in partisan control at the local and state levels. In some cases, it is a contested structure with the GOP in control at the state level, and Democrats locally. Needless to say, games are played in close races. George W. Bush became president as a result of GOP operatives in Florida being able to convince a local judge to halt an unfinished recount, and then submit those incomplete results that still favoured Bush to the Supreme Court, whose conservative majority declared him the winner.
Currently, polls suggest that Joe Biden is leading. But that doesn't mean he will win:
The Biden and Trump campaigns have retained armies of lawyers to launch similar efforts in dozens of jurisdictions if required, where the ballot count is close and a small shift in votes will flip the electoral college in that state. Add to this, the prospect of the Trump forces trying once again to block vote-counting after a few days, and then those bitter contests being referred to Trump-packed local federal courts, and then to the newly Trump-packed Supreme Court. One may only pray that voters follow Barack Obama’s powerful admonition this week that they turn out and deliver a decisive victory for change.
In this country we have our problems -- God knows, we have problems. But the good news is we don't live south of the border.
Image: history.com
12 comments:
Came to Canada in '68, never a regret, though at the moment, I worry from time to time that our border is that longish, mostly undefended thingy and that our cultural and intellectual walls are hardly breeze-proof. If Commies can hide under the bed, QAnon can likely slither over the border, and, in fact, looking East to the other side of the Rockies, it might appear that there's a beach head already in place.
Conspiracy theorists don't respect borders, Danneau.
Speaking of conspiracy theorists, Trump is at it again. Now he's claiming that the recent spike in Covid infections is a conspiracy. It's a "fake news conspiracy."
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/other/trump-calls-u-s-coronavirus-case-spike-a-media-conspiracy/ar-BB1app3Y?ocid=msedgntp
See, he's a paranoid, malignant narcissist, pathological liar, sociopath. What did I leave out, schizo? No I don't think world class grifters can be schizophrenic. Too easy to detect.
He's neither stable nor a genius, Mound. But he most assuredly is a moron.
I suggest that you look at the influence that the illegal elections funds spent by the conservatives in the in/out affair, and tell me whether or not that elections was "stolen". I also suggest that you take the time to view the documentary “Election Day in Canada: The Rise of Voter Suppression," about the robacalls affairs, and then tell me that elections don't get stolen in Canada. They do, but we don't invalidate them after they are done.
This election will surely be stolen or attempted to be stolen, Owen. The SCOTUS is now in tRumps pocket and the Repug legislatures will replace the people's will with electors of the their choice. It will be a mess. The interesting thing to watch for is the majority's reaction to such moves, impotent as they may be.
I don't suggest that there isn't hanky-panky around elections in Canada, Anon. The two instances you mention are notorious. But there are real advantages to having a system that is centralized. Because of the fragmentation of the American voting system, it's a rich target for outside actors.
Usually, I don't publish comments which haven't been initialled. But you make a good point. Please initial your next comment.
If it's a blow-out, the Supreme Court won't come near the result, Ben. This is an election that will tell us a lot about the intelligence of the average American voter.
"If it's a blow-out, the Supreme Court won't come near the result, Ben. This is an election that will tell us a lot about the intelligence of the average American voter."
I would disagree, the blowout will not be apparent on election day, maybe after the mail-in ballots have been counted, in States that tRump hasn't taken to court to eliminate the counting.
Again I remain to be convinced that there will be a 'normal' voter turnout on election day, I hope so but with usual voters looking to secure their vote by voting early, turnout may not be all that much larger - I hope so!
We'll see what happens, Ben. Occasionally, people become convinced that they should throw the bums out. The last time that happened here was in 1993. Such cataclysms are few and far between. But they're still possible.
@Ben
This is an election that will tell us a lot about the intelligence of the average American voter."
The American voter is as politically illiterate as is the average voter in the western world.
We are at a point where Twitter and Facebook control the dialogue.
Governments are now formed on 'make this or that country great again ' or free beer and other goodies.
In a world faced with self destructive global warming we have become blindsided with personalities and self worth.
Perhaps political party that advocates selfishness we can win the popular vote?
Or maybe I am behind the times!
LOL
TB
Democracy can't survive unless citizens can think critically about the dialogue, TB. If we can't recognize when snake-oil peddlers are given a platform, we're doomed.
Post a Comment