Republicans have been rigging elections for decades. But, after the November mid-terms, they're on steroids, making sure that Democrats don't take control. E. J. Dionne writes:
Not so the Republicans in Wisconsin. Having lost the governorship, they’re using a lame-duck session of the legislature to strip Evers of many powers they were perfectly content to see Republican Gov. Scott Walker exercise. Why are they doing this now? Because Walker, who was defeated by Evers, is still in office to sign their bills.
Among other things, the legislation would stop Evers from taking control of a state economic development agency that the Democrat has pledged to abolish, and it would make it harder for him to overturn restrictions Walker imposed on social benefits. It would also limit early voting (which helped the Democrats win by expanding turnout). For good measure, the legislature wants to prevent Kaul [the newly elected Democratic Attorney General] from withdrawing the state from a lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act — even though that’s exactly what Kaul told voters he would do.
And because of the way the state has been gerrymandered, Republicans still control the state legislature The Democrats won the popular vote in State Assembly contests by a margin of 54 percent to 46 percent but emerged with only 36 seats to the GOP’s 63.
The same thing is happening in Michigan:
Republicans in Michigan (which also replaced a Republican governor with a Democrat this year) are working on a similar effort.
One Michigan GOP target: incoming Democratic secretary of state Jocelyn Benson, who, like other Democratic secretaries of state this year, was elected on an ambitious reform agenda. This includes greater transparency when it comes to political money. Republicans don’t like this, so they introduced a bill to restrict her oversight of campaign finance issues.
This kind of behaviour smells like what came out of the Jim Crow South:
The GOP’s anti-democratic impulse has far more in common with the old segregationist Democrats of the South than with the best Republican traditions that led to the rights-conferring 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. The party’s efforts to lock in power regardless of election outcomes also eerily echo some of the behaviors of anti-democratic politicians abroad.
Donald Trump represents a colossal threat to democracy. But so does his entire party.
Image: BetterMan
6 comments:
Nothing short of a slow-motion constitutional coup. Is it any wonder so many American voices, even Tucker Carlson's, are speaking of an unbridgeable divide and the prospect of a two-state solution for America's irreconcilable tribes? From my perspective, the sooner the better.
Most of these actions, in my opinion, are to protect themselves and their financial supporters and how they make money. there are problems not only in the states you site, but in Alabama and N.C. district 9. They won't even certify in district 9 and the guy who would do the certifying is a Republican.
The corruption in the American political system got worse after their Supreme Court rules corporations were people and then it was money, money, money. What passes for politics in Alabama would embarrass a gangster.
As Jean Chretien said, The American empire is dead. So is their democracy and it will be very hard to get it back.
The place really does seem to be falling apart, Mound. The name of the game is power -- at any cost.
Like Mr. Trump, e.a.f., it's all about money down there. And the consequences are plain to see.
.. I've made the point in the past .. about 'electoral grooming and gooning' in Canada. The astonishing outrage of Electoral Fraud in Canada's general election by Stephen Harper's political party and by his government. We see how twisted partisan political animals visit their American bretheren or sisters to learn the lastest tactics and techniques. In Canada we tend to lag behind the USA but the ga
is closing or has closed completely. Presumably the percentage of evangelicals in Canada will soon match that of the USA.. and 'with god on their side' American voters elected Donald Trump. Here in Ontario we see Doug Ford cozying up with the likes of Charles McVety.. how wonderful ! These thugs are now getting their hands on our school curriculum. Its a wicked game they play - to them. And if we want to be dolts, slackers or stunned rubes.. they will deliver exactly what we deserve.. garbage. Wakey wakey Canada eh.. Earth to Canada.. is there anybody out there ? Hello ? Hello.. Hell...
I'm always gobsmacked, sal, to see how the so called "Moral Majority" operate on their prime directive: the end justifies the means.
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