By P.S. White
This week, Donald Trump launched yet another attack on vote-by-mail initiatives, falsely claiming that Michigan and Nevada had "illegally" sent out applications for mail-in voting and he threatened to withhold federal funding to these states. This nothing more than another one of his tirades, and again shows how he is willing to quickly turn to retribution against anybody who acts contrary to his wishes. But the people must stand against these actions and demand the option to vote by mail.
The fact is that the states have the right to decide how they will conduct the vote, and the federal government has no say in the matter (at one point, the Republicans were the party of States Rights before they sacrificed their principles to whims of Trump). Should Trump withhold federal funding to the states because of their decision to allow the vote-by-mail option, his actions would likely be counted as illegal and the states could take recourse against him.
Trump claims that mail-in voting is susceptible to fraud, but there is absolutely no proof that voting in this manner leads to any significant fraudulent activity. The Republicans in general have a history of voter suppression and supporting gerrymandering that greatly skews votes in their favor. Voting by mail bypasses some of these attempts at suppression and allows for greater participation among those casting their votes. Trump himself has admitted that this "doesn’t work out well for Republicans" (because it thwarts voter suppression) and that is largely why he is against it.
However, voters could face a very difficult choice when election day rolls around this year in November. The Coronavirus pandemic is hardly over and health experts warn that a second wave could hit in Fall. If that is the case, people will be putting their lives at risk to cast their votes in person during the upcoming election. This risk can be easily eliminated by states allowing the unrestricted option for all citizens to vote by mail (the option currently exists, but there are stipulations on who is eligible).
Trump's threats against vote-by-mail hold no weight if law-makers across the country, on the state and federal levels, stand against him. Mail-in ballots are a perfectly acceptable means for people to exercise their franchise, and should be allowed in the current pandemic environment so that voters do not have to risk their health.
It is up to the people of this country to put pressure on their representatives to allow voting by mail without restrictions in the upcoming election (and beyond). There are no credible arguments to the contrary, and several states have been practicing widespread vote-by-mail for years (Utah, Colorado, Hawaii, Washington, and Oregon). If the people demand it, and make their voices heard, there is little that Trump and the Republicans can do to stop it. Now is the time to stand up for safe elections, and against those who have long tried to skew the votes in their favor.
This week, Donald Trump launched yet another attack on vote-by-mail initiatives, falsely claiming that Michigan and Nevada had "illegally" sent out applications for mail-in voting and he threatened to withhold federal funding to these states. This nothing more than another one of his tirades, and again shows how he is willing to quickly turn to retribution against anybody who acts contrary to his wishes. But the people must stand against these actions and demand the option to vote by mail.
The fact is that the states have the right to decide how they will conduct the vote, and the federal government has no say in the matter (at one point, the Republicans were the party of States Rights before they sacrificed their principles to whims of Trump). Should Trump withhold federal funding to the states because of their decision to allow the vote-by-mail option, his actions would likely be counted as illegal and the states could take recourse against him.
Trump claims that mail-in voting is susceptible to fraud, but there is absolutely no proof that voting in this manner leads to any significant fraudulent activity. The Republicans in general have a history of voter suppression and supporting gerrymandering that greatly skews votes in their favor. Voting by mail bypasses some of these attempts at suppression and allows for greater participation among those casting their votes. Trump himself has admitted that this "doesn’t work out well for Republicans" (because it thwarts voter suppression) and that is largely why he is against it.
However, voters could face a very difficult choice when election day rolls around this year in November. The Coronavirus pandemic is hardly over and health experts warn that a second wave could hit in Fall. If that is the case, people will be putting their lives at risk to cast their votes in person during the upcoming election. This risk can be easily eliminated by states allowing the unrestricted option for all citizens to vote by mail (the option currently exists, but there are stipulations on who is eligible).
Trump's threats against vote-by-mail hold no weight if law-makers across the country, on the state and federal levels, stand against him. Mail-in ballots are a perfectly acceptable means for people to exercise their franchise, and should be allowed in the current pandemic environment so that voters do not have to risk their health.
It is up to the people of this country to put pressure on their representatives to allow voting by mail without restrictions in the upcoming election (and beyond). There are no credible arguments to the contrary, and several states have been practicing widespread vote-by-mail for years (Utah, Colorado, Hawaii, Washington, and Oregon). If the people demand it, and make their voices heard, there is little that Trump and the Republicans can do to stop it. Now is the time to stand up for safe elections, and against those who have long tried to skew the votes in their favor.
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