Destroying the Fabric of American Democracy

Remember the Republican drumbeat before the November Presidential elections? Democrats had the advantage due to massive voter fraud. In an extraordinary fit of hyperbole, John McCain said in the third presidential debate that ACORN “is now on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of democracy.”

Faux News, various right wing talking heads, the Wall Street Journal and elected Republican officials railed against the widespread voter fraud that was allegedly being carried on by nefarious groups such as ACORN or the Democratic Party. In Cincinnati, the local county prosecutor, the chair of the regional McCain for President campaign committee, claimed thousands of individuals without addresses or with false addresses were able to register and vote in Ohio. It was a scandal that was corrupting the overall election!

Well, what did we find after the dust settled and Obama was elected? There was no widespread voter fraud in the United States or Cincinnati. An independent prosecutor (A Republican) was chosen to investigate the voter fraud charges in the Hamilton County and he found NO evidence of widespread voter irregularities. There was one such case and the individual came forward to incriminate himself!

The Republicans are increasingly a political party of narrow minded, intolerant, prejudiced and mean-spirited individuals that are out of step with the demographic transformation of this country. Look at the remaining GOP representatives in the House. They all come from very RED, exburban, older or rural districts. They understand that the only way they can expand their successes at the polls is to suppress the vote. Crying voter fraud does many things. It rallies the right wing that is always looking for a grand conspiracy and it discourages the poor, the disenfranchised and new voter from exercising their rights.

How pathetic and tired. Let's remember these Republican tactics the next time we have a national election.