Attack on voting

The Republicans throughout the country are proposing a cure for a disease that in reality does not exist. It is a result of the mis/disinformation of the Big Lie. if I may quote a recent letter to the editor: a lie repeated often enough becomes reality. The disease is not voting fraud. The disease is the Big Lie, racism, placate Republicans who are upset about the outcome of the 2020 elections (whether or not they believe in “stolen election” conspiracies), and the pursuit of power at all costs.

For example, the Montana legislature is proposing restricting days allowed to vote, reducing days to vote before election day, which would eliminate an average of 650 voters from voting in Gallatin County alone and thousands of Montanans in other counties. Making stricter ID requirements. Restricting mail-in voting.

Limiting hours of voting. Are Republican legislators saying that our election was somehow flawed? Are they saying there was voter fraud in Montana? If so, who is responsible for this view and how do we explain the overwhelming success of Republican candidates in the last election?

Or let’s look at Georgia where legislators have passed a law that enables the state legislature (with GOP majority) the ability to override any election result they don’t like. The disease? Mis and Disinformation about the election of 2020. The source of this propaganda? Ask Montana Republicans. If Republicans would craft a message that has wider appeal rather than restricting the votes of people who may not vote for them, it would benefit everyone—not just Republicans. Do Republicans argue that they are somehow bringing integrity and confidence to our elections? Because voters have lost faith in our elections from the lies politicians perpetrated, they now have to prove to their voters they are doing something about it. The Republican platform is now based upon this circular reasoning. This scenario is being

repeated in 43 states and at least 250 new laws which affect millions of Americans. These measures disproportionately affect people in cities and Black voters in particular who overwhelmingly vote democratic. It is Jim Crow 2.0. It is apparent that after the election of 2020, with the loss of Trump, Republicans (including Montana) have been fed THE BIG LIE and are determined to make sure it doesn’t happen again. ergo, proposing a cure for a disease (The Big Lie) that in reality does not exist.

David R. James

Eureka