One of the principles of democracy is one person, one vote. However, the United States has a structural problem that the Founders did not anticipate. The vote of a Wyomingite carries more weight than a Californian because of the small-state bias of the Senate and the Electoral College. And the residents of the District of Columbia do not have voting representation in Congress.
A hard truth about American politics is that we have a two-party, winner-take-all system with one party that wants to expand democracy and another that wants to restrict it. I know, I know, our country is a constitutional republic not a democracy. The folks who want less democracy like to remind of us of that.
I often wonder what is the bigger threat to democracy: voter apathy or voter suppression? Those who want to restrict democracy cling to the fallacy that there is rampant voter fraud. Fortunately, the review of the 2020 election by the government agencies that ran it found little evidence of fraud.
The politicians who want to restrict voting rights were unable to win elections by promoting better ideas, so they resort to choosing their voters. In addition to gerrymandering, they are trying all types of tactics: excessively strict ID and signature requirements, reduced voting hours and early voting, restrictions on absentee voting, and limited voting locations resulting in long lines.
These voter suppression tactics are targeted at poor people, black and brown people, students and the elderly. Do we ever see long lines of voters in affluent neighborhoods? Welcome to Jim Crow 2.0!
Everyone who is eligible to vote should have equal access to the polls. But the architects of voter suppression are determined to prevent democracy from happening again. Hand me my blood pressure meds!
Equity - Environment - Economic Justice 