We would not be the first or even the hundredth to note that our elections systems, no matter which way you slice them, leave much to be desired. The most famous example that springs to mind when one mentions election security is of course the debacle of 2016, in which foreign governments, Russia among them, peddled influence campaigns, and worked with unscrupulous individuals to favor Trump. Like much about the Trump administration, his rise to power amid a dysfunctional electoral system is merely the logical conclusion of repeatedly ignoring the flashing warning lights, not some new aberration.
There are many aspects of our electoral process that are broken, from our voting machines, to our limited voting locations and times, to how we fund the elections themselves. Since the Trump presidency all of these issues have gotten worse, our campaign finance laws, once in tatters from repeated attacks by oligarchs and their servants on the SCOTUS, have been utterly neutered. Trump has not even replaced vacancies at the FEC, to the absurd point that the governing board can no longer reach a quorum for official action! Trump and the Republicans know that weak oversight by the FCC gives them their only chance at victory with their deeply undemocratic agenda. The American people have other ideas:
Which of the following would you most like to see from the Federal Elections Commission or FEC when it comes to enforcing campaign finance laws: Taking a more active role in enforcing campaign finance laws: 71% Taking a less active role in enforcing campaign finance laws: 6% Staying a current levels of enforcement: 9%
By overwhelming majority, Americans want a electoral process that lives up to its promise. Democrats, have actually tried to respond to this desire of the people, by passing legislation in the house, but Moscow Mitch, deeply unpopular in his own state and wanting a repeat of 2016 has prevented any and all votes on bills which could safeguard our elections. Our cries, however, will not be enough. We know that these deeply unpopular politicians are bought off by special interest groups, and in fact want interference in our elections. If we are to bring democratic representation back to America, it will take a broad and enduring movement of people, demanding change and putting pressure on the powerful. This fight is vital to a thriving democracy, and only through enduring socio-political-economic movements like DSOT can we hope to achieve our goals. Join us every Tuesday, in growing solidarity and power until we take back our democracy from amoral special interests, and greedy politicians: Don't Shop on Tuesdays!
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