VOTE-& No More War with Iran

WHAT A DICTATOR WANTS

It all seems to be falling apart rather quickly: Losing and unwanted and unpopular Wars of of aggression, ongoing - if less flagrant - ICE violence and repression, skyrocketing prices (especially at the gas pump), and a partial government shutdown preventing funding of the Department of Homeland Security over said ICE Goons dragging on now for months and leading to images of long lines and dysfunction in the nation's airports. With so many unpopular policies at home and destructive decisions abroad hitting at once what is a wannabe dictator like Trump or his surrounding sycophants to do as the midterms approach? Well, you must delay, subvert, and rig the game to prevent free and fair elections from occurring.day

The Republican party has long demonstrated in word and deed in a maniacal focus on voter disenfranchisement. This fixation on denying American’s the vote is a topic we've covered extensively here at DSOT, and has only trebled under this new Trump administration. From the mid-decade gerrymandering gambit in states like Texas (an effort which may now be backfiring) to the seizing of the voter rolls in swing States, it's clear that the Republicans are looking to explore every path, legal and otherwise, that gives them an electoral advantage and avoid responsibility for the last year plus of depravity. However, the catastrophe created recently by Trump and the Republicans is so bad it seems these standard voter suppression efforts will be insufficient.

Now Trump hopes that he will be saved by the SAVE America Act, an unprecedented piece of voter suppression being sold as voter protection against the perennial boogeyman of voter fraud. Or perhaps he’s relying on sending his personal ICE paramilitary to “protect” the polls on election day. Just what's in the SAVE America Act?

. Just what's in the SAVE America Act?

• Strict Proof of Citizenship Requirements - The bill requires documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote, which for the vast majority of Americans, would be a passport or birth certificate. Center for American Progress.

• Voter Registration Updates - Even small changes such as moving into an apartment building, moving down the block, or changing one’s party affiliation or even last name would require Americans to go in person to their election office and present original or certified documentation. Center for American Progress

• Attacking Online and Mail Registration - Online voter registration would be eliminated, and voters will no longer be able to mail in a voter registration application.

• Attacking Election Workers - The bill establishes criminal penalties against election officials who register an applicant who fails to present the aforementioned documentary proof.

• Voter Roll Purges - The legislation would mandate voter roll purges every 30 days, placing enormous burdens on election officials and ending the 90-day quiet period that protects voters from being mistakenly removed from the rolls right before Election Day. Brennan Center for Justice

• Photo ID Requirements to Vote - The bill requires that individuals voting in federal elections must present an eligible photo identification document at the polls. Congress.gov.

Some of these policies poll well with Americans, many of them are unpopular, but when taken in totality, it is very clear, and elections experts have confirmed, that the effect of this legislation will be to disenfranchise millions of Americans, especially women, the poor, and people of color.

 At the same time that they are attempting to pass this disenfranchising legislation the Trump Regime is also asking for Congress to authorize $200 billion dollars for the unpopular and illegal Iran War! Somehow the $1+ Trillion to “defense” just wasn’t enough.  These two votes are coming up very soon. It seems like the SAVE Act likely does not have the votes to pass unless the Senate nukes the filibuster, which Trump is demanding they do refusing to sign any other bills until the SAVE act is passed… just so we’re all clear how important he thinks this voter suppression bill is to make sure he is never held accountable.

The war funding package’s fate is frustratingly less clear, with Democrats, especially leadership, often more hawkish than their constituents. However, it’s imperative this bill is rejected. We cannot allow further funding for this war to occur. There is no middle path here, Democrats must be unequivocally against this illegal war of choice. A vote for funding is a vote for authorizing and legitimizing this war. The best way to support the troops the best way to support America is to not only not vote “No” to funding this war, but also draft up articles of impeachment for Trump for engaging in this illegal war of aggression, jeopardizing the entire world economy in the process.

These are the two major pieces of Republican legislation that are being put forward in this moment of crisis. Legislation to strip away your rights, the very ability to select your leaders and hold them accountable, and funding for forever Wars. American bombs are a choice to fund blowing up schools abroad instead of funding education and healthcare at home.

We see the choices that Republicans are making every day. Democrats must draw a clear distinction between themselves and Republicans, making accountability and responsiveness of elected officials to their voters a core tenet. We’ve seen time and again, however, they won’t get there alone. We must demand with our political voices by organizing and calling our representatives, and we must use our economic power to insist we don't continue these forever Wars and we reject the mad king Trump.

So join us each Tuesday and growing solidarity as we work together to truly Save our democracy.

Don’t Shop on Tuesday. #DSOT #UPM