President Donald Trump appears determinedly opposed to the basic step of protecting ballot access for vulnerable Americans amidst the Coronavirus pandemic. Tens of thousands of Americans have died due to the disease, and some Coronavirus cases, in places like Wisconsin, have been tied to polling places. In response to mounting concern, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) has ordered that every voter in the state get a mail-in ballot this November, and Trump promptly freaked out on Twitter, where he claimed that Democrats were trying to steal the election. All they’re doing is helping get people the chance to vote.
Trump doesn't think Democrats have the right to vote..
Trump is a lying crook and con man!
Trump, we know and see your corruption. 👁👁👁@realDonaldTrump https://t.co/Y4KA61Vnnd
— Ruth #1 RESISTOR and seeker of Democracy (@RuthResistor) May 9, 2020
Trump belted out:
‘So in California, the Democrats, who fought like crazy to get all mail in only ballots, and succeeded, have just opened a voting booth in the most Democrat area in the State. They are trying to steal another election. It’s all rigged out there. These votes must not count. SCAM!’
So in California, the Democrats, who fought like crazy to get all mail in only ballots, and succeeded, have just opened a voting booth in the most Democrat area in the State. They are trying to steal another election. It’s all rigged out there. These votes must not count. SCAM!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2020
CA25 is a Rigged Election. Trying to steal it from @MikeGarcia2020. @GavinNewsom must act now!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2020
Trump is saying, in short, that votes shouldn’t count where the state happened to open a polling place in an area with many Democrats. First of all, vast swaths of the state have many Democrats, and secondly, polling places open and close all the time. Southern state authorities have closed a staggering 1,200 polling places throughout recent years, a recent report reveals. Yet, Trump doesn’t seem nearly as concerned about that as he is with the opening of a single polling place among a Democratic community.
Trump: No mail-in voting! Rigged!
Also Trump: No in-person voting! Rigged! https://t.co/wiCfvUuf8b
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) May 9, 2020
Trump has consistently claimed that there is some threat of widespread voter fraud in U.S. presidential elections. There is absolutely no evidence to support his claims, which have even included the claim that millions of illegal votes were cast in places like California. That claim has no relationship to reality; Trump might as well have insisted that the state is actually named New York and “California” as a separate entity is all an illusion.
"People who vote are trying to steal the election." https://t.co/t5Pcp7huDx
— Sebastian Murdock (@SebastianMurdoc) May 9, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response below…
Oh for sure, this guy is totally going to leave office voluntarily if he loses in November. Definitely. https://t.co/YfIAqDV4ka
— Ben Dowsett (@Ben_Dowsett) May 9, 2020
He's not leaving, no matter what the vote tallies say. I'm not sure what to say to people who still think there's going to be anything close to a fair and open election. He has nothing left to fear now that he controls the judicial branch. https://t.co/kykW02Swz6
— Ben is concerned about everything right now (@BenKuchera) May 9, 2020
The in-person voting site in Lancaster (hardly the "most Democrat[ic] area" in CA) for #CA25 special elex was requested by city's GOP mayor, per elections officials..a mayor who welcomed POTUS to CA this year. All-mail elections often have some in-person for those who need it. https://t.co/RDz1mmMrK1
— John Myers (@johnmyers) May 9, 2020
Fox is the most remedial TV imaginable: poreless dullards that look like Tom Tomorrow cartoons going back and forth saying "it seems like Mr. Trump is doing great, do you agree?" and repeating the same shit over and over. And he still can't quite grasp it! https://t.co/TnfQCGKQOj
— David Roth (@david_j_roth) May 9, 2020
Protecting voting rights and public health by providing vote-by-mail ballots and ample in-person voting locations isn't a partisan issue — but that never keeps Trump from throwing a lie filled tantrum. https://t.co/Aev0VMkVvf
— Alex Padilla (@AlexPadilla4CA) May 9, 2020
Publicly calling for voter suppression now. https://t.co/x4bDO2WFgr
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) May 9, 2020
These votes must not count? One citizen, one vote. That's the bedrock of our democracy. Doesn't matter where the voting happens. https://t.co/2QZl6cqxbq
— Celeste Headlee (@CelesteHeadlee) May 9, 2020
You’re scared that #JoeBiden WILL win the Presidency because you are a #FailedPresident
You can’t win anything unless it’s by cheating! #JoeBidenForPresident2020 https://t.co/xbvgaRqwAl— Barbara Patterson (@patte151) May 9, 2020
Progressives should be looking to "backsliding democracies" and "semi-authoritarian regimes" to learn best practices for defending free & fair elections.
Trump will turn voter suppression into election negation, just like he turned racist dogwhistles into a foghorn. https://t.co/ieBHoqlP1H
— Max Berger (@maxberger) May 9, 2020
Now, let's talk about red state gerrymandering. Let's talk about Republicans instituting Voter ID laws and then making it impossible for poor people to get the ID. Let's talk about closing polling stations and voter registration offices in minority districts.
Hello?
Hello? https://t.co/RsqLhhApyH
— Stonekettle (@Stonekettle) May 9, 2020
