In a new video, The Lincoln Project called on Americans to “vote, while your vote still counts,” sounding an alarm about increasing threats from Republicans against the foundation of democracy in the U.S. The video spotlighted, among other concerns, voter suppression — ultimately, democracy can be eroded by something that’s gradual and could go unnoticed, at least by the privileged. Since the 2020 elections, Republicans in states around the country have pushed suppressive changes to the electoral system, threatening to make it significantly more difficult for certain groups to even vote. They’ve promoted these moves, such as new hurdles around mail-in voting, under the guise of concerns about election security, but there’s no legitimate evidence of a widespread election integrity problem.
What is it called when some Senators want to keep the filibuster, which was invented to serve the interests of white supremacists at the expense of Black Americans, but refuse to support voting rights legislation? Because it certainly cannot be called democracy.
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) February 1, 2022
In the new video, a narrator says as follows, discussing the crumbling of democracy:
‘It happens quietly. Little by little. And because so many think it can’t happen, it does happen. Little by little, the rules change. It doesn’t seem shocking or sudden, and that’s the point. Fewer places to vote. Longer lines. Don’t worry, they say — we’re just improving the system. They hope we won’t notice the rules are changing because they lost the last election. They hope we just won’t care enough to stop them. They believe they can take America away from us, and we won’t even notice. We know who they are. We know what they want. The question is, who are we? Do we let them get away with it, or do we fight? Democracy is on the ballot. Vote, while your vote still counts.’
Democracy is on the ballot. pic.twitter.com/MFwkgrutpf
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) February 1, 2022
One way in which those concerned about upholding American democracy have been working to beat back the Republican onslaught is going to court over unfair legislative district maps. In Alabama and Ohio, courts have declared that maps that were set into motion by Republican officials were inappropriately favorable to their side, demanding that the maps be replaced, and elsewhere, fights are continuing. In Pennsylvania, Democratic Governor Tom Wolf recently vetoed redistricting plans that were approved by Republican state legislators, concluding that the proposed Congressional district map was set to deliver a “disproportionate number of seats to Republican candidates when compared with Pennsylvania voters’ preferences.” The map appears to have been set to feature eight seats leaning towards the Republicans, eight leaning towards the Democrats, and one that could more easily go either way. Wolf added that the map would “unnecessarily create noncompetitive districts unresponsive to Pennsylvania political trends and prevailing voter preference.” Wolf’s veto decision pushed the matter to the courts.
2013: “Things have changed dramatically in the South." – John Roberts, when he gutted the Voting Rights Act
2022: https://t.co/0Mj6nIpQyv
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) January 31, 2022
