Afraid of the Voters
May 19, 2011 - by
It’s revealing when politicians – specifically, Republican legislators – clearly believe they are better off when fewer people vote.
That’s the conclusion you have to draw from their efforts to suppress early voting in North Carolina. (See Jim Morrill’s story in the Charlotte O and N&O.)
Actually, the Republicans are right. The GOP did well last year, when 1.7 million fewer people voted than in the Democratic sweep of 2008.
So the solution is obvious: Cut early vote down by a week. Eliminate Sunday voting. And no more registering to vote at the polls.
Why stop there? Why not restrict the franchise to property-owning white males (so long as they’re angry white males)? Or just count three-fifths of certain people’s votes (you know who)?
In Washington, Republicans just want to take away your Medicare. In Raleigh, they want to take away your vote.
The strategy may work for a while. But it reveals the fundamental vulnerability of Republicans long-term: Their base is shrinking.
Afraid of the Voters
May 19, 2011/
It’s revealing when politicians – specifically, Republican legislators – clearly believe they are better off when fewer people vote.
That’s the conclusion you have to draw from their efforts to suppress early voting in North Carolina. (See Jim Morrill’s story in the Charlotte O and N&O.)
Actually, the Republicans are right. The GOP did well last year, when 1.7 million fewer people voted than in the Democratic sweep of 2008.
So the solution is obvious: Cut early vote down by a week. Eliminate Sunday voting. And no more registering to vote at the polls.
Why stop there? Why not restrict the franchise to property-owning white males (so long as they’re angry white males)? Or just count three-fifths of certain people’s votes (you know who)?
In Washington, Republicans just want to take away your Medicare. In Raleigh, they want to take away your vote.
The strategy may work for a while. But it reveals the fundamental vulnerability of Republicans long-term: Their base is shrinking.