From one of those tangents that so often take conversations off track. In this case, it's this one from the "Traitor" topic.
https://www.onepoliticalplaza.com/tpr?p=3819216&t=222097From the discussion about Trump and the suggestion that his foray into politics is perhaps one of the best examples of a move toward autocracy, to the counter-suggestion that the left is a better example, to the snarky remark… "You mean like making sure all Americans can vote?" to the breakdown on election systems, which I think is worthy of its own topic.
The Brennan Center for Justice is tracking the bills in all the state legislatures and have counted up some totals that make a rational person wonder about what's really going on.
As of May 14, 2021, legislators have introduced
389 bills with
restrictive provisions in
48 states. Twenty-two bills with restrictive provisions have already been enacted. In addition, at least
61 bills with restrictive provisions in 18 states are moving through legislatures:
31 have passed at least one chamber, while another 30 have had some sort of committee action (e.g., a hearing, an amendment, or a committee vote).
source:
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/state-voting-bills-tracker-2021So what are they restricting? Am I correct in assuming that the Republicans responsible for ALL of these restrictive laws are pulling the same stunts that we've seen repeated throughout history, such as the Jim Crow laws that got around the 15th Amendment by cutting black people off from the ballot through restrictions on things common to black people other than skin color?
Or could it be that my conservative interlocutors are correct in assuming it's all for the sake of ensuring "secure and trustworthy" elections? Does it take 389 laws to do that?
Someone had suggested we break things down to the simplest elements and go from there. This is where I'd like this topic to start. That person suggested this basic requirement…
Our elections must be secure and trustworthy. There are 2 components to that:
1) That everyone who is eligible to vote be on voter registration rolls. This requirement includes a valid photo ID, and proof of eligibility.
2) When voting, that person needs to be on the voter registration rolls and possess a valid photo ID.
I already brought up a number of problems related to photo ID, which has NOT been the most reliable form of authentication since about 20 years ago. I also brought up the fact that "who is eligible" (being presented here as an inconsequential given) is in fact, the basis for most examples of voter suppression throughout history.
I offered an alternative starting point. Just three rules…
Requirements for secure elections.
1) voter is eligible
2) voter is authenticated
3) voter is limited to one vote.
There are so many ways to meet these requirements and each state has the constitutional right to decide which methods to use. Personally, here's how I would like to see this implemented...
1. Any adult subjected to the laws of the land is eligible to vote (not including visitors)
2. I prefer a modern system of authentication such a biometrics.
3. blockchain!
I might have to explain that last one… Blockchain is a relatively new technology in which transactions are recorded on a shared ledger supported by a peer-to-peer network. The beauty being that no one controls the ledger it is utterly decentralized. When a transaction occurs, it's recorded everywhere and cannot be erased by anyone. Block chain is what all the crypto-currencies like Bitcoin are based on.
Using a block-chain it's possible to eliminate every opportunity to vote more than once with the proof being beyond the control of any particular agency. I noticed that NONE of the 389 bills being pushed through in the name of "integrity" mention blockchain which would actually make 80% of those bills moot. So… is this because the lawmakers aren't aware of blockchain even though cryptocurrency is such an issue on the floor? Or is it because blockchain would take away the smoke screen of fake concern for "election integrity" that voter suppression always needs?
To my conservative friends, you may not know this but we liberals would LOVE a To my conservative friends, you may not know this but we liberals would LOVE a trustworthy election just so we don't have to listen to all these conspiracy theories about cheating every time we win an election.
I'm thinking about writing to my representative to encourage this idea and would appreciate any (rational) critique.
From one of those tangents that so often take conv... (