The sacred entitlement in a democracy once again under attack.

VOTING RIGHTS

June 21, 1788, the Great Experiment; the Constitution of the United States was adopted creating the first democracy in the modern world. But, with the right relegated to the states, only a small percentage of the adult population was permitted to vote. Slavery was written into the document and free men of color faced restrictions in many states. Women couldn’t vote and most states had additional restrictions; primarily property ownership or payment of taxes. The experiment had a long way to go.

Rights expanded

Through the years many of the limitations were eliminated, whether by law or court. Yet, several states were determined to restrict rights of those they considered undesirable. The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1870, provided the vote for those who had been enslaved and eliminated restrictions on other males. After the end of Reconstruction however, barriers were put in place in former slave states and some others preventing people of color from practicing that right. It took the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 to eliminate the obstructions.

Further laws and Constitutional Amendments have extended the right to women and lowered the age from 21 to 18. So, with all this progress, why are we still facing problems concerning the right to vote?

Moving the wrong way

Today we live in a time of great divisiveness with social and political progress stifled by extreme polarization. The Republican Party has largely become a representation of American fascism; dedicated to following the whims of a single person rather than governing the nation. Sustaining the lie of a false election and expression of support for the rioters on January 6 are echoes of dictators past and present; a system that America has theoretically rejected. Acquisition and preservation of power takes precedence with today’s Republicans; limit the vote rather than adapt to the majority; blindly march in step with the singular strongman.

Opposition to oppression

On the other side, a progressive movement has been rising throughout parts of the nation in response to the growing results of economic disparity, climate change and racial injustice. With the Democratic Party moving toward the left and Republican states introducing greater restrictions, voting rights has once again come to the forefront as a major issue.

Representative government?

But this is not the only problem constraining our democracy. Gerrymandering, practiced by both parties, creates districts concentrating or spreading out a vote to favor one party over another; some of them having very bizarre shapes as they twist and turn through communities to manipulate the vote in one party’s favor.

Districts are determined by the states and revised every ten years according to the census. So, whichever party is in power creates the districts and the party with the majority of total votes may not be represented in the majority of districts.

Money rules

And, of course, the age old problem of money dominating politics leading to extreme wealth, individual and corporate, dominating legislation while escaping the taxes necessary to support the nation and its people.

Freedom to Vote

Part of Joe Biden’s reforms is the Freedom to Vote Act, shielding our elections from a vast number of abuses, including outside interference, dark money, partisan gerrymandering, and voter suppression. Although not completely addressing campaign financing nearly as deeply as it should, it would still be the most far reaching voting act in our history, eliminating many major ills. Of course, despite seen favorably by a majority, Republicans invoked the filibuster to prevent it from becoming law.

Biden’s infrastructure and climate plans are necessary but expensive. Blockades have been placed before the concept of taxing the ultra-rich and corporations to help pay for it.

So the Great Experiment hits more bumps in the road, possibly the greatest threat to our nation since the Civil War, as one of our two major parties embraces a fascist agenda. We’ve been able to bounce over others but, with so many obstacles facing us today, will we survive this one?

11/2021