Texas Governor Greg Abbott knows how to suppress the vote! The infamous Greg Abbott Order. Will it Stand?
Republicans have a long history of voter suppression. It is devious and totally in Trump’s wheelhouse, the sort of horrid activity done in plain view. You remember, during the debate, how Trump encouraged his supporters to intimidate voters at the polls, right? Well, that’s one form of voter suppression. That brings us to today’s editorial cartoon: Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who recently ordered that each county in Texas be limited to only one drop-off box for mail-in ballots. This is an abrupt decision made with only three weeks before the election.
Democratic members of Congress, all chairs of prominent committees, have called Abbott’s order an apparent “last-ditch effort to suppress Texans’ ability to vote.” Consider the fact that mail-in drop-off sites are relied upon just like mail boxes and each county is suppose to have what it needs. Harris County, a county with a population of 4.7 million, which includes Houston, has relied upon a dozen drop-off sites. Harris County is around the size of Rhode Island. Abbott now has Harris County with only ONE drop-off box! This is the opposite of making voting accessible for everyone. At this writing, Abbott’s order is being challenged but it may stand as is.
Houston, and the rest of Battleground America, we have a problem. Where are you experiencing voter suppression? In about three weeks, November 3, 2020, it will be Election Day in the United States of America. What are you doing to help promote a fair and honest election? Well, it has nothing to do with suddenly showing up in MAGA gear as a self-proclaimed poll watcher. For many Americans, it will mean voting like your life depends upon it. In the end, all of us in the USA must find a way to come together. We will continue to do this one step at a time. The Abbott order is now a moment in time right up there with another infamous moment in time, George Wallace standing in front of Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama on June 11, 1963, in order to stop the enrollment of African-American students. Don’t be hesitant, afraid and silent. Speak up. And vote.
The following is from the Texan Tribune, 6 October 2020. Read the entire article here.
The Democratic chairs of three high-profile congressional committees urged Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday to rescind his order limiting counties to one drop-off location each for absentee ballots, saying it “appears to be a last-ditch effort to suppress Texans’ ability to vote.”
In a letter to the Texas governor, U.S. House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., and U.S. Reps. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said they are investigating Abbott’s order because it “may interfere with the administration of free, fair, and safe federal elections in Texas during the coronavirus pandemic.” The chairs also asked Abbott to provide documents regarding his decision.
Clyburn leads the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, Lofgren chairs the Committee on House Administration, and Maloney presides over the Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Apparently Republican’s don’t understand that it’s not only Democrats utilizing mail in ballots especially with the circumstances surrounding this election.
Good point! This tactic of limiting drop-off sites to one per county would seem to hurt everyone, whatever party. However, it needs to be pointed out that it is minorities who will be most impacted. That’s the intention. The goal is to hold back and suppress as many traditional votes from Democrats, coming from Black and Brown communities. Not everyone can hop in their car and drive across town to vote. We’ll get to where we need to be someday, where voting is accessible to all. Just can’t seem to get there soon enough!
Right, it sucks brother. But doing this would greatly impact the elderly and or anyone most vulnerable to getting Covid, no matter how you look at, Republican’s in office today for the most part are complete idiots.
Yes, this is going to hurt a lot of people! And it doesn’t have to be this way. Back in the day, Republicans offered what could be considered an alternative from the “friendly opposition.” But that began to change with Nixon and his team that courted the “silent majority” and it’s gotten more and more about an “enemy opposition.” We’ll look back on this time and shudder at what’s happened and I don’t say it as a zealous partisan but as a serious observer of history. Maybe you watched SNL last weekend. When Chris Rock said that our system is broken, he wasn’t joking! And even he remained hopeful as he ended his monologue with a plea to go out and vote!
Nah, I don’t watch SNL…But I do agree the system is seriously broken. I hate Trump but Joe is just another old white guy with dough..
Agreed. But a step forward.
A step more presidential. But only forward in the sense that Joe isn’t an idiot like Trump. Unlike all prior Presidents, Trump chose to wear his wolf colors proudly. Every single guy before him hid under sheep’s wool. The true problem isn’t the presidency it’s career politician’s, it’s no term limits, it’s lobbyists, it’s we the people only in it for ourselves.
Very reasonable and valid points, of course. Well, at this point in time, we have to work with what we have. I’m sure Joe thanked his lucky stars when he became Veep. And now, he appears to be on the verge of attaining his career goal. Joe is not exactly my first choice but, even Bernie Sanders admits we need to get over ourselves and get Biden in the White House. We deal with more moving forward. This is a very special circumstance where it’s really not about Joe but about moving forward. With Trump, we move further backward and he continues to do all sorts of damage, very real damage on many levels. Better Biden now. Then we keep trying a little more….
I hear ya brother, it’s pathetic no matter how ya look at it.
I really appreciate your comments! Thank you. You’re always welcome to stop by.
Completely agree with you Henry. My unaffiliated vote is going to Biden/Harris, primarily because I like Harris.
Sounds great. I’m a fan of Kamala too!
Oh Holy Charles! Texas hold’em off, a gambling of dictatorship vs. democracy at a huge stake.
It doesn’t look good in so many ways! Where to begin? What I keep hearing is that, if Biden can win by a landslide, then Trump is most likely to concede. Trump is doing everything he can possibly do to stay in office. Trump has said he won’t peacefully concede if he loses the election. This is not normal but this is what the United States is facing.
Right, a possible worldwide public rating into a vodka or banana state doesn’t seem to bother the Trumpery Man and his team that much.
We need to have Trump out of office (and hopefully on trial) as soon as possible. We have our election process and it certainly looks like Biden could win but we need a massive voter turnout. The 25th Amendment process seems to be too late to try to implement. Nancy Pelosi recently suggested it. Only in a post-Trump USA can we begin the repair work. As you say, I believe most Americans don’t really want the US to devolve into a banana republic.