I’m tired of writing about the egregious failures of our president. I imagine folks are tired of hearing about them as well.
But he just keeps acting in such repulsive ways.
Now he wants his supporters to break the law.
This is not really anything new, but his messages in the past have never been as overt. For example, he has praised far right groups, labeling them “fine people,” and thereby given tacit approval for their illegal intimidation of those who dare to be Black or have other undesirable characteristics. He has praised rifle carrying and bullet shooting bullies for “protecting” us from the terrible protesters.
Now, though, he has given a direct mandate to his followers to violate the law. Vote by mail. Then vote in person a second time. This, he claims, will be the definitive test to prove voting by mail is not to be trusted.
The problem, of course, is voting twice is indeed illegal and a person deliberately doing so is subject to fines or worse. Trump is telling his loyal adherents to go against the law and order issue he so proudly claims to endorse. This shows the moral fiber of our president.
I have no trouble believing some, probably many, of his devotees will indeed follow his command and attempt to vote more than once. Why doesn’t that make Trump legally guilty of abetting a crime? That, after all, is supposed to be against the law.
Nevertheless, I would hope that most of his supporters are at least honest and wouldn’t partake of such a Kool-Aid suggestion. But there are so many whose moral compass seems to have vanished and I can see them trying it.
I am not so concerned that these attempts will succeed in fooling the system. I tend to believe supervisors of elections when they say such acts are sure to be caught. It is maddening, though, that, should any efforts be successful, they will benefit Trump by supplying two votes in his favor.
What does bother me are a couple of ramifications that could follow from such illegal activity.
First, if there are many who attempt to follow the edict, they could needlessly delay voting on election day and possibly discourage others from casting a ballot. The only bright side I can see to this is that Democrats are more likely than Republicans to vote my mail, especially in the pandemic, and perhaps the disruption will interfere more with Republican votes than with Democratic ones.
Second, this request is just another attempt by Trump to convince his followers the election results can’t be trusted, setting the stage for him to complain if he loses. And there is no doubt he will do all in his power to disrupt the country if he does appear to be coming in second. Heck, he did it in 2016 when he won!
It is so easy to lay all of the blame for this abominable command and indeed the entire miserable presidency on Trump, and he certainly deserves censure. But, even more, I hold his followers responsible for refusing to recognize the danger to our country brought by this man and his policies.
But he just keeps acting in such repulsive ways.
Now he wants his supporters to break the law.
This is not really anything new, but his messages in the past have never been as overt. For example, he has praised far right groups, labeling them “fine people,” and thereby given tacit approval for their illegal intimidation of those who dare to be Black or have other undesirable characteristics. He has praised rifle carrying and bullet shooting bullies for “protecting” us from the terrible protesters.
Now, though, he has given a direct mandate to his followers to violate the law. Vote by mail. Then vote in person a second time. This, he claims, will be the definitive test to prove voting by mail is not to be trusted.
The problem, of course, is voting twice is indeed illegal and a person deliberately doing so is subject to fines or worse. Trump is telling his loyal adherents to go against the law and order issue he so proudly claims to endorse. This shows the moral fiber of our president.
I have no trouble believing some, probably many, of his devotees will indeed follow his command and attempt to vote more than once. Why doesn’t that make Trump legally guilty of abetting a crime? That, after all, is supposed to be against the law.
Nevertheless, I would hope that most of his supporters are at least honest and wouldn’t partake of such a Kool-Aid suggestion. But there are so many whose moral compass seems to have vanished and I can see them trying it.
I am not so concerned that these attempts will succeed in fooling the system. I tend to believe supervisors of elections when they say such acts are sure to be caught. It is maddening, though, that, should any efforts be successful, they will benefit Trump by supplying two votes in his favor.
What does bother me are a couple of ramifications that could follow from such illegal activity.
First, if there are many who attempt to follow the edict, they could needlessly delay voting on election day and possibly discourage others from casting a ballot. The only bright side I can see to this is that Democrats are more likely than Republicans to vote my mail, especially in the pandemic, and perhaps the disruption will interfere more with Republican votes than with Democratic ones.
Second, this request is just another attempt by Trump to convince his followers the election results can’t be trusted, setting the stage for him to complain if he loses. And there is no doubt he will do all in his power to disrupt the country if he does appear to be coming in second. Heck, he did it in 2016 when he won!
It is so easy to lay all of the blame for this abominable command and indeed the entire miserable presidency on Trump, and he certainly deserves censure. But, even more, I hold his followers responsible for refusing to recognize the danger to our country brought by this man and his policies.
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