This new bill that the Republicans are trying to pass is a continued effort to stop the vote. They can call it what they want, but it all comes down to their manipulation of the Voting Act. This bill would make it even harder for elderly people with disabilities to vote. It also targets the Black voters in an even more discriminatory effort than some of their last attempts. Specifically, the bill makes it a Class A misdemeanor to request or provide an absentee ballot application for someone who isn’t a blood relative or who lives in the same household. There are also exceptions, required by Federal law, for persons with disabilities. Bear in mind now, that this is not a “ballot” but an “application.” For example, if you help a disabled Veteran get an application to vote, you could be criminally charged and spend a year in jail and a $ 5,000 fine! WHAT? In America? Yes.
Rep Jamie Kiel, a Republican from Russellville tried this same trick before but could not make a claim to a single harm that this might cause in providing assistance in absentee ballots. So, here he comes again. This time, he is making up all kinds of “this could happen” instead of making any legitimate claim that going door to door to encourage people to vote is a crime. No surprise that Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen is supporting Kiel in his ridiculous attempt to make voting even harder for the elderly, Black, Hispanic, Native American, and disabled voters. He has proven to the voters that his obligation as a law enforcing agent for Alabama has been replaced by his personal political pandering. This bill is edging on the narrow of being unconstitutional in preventing legally registered voters from exercising their right to vote.
What has happened to the Republican Party is that they thrive on misinformation and pushing the lies of a twice-impeached president who incited a riot against our Capital. Now they spend their time in Congress to break down the fair Constitutional laws that give every American the freedom to vote. They are now hiding behind the reasoning that this bill would prevent fraud, yet not one of them can present a valid example of how this would come about. This is all a smoke screen to hide their fear of a high voter turnout of Black, Hispanic, Native American, Veterans, disabled, and yes, smart people who are fed up with their games and lies. They are afraid that the curtain will be pulled back and the Grand Wizard of lies will be revealed. Their biggest fear is that misinformed voters and Fox News groupies will learn that the GOP is not voting for them in Congress. They are not looking after the elderly on Social Security, the middle class who are struggling, the poor families dependent on government assistance to feed their families, and Veterans who are suffering from PTSD and homelessness. They have been giving big tax breaks to the rich and making sure they get their raises while refusing to raise the minimum wage since 2009. They want to cut Medicare and Medicaid while they enjoy 5-star healthcare benefits paid by us, the taxpayers. They do not want our Veterans to know that they vote against every bill to increase the well-deserved benefits that they do not have. If the voters in this country were to have a big reality check and vote for themselves, it would change this entire country. It’s not fraud that the Republicans are afraid of. It’s the truth of who they are and what they are doing to the people who blindly vote for them without believing or understanding that these conservative mistruths are nothing less than a self-serving lie.
Lynda Kirkpatrick
Marion County Democratic Party Chair
SDEC District 17 Rep Alabama Democratic Party