“...Postage paid”

 

The United States of America is a Troubled Democracy. This as listed by Freedom House. An institution founded by Elenore Roosevelt, and Wendell Willkie. We’re in company with Brazil South Korea, and others. Part of this decade’s wave of anti-democratic nationalist governments.

We're a big country with many States at different levels of democracy. This year some States are reverting to type by writing, and passing new voter suppression laws, They are making voting very difficult for specific targeted groups. Difficult, but still possible. I say “P” word because in my life time I recall voter suppression at literal gun point in Southern States. It has not regressed that far yet, but it’s on a direct path to it.

I say all this because in my mail box today I received my Vote by Mail Ballot. It was a very simple matter. I filled out a form that confirmed I’m on the registered voting list. Mailed it in, and here a week later I received my ballot. Easy direct democracy. In other states I’d have to personally deal with the state government to make sure I haven’t been purged from the voting rolls. This takes days in some states weeks. In those places they do not inform you. Instead you’re told when you show up to vote,…that you can’t.

However I live in the American part of the country so I can now at peace in my home in the company of my books my dolls vote for the incompetent egomaniac of my choice. Well I’m voting Liberal Democrat which comes down to the same thing.

Others in say Texas Arizona Wyoming Nebraska Alabama will have rather a longer, and more intrusive complicated experience. Some will not be able to vote by mail or in person at all. One of the two major parties knows that if more people vote they may not be elected. Trump himself said “…If everybody voted no republican would ever be elected again.”

For once he spoke the truth.

So tho’ I make lite. This is because I live in a State still governed by those that respect the rule of law as opposed to the uniformed whims of one disturbed man or his followers in State governments. For all the above I take my enfranchisement as a life, and death matter.