It’s 2018 — that means it’s a midterm year, the year Democrats have the chance to take back the House, and the year voter suppression has made a comeback.
There’s no denying that voter suppression has been an issue in America since it’s conception (let’s remember: only white landowning men could vote at the time the Constitution was written).
Yet, the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, and the 19th Amendment of 1920, ensured all citizens had the right to vote. But looking around our country today, these Amendments are suddenly being challenged and voter suppression appears to be on the rise.
Since the election of President Donald Trump, our country has come to believe that the Republican Party is the discriminatory party. Hateful rhetoric by both the president and those within his Cabinet have sparked outrage across the country.
Nowadays, the Republican Party isn’t seen as just the conservative party. Instead, Republicans are people who want to take away from citizens, instill doubt and distrust between people of different backgrounds and capitalize off the efforts of the poor. In effect, voters no longer want to elect Republican politicians.
Republicans know this and they’re scared — they’re scared of losing this year’s midterms and, consequently, the power they hold. So they’ve managed to find ways to keep the power they have by attempting to fix the elections.
From gerrymandering to polling-place changes to strict voter ID laws, politicians are finding new ways to suppress voters. And most of the areas where Republicans are issuing these changes disproportionately affect people of color and young people. In other words, Republicans are targeting areas that are heavily influenced by Democratic ideals.
While the issue of voter suppression is clearly based on prejudices and fear, the larger problem is much more dangerous. As they continue to find new ways to target and suppress voters, the Republican Party is sending a very clear message.
The Republicans no longer care about establishing a society with a stable and respected government; they no longer think the government should be serving all its citizens in the most basic ways, like healthcare, jobs and education; Republicans no longer care if their constituents are happy with them.
For the Republicans, the only thing that matters is their party and the way in which they can keep it going — even if it means hurting thousands of Americans.
