In Georgia's Fulton County, the FBI swooped in to remove ballots and election records – an operation that can only be seen as a thinly veiled attempt by Donald Trump to justify his "big lie" about winning the 2020 presidential election. The move came despite Trump having conceded defeat and admitted his loss more than five years ago.
However, Trump's appetite for power shows no signs of abating. In fact, he is now pushing Republicans to take control of elections in multiple states, citing a false narrative that undocumented immigrants are flooding voting booths with fake ballots. This claim has been thoroughly debunked, but it remains a staple of Trump's misinformation campaign.
What's striking about this latest development is not the outlandish claim itself, but rather the fact that Republican leaders have largely taken a hands-off approach to addressing these concerns. Some have even expressed support for Trump's idea to nationalize elections, which would effectively grant states more control over voting processes – a move that could lead to voter suppression and disenfranchisement.
Make no mistake: this is not about protecting democracy; it's about maintaining power. By erasing Black history from public institutions and stripping away their rights, Trump's administration is employing a strategy of "power by stealth." The aim is to crush the voices of marginalized communities and render them invisible in the American narrative.
This is eerily reminiscent of the Jim Crow era, when officials relied on seemingly legitimate mechanisms like poll taxes, literacy tests, and voter roll purges to nullify Black political power. In Georgia's Fulton County, federal agents descended upon a majority-Black electorate, treating its citizens as adversaries rather than voters.
The consequences are already manifesting. Trump has openly called for Republicans to nationalize voting in at least 15 states, with the goal of siphoning off Democratic support and undermining democracy. By deploying the tired trope of widespread undocumented voting, he is attempting to constrict the very fabric of American democracy.
It's a classic case of "if you can't see it, be it" – erasing communities, stripping away their rights, and replacing them with a narrative that prioritizes power over people. This is not a battle for truth or justice; it's a war on representation and participation.
In this context, the opposition from some Republicans – including Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon – comes as a welcome respite. However, more needs to be done to confront this authoritarian turn head-on. The House speaker, Mike Johnson, has given tacit permission for Trump's rhetoric by failing to condemn it outright.
Fulton County is not an aberration; it's part of a broader playbook that includes immigration raids, erasure of Black history from public spaces, and attempts to revoke temporary protected status for Haitian immigrants. The Judge Ana C Reyes' ruling in the latter case, which halted the administration's efforts due to "hostility towards nonwhite immigrants," serves as a poignant reminder of what is at stake.
In the end, democracy hangs in the balance. To strip people of their voice and render them invisible is to attempt their disappearance. As Marian Wright Edelman once said, "You can't be what you can't see." It's time for America to confront its own shadow and ensure that every citizen has a seat at the table – regardless of their skin color or immigration status.
However, Trump's appetite for power shows no signs of abating. In fact, he is now pushing Republicans to take control of elections in multiple states, citing a false narrative that undocumented immigrants are flooding voting booths with fake ballots. This claim has been thoroughly debunked, but it remains a staple of Trump's misinformation campaign.
What's striking about this latest development is not the outlandish claim itself, but rather the fact that Republican leaders have largely taken a hands-off approach to addressing these concerns. Some have even expressed support for Trump's idea to nationalize elections, which would effectively grant states more control over voting processes – a move that could lead to voter suppression and disenfranchisement.
Make no mistake: this is not about protecting democracy; it's about maintaining power. By erasing Black history from public institutions and stripping away their rights, Trump's administration is employing a strategy of "power by stealth." The aim is to crush the voices of marginalized communities and render them invisible in the American narrative.
This is eerily reminiscent of the Jim Crow era, when officials relied on seemingly legitimate mechanisms like poll taxes, literacy tests, and voter roll purges to nullify Black political power. In Georgia's Fulton County, federal agents descended upon a majority-Black electorate, treating its citizens as adversaries rather than voters.
The consequences are already manifesting. Trump has openly called for Republicans to nationalize voting in at least 15 states, with the goal of siphoning off Democratic support and undermining democracy. By deploying the tired trope of widespread undocumented voting, he is attempting to constrict the very fabric of American democracy.
It's a classic case of "if you can't see it, be it" – erasing communities, stripping away their rights, and replacing them with a narrative that prioritizes power over people. This is not a battle for truth or justice; it's a war on representation and participation.
In this context, the opposition from some Republicans – including Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon – comes as a welcome respite. However, more needs to be done to confront this authoritarian turn head-on. The House speaker, Mike Johnson, has given tacit permission for Trump's rhetoric by failing to condemn it outright.
Fulton County is not an aberration; it's part of a broader playbook that includes immigration raids, erasure of Black history from public spaces, and attempts to revoke temporary protected status for Haitian immigrants. The Judge Ana C Reyes' ruling in the latter case, which halted the administration's efforts due to "hostility towards nonwhite immigrants," serves as a poignant reminder of what is at stake.
In the end, democracy hangs in the balance. To strip people of their voice and render them invisible is to attempt their disappearance. As Marian Wright Edelman once said, "You can't be what you can't see." It's time for America to confront its own shadow and ensure that every citizen has a seat at the table – regardless of their skin color or immigration status.