The impeachment trial will continue to expose the blatant hypocrisies of the Republican Party, headed by Donald J. Trump. The recent statement from the White House that “articles of impeachment are a dangerous attack on the right of the people to freely choose their president,” is so rife with “nonsense” that it should not go unchallenged, and proves that Republicans can’t spell hypocrisy, and are inherently irony deficient.
Let’s take a look at the right of the American people to freely choose their president. Trump lost the popular vote. A candidate has won the popular vote and lost the election five times — three times before 1900 and twice since 2000. Hillary Clinton garnered the widest lead in popular votes, at almost 3 million. More than any candidate to lose the Electoral College vote. Only approximately 73,000 strategic votes, between Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin gave Trump the electoral win. Considering the fact that over 6 million people voted for candidates other than Trump, it’s safe to say that the American people certainly didn’t get to freely choose their president, again! Remember George Bush.
This administration put together a “voter fraud” commission, asserting massive voter fraud. Not only did they not find any, the Democratic members had to sue the Republicans to even get the documents related to that investigation. Trump disbanded the commission after not getting the results he wanted.
Speaking of voter fraud and hypocrisy, the Republican Party has gone to great lengths to make it harder for “the people” to vote, especially women, minorities, the poor, and younger voters who tend to vote democratic. According to the Brenner Center for Justice, since 2010, 25 states have enacted new voting restrictions, including strict photo ID requirements, early voting cutbacks, and registration restrictions. This includes moving or removing polling places, and limiting voting booths to increase voters’ time in line to discourage voters from showing up, not to mention re-districting. All are red states.
So spare me the phony sanctimonious “dangerous attack on the right of Americans to freely choose their president”. Nonsense! Rich Republicans do excel at that.
Craig S. Chisesi
Rifle, CO
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