Letter to the Editor: Voting Rights are Under Attack in Michigan

Larry Feldman, letter to the editor, The Herald Palladium, 01/19/2022 https://www.heraldpalladium.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/

Editor,

Republican legislators and candidates in Michigan are attempting to undermine our democracy.

A deceptively titled “Secure MI Vote” petition, which is designed to make voting much more difficult, is currently being circulated throughout the state. If this voter suppression petition receives valid signatures from just 8% of the number of voters in the last gubernatorial election, the Republican-controlled state legislature will be able to pass the anti-democratic changes it promotes and it will become Michigan law. Through a bizarre fluke in the Michigan constitution, the governor will not be able to veto this attack on our voting rights.

In addition to their voter suppression petition, Michigan Republicans are also attempting to weaken our voting rights by electing an anti-democracy candidate to the office of Secretary of State. The leading Republican candidate for that office is a Trump-endorsed conspiracy theorist who strongly espouses the big lie that the 2020 election was “rigged” for President Biden. Despite the very large number of court challenges and audits that have clearly demonstrated that the election was not rigged, the candidate continues to repeatedly trumpet this false belief.

In addition to believing the big lie, a significant number of Republicans (40 to 52%, depending on the poll) believe that the Trump supporters who violently assaulted the U.S. Capitol police, threatened to “hang” then Vice-President Mike Pence, and desecrated the halls of Congress on January 6th, 2021 were “protecting democracy”. That is a very dangerous false belief.

What can Michigan voters do to protect our democracy? First, we can refuse to sign the deceptive “Secure MI Vote” petition. Second, we can refuse to support any candidate who espouses the big lie about the 2020 election. Third, we can support all candidates, including our current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who are pro-democracy and pro-voting. Fourth, we can make sure we vote in all upcoming elections.

Democracy is under attack in Michigan. It is up to us to safeguard our sacred right to vote.

Larry Feldman

Lakeside