FILE – In this Aug.18, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks in Charlotte, N.C. Trump’s first-of-its-kind campaign ad begins with a warning: “In Hillary Clinton’s America, the system stays rigged against Americans.” The commercial, which aired Friday, Aug. 19, 2016, as part of his $5 million swing state ad buy, harkens back to a claim Trump has been hammering for weeks _ that the general election is rigged against him. The questionable claim looks to mobilize Republicans, with the all-important start of early voting in some states just weeks away. (AP)
Two bedrock principles of United States elections that makes American democracy a model others try to emulate are “one man (person), one vote and the peaceful handover of power.
Donald Trump is sowing seeds of doubt in both by claiming the election is “rigged” during campaign appearances, interviews and on social media.
The last close election in 2000 ended with Al Gore winning the popular vote, but losing the state of Florida when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of George W. Bush in a disputed recount of votes. Gore conceded in the name of national unity.
Trump’s unsubstantiated claims are being called dangerous, undermining and flat out wrong by his opponents and some Republicans. But Trump supporters point to various holes in laws and enforcement of laws that can open the door to voter fraud, and say they will be watching the polls on November 8.
Is the System Rigged? You Betcha
Pat Buchanan – Townhall
In what sense is the system rigged?
Consider Big Media — the elite columnists and commentators, the dominant national press, and the national and cable networks, save FOX. Not in this writer’s lifetime has there been such blanket hatred and hostility of a presidential candidate of a major party.
In the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a Congressional majority voted to end discrimination against black folks.
When did we vote to institute pervasive discrimination against white folks, especially white males, with affirmative action, quotas and racial set-asides? Even in blue states like California, affirmative action is routinely rejected in statewide ballots.
Of course there is large scale voter fraud happening on and before election day. Why do Republican leaders deny what is going on? So naive!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2016
This Election is Being Rigged — But Not By Democrats
Ari Berman – The Nation
The GOP’s voter-fraud crusade dates back to the 2000 election in Florida. That year, the state of Florida wrongly purged thousands of voters from the rolls…
After disenfranchising Democratic-learning voters to win an election, the GOP brazenly labeled the Democrats as the party of serial cheaters. The incoming Bush administration prioritized prosecutions of voter fraud over investigations into voter disenfranchisement…The Bush Justice Department launched a five-year investigation into alleged voter-fraud abuses.
But the administration never found the widespread fraud it was looking for…That’s because voter fraud is a rarity in American politics and voter impersonation is exceedingly rare.
No, the Election Isn’t Rigged
The Editors – National Review
Donald Trump is playing the sore loser, and he hasn’t even lost yet….
It is no accident that the election looked much less “rigged” in mid September, when Trump had closed in on Hillary by embracing a modicum of discipline. He has now cast that aside in favor of unleashing the full Trump id, including his conspiracy theory about the election.
This is reckless in the extreme. Hillary Clinton is spectacularly unfit for the office of president of the United States; had she a different last name, she would almost certainly be facing felony charges for endangering state secrets. But she is the official nominee of the Democratic party, and if she becomes president, it will be because she was chosen by the American electorate in accordance with our laws.
WATCH: President Obama responds to a question about Donald Trump’s charge that the election is rigged
Major Election Fraud Alert—Is This How They Are Going to Steal the Election From Donald Trump?
Michael Snyder – Charisma News
According to the Election Protection Coalition, voters all across America reported over 70,000 voting problems by 5 p.m. Eastern time on election day in 2012. In many instances, voters that were attempting to vote for Mitt Romney were having their votes switched to Barack Obama by the voting machines….
It is a fact that Barack Obama did not win in a single state that required a photo I.D. to vote in 2012.
So what would the election results have looked like if all 50 states had required a photo I.D. to vote?
We can’t go back and change what happened in 2012, but we sure can do something about 2016.
Election Rigging in the U.S.? An International Observer’s View
Christine Muttonen – CNN
Credible allegations of fraud must be taken seriously and carefully investigated…But casual allegations can have a dangerous effect, creating an atmosphere of tension and mistrust….
We have previously noted, for example, that the legal framework governing elections is highly decentralized, with many key decisions made at the state and local levels. While the laws are well understood and the elections professionally administered, this decentralized system can result in varied access for both contestants and voters.