Despite repeated claims and allegations conjured up from the thin air of political dishonesty, there has never been any proof, no charges and convictions, no indictments for voter fraud that cost Donald Trump his reelection dream in the 2020 voting. And yet, the former president and his followers continue to spew out and stir up claims that thieves will do it again in 2022.
It’s called “preemptive excuses.” If they lose in this fall’s elections, it must have been stolen. Can’t be that voters picked someone else. Best to start now with the misleading claims — no sense waiting for any evidence.
The unrelenting, dishonest shouting is undermining faith in an election system that has worked pretty well for decades. The lies further divide a nation that cannot afford any more division. They create doubt, which gives an opening for those who prosper from selling Americans a false answer, even if the unnecessary, unproven cure makes the country ill.
The Pledge of Allegiance says the United States is “one nation, indivisible,” but that was before the former president, too many U.S. senators and representatives and a list of social media influencers more concerned with making money than doing good hijacked the political discussion about elections and turned it into the equivalent of a carnival show. They stand on digital street corners and shout: “Step right up and see for yourself how the evil left stole your election. Just click to donate $10 to support my election campaign.”
As Alaskans approach a long calendar of elections June through November, people need to resist the cynical temptation to believe that the elections are rigged, stolen, scuttled, miscounted, misconstrued or mistaken. Voters need to tune out the false claims and pay attention to the candidates and the real issues. And they need to vote.
Alaskans have a June 11 primary election to start the process to fill the seat in Congress of the late Rep. Don Young. Then there is the Aug. 16 election to select someone from among the primary winners to take the seat for several months until the general election. And on that same day in August a primary election will be held to narrow a new field of candidates for the Nov. 8 general election for the usual two-year term.
Yes, that’s a lot of ovals to fill in on a lot of ballots, but completing your ballot is the only way that elections can reflect the will of a majority of voters. The only way an election is “stolen” from you, and your voice is not counted, is if you don’t bother to vote.
-- Wrangell Sentinel
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