Elections 2023

In case you missed it, there were elections in America earlier this week. I say in case you missed it, because voter turnout was light. Most races produced turnout in the 30-40% range, which is the percentage of registered voters who voted, not the percentage of the voting age population (VAP). The percentage of VAP is usually 10-15% higher. In other words, a 30-40% turnout is another 4-6% lower when one considers the actual number of people who could vote.

I had an interesting conversation with one such person, someone who does not vote, does not even pay attention to elections, or so he claimed. I suppressed my desire to berate him for his nonchalant attitude, instead describing to him my interpretation of the shenanigans that were involved in the lead up to Tuesday's Ohio vote to enshrine reproductive rights in that state's constitution. 

This was all news to him, so I tried to impartially convey how there had been a vote during the summer for Ohioans to change the rules for amending the constitution from 50% plus 1, to a 60% level. Now, it was common knowledge that the hope of those sponsoring this change was that by raising the threshhold, it would effect the ultimate vote on abortion that was scheduled a few months later, since they figured that while pro-choice voters would be able to achieve the 50% plus 1 level, they might not make 60%.

Fortunately, enough voters saw through this trick, and voted down the measure to increase the percentage needed to pass a constitutional amendment. As a result, the amendment to guarantee reproductive rights for women in Ohio passed, 56.3% to 43.7%. One its face, the vote was fairly definitive, yet indicates just how insidious was the summer vote to raise the level to 60%. Had that vote gone the other way, reproductive rights would not be the law despite the majority of voters preferring it. Can you say tyranny of the minority?

But I digress.

Today, leaving the grocery store, I saw a headline on the front page of one the newspapers displayed at the exit, asking the question, what is the next move for the GOP on abortion.

Isn't it obvious?

The party needs to abandon its unpopular attempts to ban abortion. Regardless of how it is phrased, telling women, who make up a bit over 50% of the electorate, that they must cede control of their bodies to the state, will never be a winning strategy, not to mention going against the GOP long held beliefs of less government intervention in citizens lives. 

Interestingly, the second issue on the Ohio ballot was to legalize recreational marijuana for those over 21. That passed 56.8% to 43.2%. It too would not have passed had the summer vote to raise the threshold not been rejected. And, again, reflects the GOP contradiction about government involvement in our lives. 

(In case you haven't noticed, the GOP ONLY cares about getting government out of our lives when it has to do with guns and money.)

Other proofs that abortion restrictions are a losing platform for the GOP, occurred in the Kentucky governor race, and the judicial races in my home state of Pennsylvania.

In Kentucky, Andy Beshear, the Democrat incumbent governor, won reelection, partly due to his differentiation of his approach to abortion compared to that of his rival who advocated for a 6 week ban. Add to his win, in a very red state, with the Ohio abortion vote, also a very red state, plus the rejection of abortion restrictions in previous state wide elections in Kansas and Montana, and the trend is clear.

And not just for referendums. In Pennsylvania, every state judicial race on the ballot was won by a Democrat, most who referenced the possibility that a judge from the GOP would rule against reproductive freedom, especially the race for PA's vacant Supreme Court position where the majority was in the balance.

I have categorized this post under the heading Religion and Government, as I firmly believe that these attempts to restrict freedom is the result of a certain brand of religious people who prefer a theocracy to a democracy. Who advocate for their religious beliefs to be the law of the land. Who gain power by dehumanizing certain groups of Americans, then couch their prejudice in righteous words and cherry picked phrases from out of date religious tomes.

You also see this in action with the recent anti-trans legislation that is flourishing in certain areas of our country, along with the push to ban books by Nazi-like groups such as Moms for Liberty. 

Fortunately, at least in this past week's election, the voters are seeing through these attempts to deny freedom, and have booted out those who fooled them with their fake support of parents' rights and protecting children. When one parent has the power to decide who is safe at school, and which books all children can read, it reflects a desire for power and control. And who to ostracize from society.

Towards that end, I was happy to see the candidates endorsed by Moms for Liberty lose in my current school district, and the one from which we moved a few years ago which my children attended. Fortunately, the aphorism, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, did not hold for those who voted in those school districts. Now, all the parents and children in those two school districts will have school district leaders who believe in advocating for all parents and students, not just those who agree with their far-right agenda.