Voter Suppression Before and After The Vote

We're all familiar with voter suppression actions by Republicans recently, and over the past several years: requiring voter IDs to combat non-existent in-person voter fraud, eliminating polling places in minority communities, restricting or eliminating early voting and voting hours, etc. Their idea is to target non-Rethuglican voting blocs and make it difficult, if not impossible, for them to vote.

With recounts planned in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, Rethuglicans now are challenging the Green Party initiators of the recounts in court. While the recounts are not expected to necessarily change the electoral outcome, they would be useful in surfacing officially-sanctioned, organized fraud (voting machines in Dem-heavy precincts malfunctioning, misplaced ballots, etc.). A recount is already underway in Wisconsin; the recount in Michigan (assuming Rethugs aren't able to stop it) begins early next week, and a Pennsylvania court has scheduled a hearing on their State's recount next Monday. It's all reminiscent of the Rethuglicans' "stop the recount" efforts in 2000 in Florida, after Dem Presidential candidate Al Gore was gaining on Dumbya Bush, when paid Rethug operatives descended on Miami - Dade county to shut down the vote counting in the so-called "Brooks Brothers riot."

So if they can't suppress the vote before election day, they'll damn sure try later.