Heard of the Help American Vote Act, of the Election Assistance Commission? Donald Trump has them in the crosshairs.
It was raining Friday morning. Hard. Perfect morning to gather with friends at Bert’s Diner for a good breakfast and quiet conversation.
But Jordan Jackson had other ideas. Jordan stormed into the back room, threw his umbrella in the corner and yelled.
“These worthless mothereffin scumbag anti-American pieces of shit! Did you see what Trump and his fascist mob did?”
No one answered, mainly because when it comes to Trump the daily list of despicable and insane acts is a long one.
“You gonna have to be more specific,” Sam Robertson told Jordan.
“He kicked everyone off the damned Election Assistance Commission. I’m telling you right now, this is just the start. He’s got that asshat – what’s his name? – running intelligence, he’s got DHS raiding election offices and taking ballots from 2020. You mark my words, come November his storm troopers are going to be swooping into polling places in blue states and towns and he’s going to shut down the mid-terms.”
Jordan was breathing heavily. We were concerned.
“Jordan, please sit down. Get some food. I think you are going a bit over the top,” Dean Etheridge said. “I’m not sure this election commission thing is a big deal.”
At that point Roxie came and asked Jordan what he wanted.
“I want to live in an effin free country,” he told her. “But, since that doesn’t seem likely any more I’ll take a farmhouse omelet with home fries and extra cheese.”
“Get your head out of your butt,” he said to Dean. “Do you know what the Election Assistance Commission does?”
Before Dean could answer Jordan went on.
“This thing was created in 2002, during a Republican administration, by the way, and it’s designed to help state and local election officials. It doesn’t really have any power, but it provides a hell of a lot of help. It created voting system guidelines, tests and certifies voting systems, maintains the National Voter Registration Form that required by an earlier Act of Congress. It helps administer federal funds that go to states as part of the Help America Vote Act.
“Basically, it’s a clearinghouse, a source of information for local officials. In other words, it’s everything Donald Trump hates. It’s only purpose, really, is to make elections more efficient, more secure.
“Start adding it up. The sumbitch doesn’t want vote-by-mail, he wants a voter ID millions of people, including most married women, can’t easily lay their hands on. He wants ICE to be at voting places, not that undocumented folks vote but mainly because having these Proud Boy thugs with guns and camo standing around could scare off legitimate voters, given ICE’s habit of shooting first and asking questions later.”
“I don’t disagree with Jordan. It’s a damn scary mess,” Herb Stratton said. “But what the hell do you think we can do about it, sitting out here in Cornfield Center?”
“Not a damn thing,” Jordan said. “Except get off our asses. Everyone in this room ought to be writing election officials – Republican and Democrat – telling them to vote against Trump’s SAVE Act, which would end elections as we have known them. Then everyone needs to show up. Tell your families, your friends and neighbors to show up to vote, regardless of what Trump might do to scare them off.
“This is it, guys,” he said. “This is what it comes down to. The time between now and November 2028 is going to be the most critical little stretch of time outside the Revolution and the Civil War when it comes to deciding whether this country is going to remain free.”
Jordan was breathing heavily. His face was red. Roxie slipped in and his slid his omelet in front of him and backed out the door.
“You see what this tasteless mentally ill basket case is doing to DC? See what he’s destroying, see how he’s turning it into a gaudy double-wide most trailer parks would be ashamed of? See what he’s done to our standing around the world? As bad as all that is, it’s not close to what he’s trying to do about elections.
“OK,” he said. “I’m done. Just hope the country isn’t done.”
So went another Friday morning where the Mumblers came to eat, tell lies, talk about the corn and bean crops but instead were tasked with saving the nation. – Sterling Fields.