Letters: Much at stake this election cycle; Trusting the process

Editor’s note: The Centre Daily Times welcomes letters endorsing candidates in the Nov. 3 general election and will accept letters that are received by 5 p.m. Oct. 27. Election letters will be published through Oct. 31. Letters are subject to editing, must be based on facts and should avoid mean-spirited attacks.

Much at stake this election cycle

There are so many critically important issues this election cycle. They are what this election should be about. What it should not be about is whether we will continue to accept voter suppression as a means for politicians to keep themselves in power. And yet it is.

So I have to ask ... is it OK to undermine confidence in voting by mail through lying about mail-in voter fraud; by meddling with the operation of the U.S. postal system in order to make ballots late; or by restricting access to ballot drop boxes? Is it OK to discourage voters from going to the polls by reducing voting sites and thereby lengthening voting lines? Is it OK to lie about voting fraud at the polls in order to justify bringing in poll watchers to intimidate voters?

This election we are being challenged to decide how strongly we value the integrity of the system we use to make our voices heard in the political process. It’s about choosing whether “might makes right” or whether fairness, integrity and the rule of law should underpin our government.

More than anything else, this political season has made clear that to preserve the right to have a voice in our democracy we all need to vote. In fact, every vote could be critical to the very survival of our democracy. The outcome, of course, depends upon who we vote for. Will your choices welcome the voices of all their constituents or do they support voter suppression?

Trusting the election process

In the Oct. 19 CDT, state Sen. Jake Corman and Rep. Kerry Benninghoff wrote, “The PA General Assembly does not have and will not have a hand in choosing the presidential electors or in deciding the outcome of the presidential election ... (to think otherwise) is an imaginary scenario not provided for anywhere in law – or fact.”

U.S. Constitution provides the law and power for states to appoint the electors in a manner the State Legislature may choose or, later rescind the power to directly make the decision.

The Atlantic article states Corman and Benninghoff have discussed the constitutional provision with the head of Pennsylvania GOP. Asked about the need to have resolution on election night, Corman stated, “The longer it goes on, the more opinions and the more theories and the more controversies (are) created. We don’t want to go down that (constitutional) road, but we understand where the law takes us, and we’ll follow the law.”

The constitutional process, however, allows votes to be tabulated up to 35 days after the election. Therefore, key is what actions, if any, during the 35 days would be sufficient cause to ignore the vote for legislature intervention?

A final vote count the night of the election is a false deadline. Time is not a valid cause for legislature actions; neither are the opinions, theories or general controversies. Constitutional standards require clear and convincing evidence of irreparable harm before acting. Our legislature needs to disavow theories, opinions and conspiracies and trust the process.

Message to Trump supporters

I have a message for Trump supporters:

Hold that ballot.

Say three words: “KIDS in CAGES.”

Cast your vote!