Dictators love elections. They just hate free and fair elections.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spends more than $1 billion to create the illusion that his citizens have the ability to elect their own leaders. With electronic voting and an accessible three-day in-person voting period, voter turnout is always high. And Putin always wins in a landslide. What better way to legitimize his illegitimate grip on power?
Putin claims to have won 88% of the vote in his last election. Earlier this week, Trump insisted that his approval rating is above 70%.
In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban holds elections. So does Kim Jong Un in North Korea. Throughout history, there have been countless examples of citizens turning out for elections that are fated to crown a king.
Putin, Orban, and Kim are all authoritarians whose leadership Trump admires. It is not surprising that he covets their election tactics. Now, in his second term, he seems intent on leading the United States down that same path.
In March, there was a weird news story in Colorado: The Department of Justice was seeking access to the state’s voter file. It was not clear why or for what purpose. Then, similar reports came from Minnesota, Nevada and Pennsylvania. So far, 19 states have publicly stated they received similar requests.
Recently, the DOJ decided to stop hiding the ball and come clean. It acknowledged that...
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