Republicans in dozens of states are working feverishly to suppress voting rights because they hate democracy. But it should come as no surprise that there is a dark money group funding a Christofascist organization writing the legislation attacking democracy. It should also come as no revelation that former Vice President Mike Pence works for the fanatical evangelical organization going all in to elect Republicans.
Forty-one years ago a symbiotic relationship began in earnest between the Republican Party and a far-right Christian group that became the Heritage Foundation. That relationship has never waned and has only grown stronger with the influx of untraceable “dark money” courtesy of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling.
Now it is revealed that the “special symbiotic relationship” is responsible for Georgia’s harsh voter restriction laws courtesy of former Vice President Mike Pence’s Christofascist employer – the Heritage Foundation.
The Heritage Foundation’s goal is clear: limit who can vote so the extremist religious right can elect Republicans who will “institute ultra-conservative Christian policies” that will invariably target the LGBTQ community, public education, and women’s rights. These are policies that are near and dear to Mike “preacher” Pence’s filthy black heart.
Mother Jones first reported that a leaked video revealed the leader of a dark money-funded group boasting about how easy it was to write Republican voters suppression bill across the nation, beginning with Georgia.
Jessica Anderson is the executive director of Heritage Action for America and she told Heritage donors that Georgia’s voter suppression law had “eight key provisions that Heritage recommended.” In fact, Anderson told Heritage donors:
“In some cases, we actually draft them for them. Or we have a sentinel on our behalf give them the model legislation so it has that grassroots, from-the-bottom-up type of vibe. We did it quickly and we did it quietly. Georgia became the example for the rest of the country.
We’re working with these state legislators to make sure they have all of the information they need to draft the bills. In addition to drafting the bills in some cases, we’ve also hired state lobbyists to make sure that in these targeted states we’re meeting with the right people.
We literally give marching orders for the week ahead. All so we’re singing from the same song sheet of the goals for that week and where the state bills are across the country.”
Some of the marching orders contain specific provisions to make it difficult, if not impossible, for all eligible voters to have their voices heard. They should sound familiar to anyone keeping track of the Republican efforts to put a halt to allowing all Americans to vote. They are straight out of the Heritage Foundation’s list of “best practices” and include:
“Restricting mail ballot drop boxes, preventing election officials from sending absentee ballot request forms to voters, making it easier for GOP-approved agents to monitor the polls, preventing the collection of mail ballots, and restricting the ability of counties to accept donations from nonprofit groups seeking to aid in election administration.”
And they are implementing these fascist atrocities in dozens of states for the sole purpose of electing Republicans who will advance anti-gay and anti-women legislation to please the evangelical right the Heritage Foundation’s creator dreamed of over four decades ago.
The Christofascist Heritage Foundation brought anti-gay Christian crusader Mike Pence on board in February to serve as a “Distinguished Visiting Fellow” to advise the uber-evangelical hate group on public policy. And the cost of creating “model legislation” to suppress the vote was provided by some “ dark money” group to the tune of $24 million.
The Heritage Foundation is renowned for its fierce opposition to equal rights for all Americans, and in fact it has been leading the religious right crusade against LGBTQ rights with particularly nasty hatred for transgender people.
Heritage is one of the leaders in writing anti-transgender legislation in Republican states this year and is violently opposed to passing the Equality Act. It is also noteworthy that Heritage “populated the Trump administration with its former employees such as Roger Severino who instituted most of the Trump administration’s anti-trans measures.”
As most sane Americans know, none of the voter suppression bills raging in Republican states are about election integrity – they are about a fascist power grab. And many Americans may know that without the evangelical fanatic class Republicans would fade away. The freak of nature who started the Heritage Foundation was one such fanatic and although he is long dead, his organization is moving the proverbial Heaven and real Earth to elect Republicans who will do the bidding of evangelicals. Heritage is panting to destroy democracy, but their long term goal is implementing a Christian theocracy – which is why they hired evangelical fanatic Mike Pence as a pubic policy advisor.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
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