------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the Nov. 16, 2000 issue of Workers World newspaper ------------------------- ELECTION FRAUD: MILLIONS CAN'T VOTE IN U.S. By Deirdre Griswold If any truly independent body of international election monitors existed, it would find that U.S. elections are fraudulent--not only because of the blatant way in which campaigns are bought by big money, but also because millions and millions of workers, mostly people of color, are actually disenfranchised. There are two main ways in which this exclusion of workers from the list of eligible voters happens. 4.2 MILLION STRIPPED OF FRANCHISE According to a recent report from The Sentencing Project, some 4.2 million people in this country, overwhelmingly from the working class, have had their voting rights stripped away because they are either in prison or were convicted at one time or another of a felony. Just as African Americans are disproportionately arrested, convicted and sentenced to jail, they are also disproportionately deprived of the vote. Overall, 13 percent of all Black men, or 1.8 million, are not allowed to vote. The laws vary from state to state, but in Alabama and Florida, where slavery has left its legacy of racism, nearly one third of Black men are disenfranchised. The U.S. now officially has the highest rate of incarceration in the world, having surpassed Russia. "Being Black" is a major factor determining whether a person becomes a convicted felon. One out of every 35 African Americans is behind bars. Of the drug users in this country, African Americans reportedly make up 14 percent. But they comprise 35 percent of drug arrests, 55 percent of drug convictions, and 75 percent of those imprisoned on drug charges, according to criminal defense attorney Rose Braz. The racist criminal justice system has removed close to 2 million Black people from being potential voters. IMMIGRANT WORKERS DENIED VOTING RIGHTS There are also millions of immigrant workers who contribute to the economy but cannot vote. Just looking at people of Latin American origin, there were 18.4 million Latinos of voting age in the U.S. in 1996. According to the League of United Latin American Citizens, only 35.7 percent of them, or 6.6 million, were registered to vote. In the whole population, the Federal Election Commission reported that 74.4 percent of people of voting age were registered that year--a rate more than twice as high. Some 4.9 million Latinos, or 74 percent of those registered, did vote. That's a much higher rate than the national average that year of 49 percent of registered voters. Thus, if the vote were extended to all permanent residents, to all those whose labor every day contributes to the wealth of this country, it is clear that many millions of people who are now excluded, overwhelmingly workers, would gain the franchise and use it. OLD ENOUGH TO DIE BUT NOT TO VOTE There are about 8 million people in the U.S. who are 16 or 17 years old. They can be charged as adults and tried as adults in the criminal justice system. When they reach 18, they can even be executed in many states for crimes committed when they were juveniles. And, with their parents' permission, they can become part of the imperialist war machine by joining the Army. But they can't vote. In Cuba, 16- and 17-year-olds have the franchise and help elect representatives to the National Assembly. Cubans choose their candidates from among their fellow workers and neighbors, people they know, not candidates they hear about mainly from paid advertising, as in the U.S. Voting is secret and there are several candidates for each position. Cuba is a socialist country, run by and for the working people. The U.S. is the bastion of world capitalism and is controlled by a small class of the super-rich. Defenders of U.S. capitalism point to the elections as proof that the majority rule. But it is becoming increasingly clear that elections here are totally stacked against the majority--many millions of whom don't even have the formal right to vote. - END - (Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) ------------------ This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send administrative queries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
