Conservatives Take Extreme Measures to Defeat Obama

16 Oct Conservatives Take Extreme Measures to Defeat Obama

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By Carla María Guerrero and Bob Wing

Conservatives have unleashed an all-out effort to take the White House back from President Obama with giant corporate donations and legislation to block millions of people of color from voting.

Conservatives are up in arms about the change that President Obama’s election has heralded for the United States. From taxing the wealthy to health care reform to gay rights, the Obama administration has sparked fear, anger and frustration among the corporate elite, Republicans and members of the tea party.

However, voters of color have grown so numerous and united for Obama that in order for Mitt Romney to win he would need to garner a higher percentage of the White vote than any presidential candidate ever has.

In fact, 2012 could prove to be the make or break year for the Republicans’ so-called Southern Strategy of winning presidential elections by relying on an extremely conservative White vote. As political analyst Jonathan Chait described the current stakes, it is a “2012 or Never” situation for the GOP.

Knowing that this could be their last chance at the presidency for a long time, Republicans have unleashed a plan to flood the campaign with giant donations by extremely wealthy contributors and to pass legislation across the country that could block millions of poor voters and those of color from making it to the polls on Election Day.

Super PACs/Super Money 

The U.S. Supreme Court, which is dominated by justices appointed by Republicans, removed virtually all limits on corporate and big money electoral spending in its Citizens United decision in 2010. Giant Republican super PACs created in the wake of that ruling are now aiming to buy the presidency, the Congress and statehouses.

Republican super PACs have already spent more than $100 million to defeat the president, and intend to spend hundreds of millions more. According to The Wall Street Journal, right-wing billionaire Sheldon Adelson alone has poured in a record $37.8 million.

Suppressing Votes

Meanwhile the ultraconservative American Legislative Exchange Council has spearheaded restrictive new laws in 31 states including ones that require voters to present photo IDs with a current address. This effort is funded in large part by the archconservative billionaire Koch brothers.

“Studies have shown that 25% of African Americans, 16% of Hispanics and 18% of individuals over 65 do not even have the documents required to gain the proper photo identification mandated in new voter ID laws,” said Ben Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP.

Sean M. Rivas, California state field director of Voto Latino, said, “This year alone we have been attacked through many voter suppression laws and organizations like ours are working together to ensure that people are informed so that we can show up to the ballot box in numbers and truly make a difference. Every month 50,000 Latino youth turn 18—that’s 600,000 Latino youth turning 18 every year.”

Voting rights advocates have scored some significant victories, in particular one on Oct. 2 when a Pennsylvania judge blocked a voter ID law that Republicans had passed in that state. Voter ID laws were also recently stopped in Texas, Wisconsin and South Carolina. And early voting and voter registration drives in the key swing states of Florida and Ohio were recently restored.

“Every voter restriction that has been challenged this year has been either enjoined, blocked or weakened,” said Lawrence Norden of the Brennan Center for Justice.

Intensifying Organizing Efforts

If Republicans prevail in this election, Chait warns that they will use the opportunity to “blow up the welfare state and effect the largest upward redistribution of wealth in American history.”

Understanding the dangers of this election, organizers in communities with low voter turnout, including areas of South Los Angeles, are intensifying their efforts to register voters and get people to the polls. Across the country, organizations are participating in voter registration drives, making millions of calls and knocking on thousands of doors to speak one-on-one with new and potential voters.

“The slew of voter suppression laws across the country and the billions of dollars invested by conservatives in this election should concern South L.A. residents,” said Marqueece Harris-Dawson, president and CEO of Community Coalition.

“Our community has too much at stake if voters sit out this election. The change and progress we have seen could be repealed if big money wins the presidency,” he said.

Carla María Guerrero is a special contributor to The Movement. Bob Wing is a longtime organizer who was the founding editor of ColorLines magazine and War Times/Tiempo de Guerras newspaper.