Republicans Want to Halt Spending on Elections
By Michael Boyajian
In perhaps the greatest challenge to democracy in the history of the United States of America Dutchess County Republicans want to halt spending on elections. A New York City Republican leader once made a similar statement and was unceremoniously drummed out of the party in that locale.
It is irrefutable that elections cost money. But without money there can be no elections and no elections means no democracy putting us on the path to a totalitarian regime. In other words, to use an Air Force term, no bucks then no Buck Rogers.
Dutchess Board of Election Commissioner Frances A. Knapp reports that county Republicans are making far out claims that the Board’s budget “has ballooned by more than 400%.” Commissioner Knapp disputes this as absolutely false. Her findings show that the Board’s costs have risen by a temperate 52% over the past five budget years.
Knapp attributes this moderate rise to the new optical voting machines which require expensive testing and standards as mandated by New York State. This is on command of the Federal government in response to the 2000 presidential election.
Though Dutchess Republicans have problems spending on elections they have no qualms spending $1,000 on each executive chair they purchase. In comparison New York State spends about $150 on chairs for its general counsels and administrative law judges.
Knapp speculates that the GOP challenge to election spending is an attempt to undermine the two party systems. Wait there is some bad news for Republicans if that is the case. Dutchess County Democratic chairperson Elisa Summer reports that county Democrats now hold a 6,000 voter registration edge over Republicans in a county with 179,000 voters clearly making this a case of be careful what you wish for you might just get it and regret it.
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