No-excuse absentee ballots are not needed
The framers of the Constitution were brilliant in understanding that if their quest for self-rule was to succeed, a system of checks and balances would be required to avoid aggregation of power. A letter to the editor argued for abolishing the electoral college, one of the key methods of ensuring that power is not concentrated [Feb. 12, Opinion, Page 3, “Electoral College needs to be fixed”].
Political cartoonist Michael Ramirez has graphically demonstrated the result of abandoning the electoral college. California, Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois would dominate the map, with all the other states squeezed into mere ribbons laced between these behemoths. Small-population states such as Connecticut would be subject to the whims, trends and dictates of the few large states.
Recently, Connecticut had a preview of this level of lack of choice between implementing the clean air standards of the unelected bureaucrats at the EPA, or the unelected California Air Resources Board (CARB). Thankfully, the citizens of Connecticut stood up and overwhelmingly said “no” to the imposition of mandates to eliminate gasoline powered automobiles by 2035.
Those in power want to change the rules on voting (no-excuse absentee ballots; ranked choice voting; no ID required voting) because they know they can’t persuade common sense people with their weak or non-existent arguments.
We will hear a good deal more in Connecticut about “no-excuse” absentee ballots this year. In November, we will be asked whether to amend the state constitution to allow no-excuse absentee voting, changing the constitution from the current, well-defined list of six reasons for voting in absentia.
Given that Connecticut has now implemented early voting, there appears to be little reason for no-excuse absentee ballots. The fact that Connecticut has also poorly planned for early voting further supports my contention that the proposed change to the state constitution should be voted down.
All citizens need to be involved at all levels of our government to stem this tide that threatens the freedoms that we have inherited.
Robert Ham, Cheshire
Groundhog prediction nothing to chuckle about
Let’s hear it for the Manchester Police Department for issuing an arrest warrant for that perfidious groundhog Chuckles, who so callously predicted an early spring. I hope Chuckles is duly remorseful. My husband offered to post bail, but I told him that Chuckles must serve his time for this weaselly crime.
Joyce Kamanitz, West Hartford