On November 8, 2022, the people of Michigan enacted Proposal 2, which was an amendment that would, supposedly, add a voters’ “Bill of Rights” to Article II, Section 4 of the Michigan Constitution. In reality, this amendment is a bill of rights for billionaires and well-connected state officials, who may never have to lose another statewide election. Here is part of the wording of Proposal 2, as seen by voters:
This proposed constitutional amendment would:
Recognize fundamental right to vote without harassing conduct...
Provide voter right to verify identity with photo ID or signed statement;
Provide voter right to single application to vote absentee in all elections;
Provide that only election officials may conduct post-election audits...
Allow donations to fund elections, which must be disclosed
Should this proposal be adopted?
It sounds pretty reasonable if you read it quickly and don’t refer to the actual text of the changes. But let’s consider each new “right” separately, in reverse order.
“Allow donations to fund elections, which must be disclosed”
This new “right” is not for Michiganders — it is for billionaires, like Mark Zuckerberg and George Soros. They are now explicitly granted the right to fund various election administrative activities. Significantly, they can do this with “in kind” donations — meaning property instead of cash. I wonder what property might be donated! Will it be 50 new Dominion machines? New minivans to transport weary ballot harvesters? Or 5,000 cans of spray mace to use on pesky people who are trying to observe the ballot processing operation?
“Provide that only election officials may conduct post-election audits”
I suspect that this was the primary objective of Proposal 2 from the very beginning. It is a very crucial “right,” but not for voters: It is a right for the Secretary of State. She shall conduct election audits — no one else. The new wording in the Constitution also states that “[p]ublic election officials shall maintain the security and custody of all ballots and election materials...” That means that no one is going to audit, or even peak at a single ballot or chain of custody document without permission from the all-powerful Secretary of State. And she will decide whether the election was conducted fairly and properly. Real auditors need not apply.
“Provide voter right to single application to vote absentee in all elections”
Although the wording presented to voters referred to “all elections,” the Constitution’s wording is a bit more explicit: It refers to “all future elections.” This wording means that, after the fraudster steals the ballot of an inactive voter, he can count on finding a ballot in that person’s mailbox for several more election cycles. That should definitely help the busy ballot harvester cut down on his workload, so he can spend more time cheating other voters. Also, it will help his political bosses devise their plans for the theft of future elections.
“Provide voter right to verify identity with photo identification OR signed statement” [emphasis added]
Take notice of the word, “or.” Whenever you read something with the word “or” you must be very careful. Although the photo ID option was added to make the standard seem tough, it is the “or” option that will be selected by the fraudster. He will gladly sign a statement on the back of an envelope, since it is not even his name that he is using. He will be invisible and anonymous, and this Michigan standard is a joke.
“Recognize fundamental right to vote without harassing conduct”
This item became much more detailed and somewhat menacing when it was inked into the Michigan Constitution:
Section 4 (1) (A) No person shall (1) enact or use any law, rule, regulation, qualification, prerequisites, standard, practice, or procedure; (2) engage in any harassing threatening, or intimidating conduct; or (3) use any means whatsoever, any of which has the intent or effect of denying, abridging, interfering with, or unreasonably burdening the fundamental right to vote.
The word “or” is found 6 times in that paragraph, and it means that any one of the words in each clause can be used as the operative one. For example, the statement above can be reduced to...
Section 4 (1) (A) No person shall... use any means whatsoever... which has the intent or effect... of burdening the fundamental right to vote.
Can you imagine how that broad statement might be used against someone trying to monitor a drop box, or track ballot harvesters, or observe ballot processing? If any voter in Michigan feels that you have used “any means whatsoever” with the “intent or effect” of burdening her, you can and probably will be accused of violating Michigan’s Constitution. Furthermore, she will be able to sue you! That is evident from another modification to the Constitution — not shown to the public:
Section 4 (1) (A) Any Michigan citizen or citizens shall have standing to bring an action for declaratory, injunctive, and/or monetary relief to enforce the right created by this part... If a plaintiff prevails in whole or in part, the court shall award reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs, and disbursements [emphasis added].
The part about attorneys’ fees was added to make sure it really stings when the Wayne County (Detroit) jurors find for the plaintiff and for her attorney (Marc Elias?).
Perhaps you think that post-election activities, such as canvassing voters, could not possibly be construed as infringing on the “fundamental right to vote.” However, that is not true. Just ask the Cyber Ninjas, who attempted to audit the 2020 election in Maricopa County, Arizona. They wanted to survey voters in Maricopa County months after the election — not to ask for whom they voted, but simply to ask the means by which they voted (in-person or by mail).
They were strongly threatened by Democrats in the U.S. Congress and Democrats in Arizona. Congressman Jamie Raskin and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney warned the Ninjas that they had “... broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time”..., and they demanded all communications in any form between the Ninjas and about a dozen people, from Trump to Rudy Giuliani to Mike Lindell.” Supposedly, talking to voters would be too intimidating for them, so the Ninjas had to back down.
People of Michigan, you were bamboozled! As a result, Democrats may be in power for a very long time… but never give up hope. It will be very difficult, but solutions are available. In the coming months I will describe some of the tough actions that may be used to pry Our Dear Secretary and her friends from power.
It is truly sickening to see how democracy is being dismantled -- in the name of democracy. Will the people wake up in time see what is happening? Not likely, it seems.
Nice article Joe
Too bad most people are on TikTok instead of reading how their country is being stolen
I commend you for your efforts and I’m going to buy a minivan and fill it with cases of mace for the next election!
Two can play that game!
Alex D