STEALING DEMOCRACY: THE NEW POLITICS OF VOTER SUPPRESSION
Advance Praise "A thorough, brilliant and impartial assessment of continuing problems at the ballot box." "With searing detail and the stories of real voters, [Overton] reveals a dirty little secret: our democratic system is crumbling and, with it, the legitimacy of our institutions." "This book is a must for every American who cares about the integrity of our electoral system." |
Voters don't choose politicians-politicians choose voters by manipulating election rules. What can we do to restore power to the people?
While politicians spew shallow sound bites that describe a "free" American people who govern themselves by selecting their representatives, in reality politicians from both parties maintain control by selecting particular voters. Incumbent politicians maintain thousands of election practices and bureaucratic hurdles that determine who votes and how votes are counted--such as the location of election district boundaries, long lines at urban polling places, and English-only ballots. Spencer Overton uses real-life stories to show how these seemingly insignificant practices channel political power and determine policies on war, schools, clean air, and other issues that shape our lives. He also exposes the pressure points in this Orwellian system and provides strategies toward restoring self-government, such as making voting easier for all Americans, removing redistricting power from self-interested partisans, and renewing parts of the Voting Rights Act that expire in 2007. Overton's insights are vital to the future of our democracy.
Published by W. W. Norton & Company.
