Democrats’ election bills ignore the Founders’ principles | TheHill

While the president decries an unprecedented attack on democracy, the federalization of elections being pursued by Democrats actually would contravene what the Framers considered a core protection of democracy. By ignoring those countervailing principles, the Democrats are creating a dangerous blind spot in these proposed laws. The resulting litigation could leave core election rules in doubt heading into the next round of elections.

When the Constitution was written, the Framers expressly warned of the need to keep the federal government at bay in elections. South Carolina constitutional convention delegate Charles Pinckney noted that great care was used to provide for the election of the president of the United States independently of Congress; to take the business as far as possible out of their hands. It was done, he explained, because Congress had no right to meddle with it at all. Many Framers feared the power of the central government and wanted to prevent the abuses of Great Britain in the use of executive powers.

via thehill.com

J. Turley, law prof.