Here’s the latest from the crossroads of faith, media & culture: 08/09/24President Biden casts doubt on peaceful transfer of power 

How did we get here? Interviewed by CBS News, the former presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee said he’s not at all sure they’ll be a peaceful transfer of power in January if Trump wins the election. He then quickly corrected himself to say if Trump loses the election. Unfortunately, he may be right on both counts. If, after the election, there is any doubt about the transparency and fairness of the process it’s not hard to imagine the supporters of the losing ticket of either party raising unholy hell. That’s why trust in the process is so vital.

That trust, however, has to be earned. Labeling skepticism “the big lie” is not an appropriate response. Skepticism needs to be refuted by pointing to a process that genuinely ensured voter integrity. As President Biden would say, no joke.

Preventing wholesale fraud is as important for America as it is for Costco. From USA Today: Costco to scan member cards, check ID at all locations: Next time you head to Costco, make sure you have your plastic or digital membership card – and a matching ID. The members-only warehouse retailer is really starting to crack down on non-members…Members are also encouraged to get a photo taken so it can be added to their card. Otherwise, they will need to show a valid photo ID.

So, first of all, it’s not unreasonable to ask that the security system used for voting be at least as rigorous as that used for buying a $1.50 hotdog at Costco. The requirement of a photo ID seems so basic it really is kind of hard to imagine any legitimate reason to oppose it.

Other obvious issues that occurred in 2020 and should not be repeated again include the overuse of unrequested mail-in ballots. The quite legitimate concern is that these these ballots are being mailed to many voters who have either died or moved. Assuming the ballot is received by its intended recipient, how can a secret ballot be ensured? How many (perhaps frail) people live with lunatics of a left or right political persuasion (maybe an abusive spouse) who will simply bully them to vote for their desired candidate? They could also just fill out the ballot themselves. Is there any real protection against this happening?

Then there’s the basic security principle known as “chain of custody.”In criminal trials, for instance, the prosecution is required to document that all evidence (i.e. DNA) is handled properly with an unbroken chain of custody. With in-person voting, that chain is essentially quite short – from the voter to the machine tabulating his or her vote. With mail-in voting, that chain is much longer and looser. There are legitimate concerns over the practice of ballot harvesting, a practice that allows political operatives and others to collect voters’ ballots and turn them in en masse to polling stations. What could possibly go wrong? BTW, while Democrats cornered that game in 2020, Republicans are in on it this time around. It shouldn’t be done by either side. There’s too much opportunity for abuse which erodes trust in the entire process. This election must not turn on – or be perceived as turning on – who cheated better. BTW, paper ballot backups to the machine tallies would also add credibility.

On the voter suppression side of the equation (something Democrats say they are highly concerned about), once received mail-in ballots are much more likely than those cast in a voting booth to be rejected for often controversial technical reasons – such as lacking a postmark or signature, being somehow damaged or simply arrived too late. Shouldn’t anyone genuinely concerned about voter suppression be encouraging in-person voting over a much more iffy mail-in voting procedure in which judgement calls could be influenced by politics.

Finally, does anyone truly want to see another so-called “red (or blue) mirage“? That, of course, is the dreaded possibility that once again the Electoral College tally favors one candidate on Election Night but another when all the uncounted mail-in votes are factored in. The last thing we need is a scenario played out again in which half the country is crying foul. Can that possibly be good for our democracy?

Matthew 7:12 says “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” No matter which side we are on in this election, we are called to treat the skeptics on the other side as we would want them to treat us if the situation was reversed. We should always ask ourselves how we would feel if the shoe were on the other foot and our candidate lost amid, intentionally or not, sloppy voting procedures?

This time let us choose transparency and mutual respect over media manipulated division.

John W. Kennedy is a writer, producer and media development consultant specializing in television and movie projects that uphold positive timeless values, including trust in God.