By Mohammad Mazhari
TEHRAN - An American writer says that Republicans' voting law is to make sure that only lawful votes are counted. "The American system is meant to count each lawful vote," Charles Ortel tells the Tehran Times.
TEHRAN - An American writer says that Republicans' voting law is to make sure that only lawful votes are counted.
"The American system is meant to count each lawful vote," Charles Ortel tells the Tehran Times.
"In fact, since 2001, many actions as simple as visiting an office building or workplace require presenting valid identification,” Ortel adds.
According to Republicans, in some cases, “corrupt voters” might cast votes in numerous states on Election Day, and individual state regulators might be “none the wiser”.
"Making sure that only lawful votes are counted just once in each election contest should be broadly accepted and not controversial," the American investor and writer interested in lasting peace argues.
Following is the text of the interview:
Q: How do you evaluate Founding Fathers' educations for America today? What are the main features of the Republic that they were talking about?
A: America's founders were keen students of history and well understood the dangers of mob rule, whether in service to an authoritarian monarch or "elected" dictator.
In the eighteenth century, books were expensive and libraries scarce. Still, the founders expected that participants in elections and in governance would continually educate themselves in a thirst for knowledge.
To get a flavor for thinking then, an excellent window into past times is the book written by Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, published around 1782.
I believe the founders would be horrified at the intolerant, blinkered class of "educators" who cancel or shun views at odds with tenets of woke globalism.
Q: America today is known as a liberal democracy. Do you think that liberalism should remain America's unchangeable, everlasting ideology, as Fukuyama says in his book "The End of History?"
A: One of man's great failings is classification. Instead, whether liberal, progressive, communist, or conservative, I would hope thinking Americans and others worldwide would collect objective facts and use these to test and develop working theories to answer questions large and small as these arise.
In what I know of history, some of the most important breakthroughs arise when quiet yet persistent voices challenge accepted thinking, pointing to flaws and/or offering better interpretations.
Individuals in America should pursue opportunities, ideally, to use their best skills to be most productive. If we have learned anything from March 2020, we must understand that no expert has every answer and that society flourishes when we take risks, making informed choices.
Q: Many observers criticize American democracy over the impact of money and media on the election process. They mean more you have money more possible you can take power. It is not in favor of independent candidates and ordinary people. The power is circulating in the hands of Democrats and Republicans. What is your comment?
A: The size of the government sector is gargantuan in America, and no regulator exists that is motivated to punish corrupt interests in both parties who pay off politicians to forestall prosecution, win government contracts/grants, or both.
In contrast to the private sector, where advances in technology dismantle bureaucracies once thought impregnable, the public sector in America grows more corpulent every day.
How long before Americans realize we are drowning ourselves and future generations in debts to fund amorphous schemes that hardly work to our common benefit?
Q: Apparently American political system is conservative when it comes to election mechanisms. Some political pundits say the U.S. election system is outdated. For instance, gerrymandering which is practiced since 1789, or electoral colleges that roots in the slavery era. What are the reasons for this kind of conservatism?
A: The American system is meant to count each lawful vote. In fact, since 2001, many actions as simple as visiting an office building or workplace require presenting valid identification. Moreover, "liberal", woke nations across Europe enforce tougher voting standards than are prevalent in America.
Though approximately 80% of our population resides in cities, we have a large population scattered across a vast set of the territory. Here, it is important to understand that our founders feared the concentration of power and wanted candidates for the highest office to court multiple states rather than vested interests in just the most populated ones.
Q: Why are the Republicans in some states are trying to put restrictions on voting? Are they afraid of losing more seats? Could you tell us how it may help U.S. democracy?
A: In the Northeast, for example, corrupt voters might cast votes in numerous states on Election Day, and individual state regulators might be none the wiser.
Making sure that only lawful votes are counted just once in each election, the contest should be broadly accepted and not controversial.
Q: Don’t you predict that a third party or movement comes to power in the U.S. to push America beyond Republicans and Democrats? Some mention Trump as an option, but he is an influential figure in the Republican Party and hardly can he violate the party's principles. However, we have Bernie Sanders that can go beyond Democrats' principles. What is your comment?
A: In the data age, with distributed networks, parties seem much less relevant, even a diversion. In 2021, Americans should cherish time and the freedom to embrace opportunities for themselves and for their families, not expensive, ineffective bureaucracies and tired slogans.
At home and abroad, Americans appreciate that experts in both parties fail most of us while enriching themselves.
I hope that voters will empower elected officials to reduce the footprint of government and punish those who feast off their careers as "public servants."
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