Brane Space: MLB Was Totally Justified In Moving All Star Game - Let's Hope The Other Fascist States Are Paying Attention!

" The KKK may be underground these days; state-sponsored terrorism is a relic of a shameful past; and some voting reforms may be needed. But Georgia’s stab is a wound to the heart and soul of a nation in recovery. They — and we — can do better, not least out of respect for those who died trying to be heard."- Kathleen Parker, Washington Post, 4/2

Kudos to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred who announced the decision Friday to pull the All Star Game From Atlanta and the state of Georgia which just passed one of the most noxious voter suppression laws. Manfred's statement is as follows:

“I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating (the event). Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box.”

Of course this was too much for the cracker -ass Georgia governor Brian Kemp who yelped:

“Major League Baseball caved to fear, political opportunism and liberal lies. Georgians - and all Americans - should fully understand what the MLB’s knee-jerk decision means: cancel culture and woke political activists are coming for every aspect of your life, sports included.”

Actually, it was much more straightforward, you cornpone asshole. The push to move the game had been gathering momentum after several large corporations (including Delta Airlines, Coca Cola) condemned the voting law and President Joe Biden said he would “strongly support” relocating the event. You basically left us with no choice after using Trump's big Lie of massive voter fraud in 2020 to pass this execrable revival of Jim Crow era voting suppression. So suck it up, Kemp.

I could also see over the past two weeks there might be fearsome blowback for Georgia's biggest unforced political error in some time. This was by taking note of the codswallop, distortions and lies appearing in the reactionary Right press. For example, a totally bonkers editorial ('Jim Eagle and the Georgia Voting Law', WSJ, March 27-28, p. 12) which actually claimed that disallowing food and drink to voters standing in line for hours was quite ok. After all, it eliminated the problem of "subtle electioneering", i.e. water bearers trying to convince the thirsty in line to vote down ballot D . As if those voters didn't already know exactly how they planned to vote. Besides, the new law in its foresight "allows poll workers to provide self service water from unattended receptacles." Give me a break, do.

Oh, then there's this chestnut: "Wait times must be measured three times on election day and if a wait time hits one hour then immediate changes will be required before the next election."

Gee, Sparky, thanks for cluing us in! I am sure that will put at ease the minds of all of Georgia's minority voters - who now will face 5-8 hours in line- in a hot southern Sun. But my point is that for any objective corporation or person reading this twaddle it would be an instant call to arms - to combat the Georgia law. Also to combat any or all of the 355 others now being considered in 40-odd wacko states - themselves misled by the Big Lie spawned by the sore loser Dotard.

But what was most egregious is how the WSJ soft -soaped the worst part of the Georgia voting law. That is the measure that will allow the Legislature to select the leader of the state election board and then render the actually elected Secretary of State a non-voting member. Thereby essentially sidelining the chief election officer (Brad Raffensperger in the 2020 election) and making him a token official only. The state board could then have the power to remove local election officials and replace them. In other words, if this insane perfidy had existed in November last year, Trump's allies in the Peach state could have handed the electoral votes to him.

Given all the above, the appearance of the Holman Jenkins' column "H.R. 1 Is Democrats Survival Strategy For 2022" (p. A13, op. cit.) would have surely added more fuel to the fire of impending blowback. In this case impugning the secrecy of the ballots themselves (e.g. "mail- in ballots are always opaquely delivered to the counting table") and claiming the very closeness of elections casts suspicion. Huh? Well, to little Holman, "the very closeness defeats our ability to count legal votes with precision."

Which is the ripest load of hog swill I've beheld in some time. But it echoes what the NY Times Ross Douthat also claimed in a recent column, that if we are to have confidence in our elections we need to have lopsided wins by one party - not close wins. Well, sorry, buds, but in a highly polarized nation elections will almost always be close, deal with it.

None of these objections, in any case, provides justification for passing the abominable suppression fixes that Georgia has - or that 40 other odd states also plan. But in each case of passage we must see blowback delivered, i.e some huge events (e.g. golf tournaments, racing) taken away from them, or major boycotts mounted. None of these atrocities can be left unpunished, unsanctioned.

Of course, Georgia's QAnon imp Marjorie Taylor Greene predictably screamed: "Keep the politics off the field!" forgetting it's been her Repuke assclowns (like her) who've interjected politics into everything - even wearing masks.

Then there is the other 'moron of the month', Sen. Pat Twomey, who babbled - before the MLB decision:

“You look at the Georgia law, there’s no voter suppression. … All you need [to vote absentee] is some, some verification of ID, and so does every department of transportation in America in order to drive.”

That is supposed common sense, except for two problems: First, every American has the right to vote; but no one has the right to drive. Hence, "common sense" dictates it should be easier to vote than it is to drive. Second, these tighter ID requirements will make it more difficult for poor and minority voters to vote, all in the name of rooting out alleged fraud, which Georgia Republicans such as Brian Kemp have admitted last year is nonexistent.

It is sad the Braves and their fans will have to suffer for the crimes of Georgia's legislature and governor, but there it is. Maybe now the other states, like Arizona - which plans to install a QAnon lackey as election board officer- will wise up. But if not, they pay the price, whatever it is.

Meanwhile, as MLB contemplates a new host city for the All Star game - and a celebration of Hank Aaron's memory- may I suggest Milwaukee? That is the place where Hammerin' Hank came into his own (in 1954), and helped the Milwaukee Braves beat the Yanks in the 1957 World Series. Also the place he finished his career with the Milwaukee Brewers. In the words of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in his letter to the Commissioner (from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel):

“As you review alternative sites for the game, I ask you to consider Milwaukee. It is a particularly appropriate location to honor Hank Aaron, who is a revered and beloved former Milwaukeean. He started and concluded his Major League career with teams here.

The City of Milwaukee would be honored to host the All-Star Game, and you would have the full support of my office to make the festivities a success."

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