by

Abby Zimet, staff writer

new_vote_big_tom_tomorrow_mw2017-06-21co

So that whole Baby-Man-In-Chief conspiracy fever dream known as the "Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity" - aka flagrant voter suppression scheme - is working out about like most things Drumpfian. Created in May because the popular loser was really, really mad he was the popular loser, it claimed to be exploring factors that "undermine (our) confidence in the integrity of the federal elections process" and asked states to send their voter lists with personal info - name, address, birth date, Social Security number, how they voted etc - to prove....something.

So far, at least 44 states have refused to comply, some vociferously -

Mississippi’s GOPSecretary of State told them to “go jump in the Gulf of Mexico,” and only three - Colorado, Missouri, Tennessee - have agreed. Many voters have revolted, with state officials reportinga 2,000% rise in requests to remove names from voter rolls; the most are in Colorado. And both the ACLU and Electronic Privacy Information Center have filed lawsuits. On Monday,sniffing the ominous winds of unconstitutionality - who nu? - the inept, beleaguered perpetrators of the debacle told states that, actually, maybe they'll just take a breather, thanks.

Still, the White House went ahead with releasing 112 emailed responses to the commission from an often less-than-admiring public; because irony is alive and well today, they did so without redacting the accompanying names, emails etc, thus responding to concerns about the publishing of personal information by - yes! - releasing personal information. Some comments are good-faith critiques aimed at actually addressing the issue of voter suppression: As problems, people correctly cite voter ID laws, super PACS and the influence of money, an arcane Electoral College, gerrymandering that favors GOP candidates, and electronic voting machines that are vulnerable to hacking.

Many more are laugh-out-loud savage, and something to behold. Some are just sweetly hostile: They begin, "Dear Glorious Overlord." They ask, "Does the term secret ballot mean anything to you?" In the search for threats to our election integrity, they suggest "Look in the mirror" and "A president who frequently expresses his distaste for bleeding women but has yet to express his opposition to Russian interference." They say they fear Trump's famous, fictional 3 to 5 million illegal voters will do so again on America's Got Talent. Under a "Me again!" subject line, they cite being baffled by getting no response to earlier comments and vow to keep at it "until such acknowledgement is received. Hope your project is doing well. Not." They report, "Hi, I voted in all 50 states. Just wanted you to know. Love." They ask, "Is this where we file complaints about the guy who lost the election but still became president? Thanks."

Some use subject lines to speak their minds: "Pieces of Crap," "Authoritarian governments suck," "Piece of shit, you are. Yoda." Under that one, "Just fuck off already, you shit-stain on democracy." Many responders can likewise barely contain their fury, spitting out profanities as the only appropriate response to a profane government. The effort to disenfranchise people is "a fucking, screaming outrage," one writes. "SHAME ON YOU. And by the way FUCK YOU TOO. WE WILL FIGHT YOU."

Another asks, "Who the fuck are you evil people?" and devoutly hopes they will end their lives in prison. Another: "You are stupid fucks. And mean. And assholes. Stupid mean fucking assholes." Perhaps the most exquisitely succinct: "Mr Kobach, fuck off. Sincerely, Marcia McCarthy."

The revolution and resistance may not be televised, but it's making itself heard on the electronic airwaves. If you'd like to add your thoughts to the incensed chorus, send them here.