There is an adage called Hanlon's Razor, which states, 'Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.' It's a good rule of thumb to follow in general, but when it comes to politics, the problem with Hanlon's Razor is that the line between incompetence and corruption is almost non-existent in many instances.
Yesterday Townhall's Sarah Arnold reported some disgraceful news out of the Pentagon. It's the type of news that almost makes us pray it is incompetence because the other alternative is unthinkable.
With the 2024 Election well underway and just a couple of days left until Election Day, Arnold reports that so many active military servicemembers have not received absentee ballots that Republican lawmakers have demanded answers -- and a solution -- from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The Pentagon Fails to Send Absentee Ballots to Active Military Service Members
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 2, 2024
https://t.co/ZHzWFIhkt8
This is simply unconscionable. And what's worse, it is entirely unsurprising.
Arnold provided more details in her report:
Republican lawmakers demand answers from the Pentagon after military service members complained that they have not received enough absentee ballots to vote before Election Day.
GOP Reps. Brian Mast (R-FL), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), and Mike Waltz (R-FL) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin citing their 'grave concern over deficiencies in the Defense Department’s protocols' for the U.S. military because they said the absentee ballot stockpile has been 'depleted and had not been replenished.'
'Our nation’s brave men and women in uniform brought to our attention that there has been inadequate education at the administrative level on how to register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and fill in a federal write-in absentee ballot if their state-issued ballot does not arrive in time,' the letter reads. 'Other service members also stated that when a request for a federal write-in absentee ballot was made, they were told the base’s stockpile of such ballots was depleted and had not been replenished.'
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The report goes on to indicate that lawmakers are demanding that Austin take 'extraordinary measures' to guarantee that all servicemembers have the opportunity to vote and that their votes will be counted.
In 2020, Democrats changed or even violated laws to send out mail-in ballots to any Tom, Dick, or Harry who requested one, but when it comes to men and women in uniform -- the people who actually need absentee ballots -- the Pentagon can't be bothered? Is that where we are?
We live in a world where a soldier can risk their life for their country , while being denied the ability to vote.👇 https://t.co/VYf2vh51ga pic.twitter.com/YlXT3rbVC4
— Frankly Frank (@CastiglioneFrnk) November 3, 2024
Nothing says upholding the Constitution quite like disenfranchising the warriors that are willing to give their lives to uphold the Constitution... partisan hacks in the Pentagon and DOD need to be removed from positions of power... https://t.co/2GPJZgogxV
— Erin Brophy - don't forget to laugh.. (@ERINBROPHY18) November 3, 2024
Ultimately, it doesn't matter whether this is stupidity or malice. It is unacceptable in either instance. But given what we know about the current administrative state in Washington, D.C., it's not a tremendous leap of logic to assume it is the latter.
Or perhaps both.
Wow, that is pure incompetence or just plain evil https://t.co/O7BVzzxrlD
— Dr Shawn Baker 🥩 (@SBakerMD) November 3, 2024
We're going to embrace the power of 'AND' on this one. Sorry, not sorry. Secretary Austin has not earned the benefit of the doubt.
Because of course https://t.co/wlVGQ8oxCA
— Lizzy Lou Who 🍃🍁🍂 (@_wintergirl93) November 2, 2024
VOTER SUPPRESSION: Why did the Biden-Harris regime ‘forget’ to send ballots to active duty troops stationed overseas? https://t.co/yPxJvt6bdD
— @amuse (@amuse) November 3, 2024
Ahhh, there's the trick. Remember when Kamala Harris lied in the debate with Donald Trump that the U.S. has 'no active military serving in a combat zone'?
Well, if there aren't any troops overseas, no one needs an absentee ballot. See how that works?
Kamala claimed there were no military serving in conflict areas. Now she's trying to erase them by taking their vote away. https://t.co/AnhN1HG2zH
— RPGPundit❌ (@KasimirUrbanski) November 3, 2024
Unfortunately for Harris, some military servicemembers hilariously showed her lie in real-time during the debate:
Says it all! 🥴 pic.twitter.com/tlMRcOiABd
— Andre Nuta 🇺🇲 (@andre_nuta) September 15, 2024
Funny how the 'fact-checkers' missed that one.
If the Pentagon forgot to send absentee ballots to actual members of the military, who are the 30,000 per swing state who requested UOCAVA ballots? https://t.co/bbVLGk3Cf3
— Insurrection Barbie (@DefiyantlyFree) November 3, 2024
UOCAVA is the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. Along with the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE), it requires that servicemembers (and others who qualify, including family members) are sent absentee ballots at least 45 days before federal elections.
So, where are the ballots?
One of the best Republican lawyers in the land, Harmeet Dillon, wasn't about to take this lying down and has been assisting as many military personnel as possible to get their votes in.
I’ve been helping military families navigate UOCAVA this week after Arizona voters had their ballots delayed. All US military families should check if they can vote this way asap! https://t.co/z7NtpUOMO1
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) November 3, 2024
One of the provisions of UOCAVA states that the Department of Justice can demand states extend deadlines to receive and count overseas ballots.
This might be a good time to remind everyone that the current Attorney General is ... Merrick Garland.
We're not expecting him to lift a finger, so it will be up to attorneys like Dillon to ensure the military vote.
💥WORST EXAMPLE OF VOTER OBSTRUCTION IN US ELECTION 💥
— Katherine Deves Morgan 🇦🇺🚺 (@deves_katherine) November 3, 2024
Active military service members FAIL to receive absentee ballots
Good enough to sacrifice their lives, but not good enough to be afforded a vote? @TheDemocrats will sink to any low to rig, cheat & steal the election https://t.co/e18XxiR4Tm
This is freakin unforgivable!!!
— Deb-- Redacted Redacted (@debster7301) November 3, 2024
😡 😡 😡 https://t.co/BgIMUAxADm
The SECDEF has declared for Harris. https://t.co/QRH1C9HNR5
— Flyrock (@FlyrockMK16) November 3, 2024
Again, with apologies to Hanlon's Razor, this is the level of trust that Austin, the Biden-Harris DOD, and the Biden-Harris DOJ have earned over the past four years.
This administration is rigging against active duty military receiving ballots, while fighting to maintain illegals access to illegal voting.
— Bonnie Blue and Zoe (@BonnieBlueTK) November 3, 2024
That should tell you everything you need to know about the anti-American democratic party. https://t.co/VIdtpZZIYp
And yet the Pentagon doesn’t fail to send our young men and women into harm’s way
— Captain Emeritus 🇺🇸 (@Capt_Emeritus) November 3, 2024
We aren't holding our breath waiting for Harris-supporting warmongers like Liz Cheney or Bill Kristol to comment on this scandal. They just like to send soldiers off to war, they don't care if they actually get to vote or not.
I think a prerequisite for running the country, should be the ability to master the basic mailing of a ballot. https://t.co/U63nolPLLI
— Maggie_Mac (@at_maggiemac) November 3, 2024
It's not rocket science.
This is all the more reason that it begs the question of malice vs. stupidity.
If the 'defenders of democracy' in the Democrat party want people to have faith that our elections are free and fair, then maybe they should take the simple steps necessary to ensure that our elections are free and fair. Especially for the Americans who are putting their lives on the line for our democracy.
Lloyd Austin, you've got some explaining to do and you had better do it quickly.
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