Who's Interfering in the Election Now
Summary
Slate’s Mary Harris speaks with Ari Berman about the Supreme Court’s ruling blocking the Trump administration’s plan to use the Postal Service to screen mail-in ballots. They discuss how this decision, alongside gerrymandering and local election board actions, shapes the landscape for the upcoming midterms. Berman explains why the administration’s tactics are largely designed to suppress voter turnout through panic rather than fundamentally altering election outcomes. The conversation concludes with advice for voters to ignore the noise and vote early to ensure their participation.
Topics discussed
Intro: Relief after Supreme Court blocks USPS ballot plan
Why the USPS plan was unconstitutional and doomed to fail
Broader executive order threats and ongoing interference
Show introduction and segment transition
How the Postal Service portal and new rules would have worked
Whistleblower details and bureaucratic nightmare of the system
Republican election officials oppose the plan
Analysis of the Supreme Court ruling and dissenting justices
Gerrymandering efforts and their limited effectiveness
The chaotic Missouri redistricting court battle
Commercial break
Local election boards and the risk of close races
Will Trump intervene in midterms he is not on the ballot for?
DOJ threats and bullying of election officials
DHS threats, ICE at polls, and why they will likely fail
The January 3rd scenario: Refusing to seat new Congress members
Conclusion: The importance of voting early
Credits and sign-off
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