Making a mockery of the democratic process

Opponents of an extraordinary session bill submitted by Wisconsin Republican legislators hold "Stop Lame Duck" signs at a rally outside the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison on Monday. (John Hart/AP)

Regarding the Dec. 5 editorial “End-runs around democracy”:

Every citizen, no matter his or her political leaning, should be outraged over these latest Republican maneuvers, designed to strip the electorate of its decisions at the polls and making a mockery of the democratic process. Should these tactics in Wisconsin and Michigan prove successful, it is likely that we shall see more of this across the nation. 

We all have a stake in free and fair elections and, equally important, in seeing that the results of these elections are not perniciously eradicated by determined losers with alternative agendas. There well may be a question as to whether such actions can be successfully challenged from a legal standpoint. Ultimately, however, it is up to the voters to be mindful of those who would perpetrate such schemes and, for the sake of our democratic traditions, to deal with them accordingly. 

Martin L. Lipson, Potomac