Right-Wing Voter Suppression Efforts Exposed as 'Definition of Disingenuous'

In a pointed letter to the East Oregonian, Hermiston resident Joseph Brusberg slams the political right’s ongoing efforts to tighten voting restrictions as the very definition of disingenuous. Brusberg takes aim at defenders of the SAVE Act, a bill backed by the administration and right-wing lawmakers, accusing them of pretending ignorance about the real impact of their policies.

Brusberg cites the Oxford definition of disingenuous—“not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does”—to frame the right’s tactics as a deliberate deception. He notes that these lawmakers are well aware they trail in the polls and that voter fraud is exceedingly rare, even by the standards of the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Despite this, the right continues to push restrictive voting rules during an election year, fully aware that such measures suppress turnout among legally eligible voters. “Suppressing votes is exactly what they are trying to do,” Brusberg writes.

He details the populations most affected: millions of recently married women unable to produce birth certificates due to name changes, elderly and disabled voters struggling with bureaucratic hurdles, people of color who feel targeted in today’s fraught political climate, and others facing personal hardships or natural disasters. Brusberg asks readers to consider how many have avoided voting simply because of red tape and obstacles.

Data from right-wing sources themselves confirm that these restrictions significantly reduce voter participation. Yet lawmakers continue to present these bills and executive orders as if unaware of the consequences—a blatant act of bad faith.

This letter adds to the growing chorus of voices calling out voter suppression as a strategic assault on democracy. As election season heats up, the stakes could not be higher.