Reviews

Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat to American Democracy by Richard L. Hasen

heathersbike's review against another edition

This is not a book I would have finished were we not in the middle of a pandemic and I made myself finish it. I mean, it's not like I have anything else to do. However, this was boring and repetitive and I really feel like I didn't learn a lot. Some terminology, maybe. I found the part about watching the words regarding stealing elections to be food for thought.

Mostly I found this incredibly depressing. We are not set to change anything before the 2020 election. I had not heard of the Mother Jones article about an armed resistance but I can see how it is all too likely - look how people are reacting with arms to the reopening. What I got from this book is we are truly f*cked - whether Trump wins or loses in November. This is not what I was hoping to hear right now. I should have stuck to Nora Robert books.

miguelf's review against another edition

4.0

The topic of the integrity of US elections is of utmost importance and the public faith in them is being systematically eroded for nefarious ends. This slim book tries to cover a lot of different aspects of our election systems bringing up the misleading concerns by such ridiculous figures as Kris Kobach and of course the Orange Fuhrer himself to less vociferous complaints on the left (the GA Gov race with Stacey Abrams). Due to its length the book doesn’t give enough depth to any individual topic but it would be a good overview if one were relatively oblivious to the current state that we’re in.

erintby's review against another edition

3.0

A quick read with compelling points about concerning practices from throughout the political spectrum that threaten our democracy.

disasterchick's review against another edition

4.0

This is very interesting to read a week after the 2020 Election where Joe Biden was declared the winner on Saturday and the there is no sign of a beginning of transition of power. This is exactly what Hasen said would happen. Both sides need to work to work with the Secretaries of State across the Nation and County Election Boards to ensure that our elections are legitimate. Both sides of the political spectrum are stating things are happening in elections, but what are they doing to stop them. The other questions is how much proof do they have? When it comes time to show the proof it doesn't exist - we are just told it is rampant and you can see it everywhere. When you have a problem what does complaining do? Nothing. Both parties need to work to stop complaining and end the perception of voter suppression and illegal voting.

authorisasauthordoes's review against another edition

informative reflective tense fast-paced

3.5

3.5 stars. A comprehensive and informative blanket understanding of the major issues facing our election integrity at the moment in terms of voter trust and how the recent election cycle was able to exploit those weaknesses (even more eerie considering this was written before the 2020 election and it literally lays out things that happened and worse in 2021).

sampatpete's review against another edition

4.0

Hasen, and people like him, are American heroes

miguelf's review

4.0

The topic of the integrity of US elections is of utmost importance and the public faith in them is being systematically eroded for nefarious ends. This slim book tries to cover a lot of different aspects of our election systems bringing up the misleading concerns by such ridiculous figures as Kris Kobach and of course the Orange Fuhrer himself to less vociferous complaints on the left (the GA Gov race with Stacey Abrams). Due to its length the book doesn’t give enough depth to any individual topic but it would be a good overview if one were relatively oblivious to the current state that we’re in.