France held a final election for President of the Republic on May 7. By all indications, no one stood in line for longer than 15 minutes at polling stations, which were only open from 7 AM to 7 PM. Results began to be announced by 9 PM, and by 11 PM, all results were complete. Why can’t the United States run elections like that? Why don’t we have sufficient polling stations and the ability to vote without harassment. Even with in-person voting required, and only on one day and with limited hours, voting was carried out efficiently and fairly.

By having two rounds of voting, the person elected in the end had a majority of the votes cast in the final round. There were significant blank ballots and abstentions, with a total of approximately 35%. Compare that to the United States, where the percentage of eligible voters who do not vote is far higher. What are the shortcomings of our democracy that make this the norm as a lower percentage of voters tend to vote in recent presidential elections than in the last half of the Twentieth Century.

The result of the election in France demonstrated strong support for the deep French commitment to a united and peaceful Europe and the concept of human rights so deeply embedded in French history and culture. President Trump’s subtle and yet support for Marine Le Pen, and the attempts by Russia to influence the election came to naught, perhaps signaling the contempt of the voters of France for the authoritarian and anti-human rights stance of both Putin and Trump.

Fortunately, there are many recent commentators and leaders writing outstanding works in newspapers and magazines that deserve attention and reflect the warnings of Cassandra. We are delighted to suggest the links below as reflective of these warnings:

David Frum – Trump’s Plan to End Europe – Atlantic Magazine
David Frum – How To Build an Autocracy – Atlantic Magazine
Roger Cohen – Macron and the Defense of the Republic – New York Times
Roger Cohen – ‘America First’ Has Not Upended the World – New York Times