Influence Watch introduces us to ERIC

President Reagan was a prophet

The acronym ERIC stands for Electronic Registration Information Center. Take a few minutes to acquaint yourself with this scheme which refers to itself as “a non-profit organization with the sole mission of assisting states to improve the accuracy of America’s voter rolls and increase access to voter registration for all eligible citizens.” ERIC claims it is governed and managed by states that choose to join. It was formed in 2012 with assistance from the far less than unbiased Pew Charitable Trusts.

That guarantee should put any concerns to rest.

Under the heading, “What Data Does Eric Collect From Member States,” is this reassuring tidbit: “Each member state receives reports that show voters who have moved within their state, voters who have moved out of state, voters who have died, duplicate registrations in the same state, and individuals who are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. States may request a report identifying voters who appear to have voted twice within the state in the prior federal election, voted in more than one state in the prior federal election, or who voted on behalf of a deceased voter in the prior federal election.”

In addition to needlessly usurping the duties of individual elected secretaries of state and county reorders, timeliness is a crucial factor.

Republican President Ronald Reagan was renowned for saying, “The 9 most terrifying words in the English language are, I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” A visionary, he foresaw the current situation decades ago.