There was a reason Illinois for decades banned liquor sales on election days: Fear that pols would trade free drinks for votes.
From the Prohibition era until the state law was repealed for the general election of 1972, the blue-law sale of alcohol was barred until the polls closed. It was an attempt — sometimes unsuccessful — to curb dodgy Chicago ward heelers or well-heeled Republican precinct committeemen in Lake County from luring thirsty voters to cast ballots in their favor in primaries and general elections.
State law then declared liquor couldn’t be sold at saloons within a mile of a polling place during general or special elections. In many locations, taverns were sometimes used as polling places before officials realized the folly of that.
Those caught serving booze on dry election days were arrested, and their bars closed for a period of time. Back then, offering a free tipple here and there for one’s vote was considered a bribe.
More than a century later comes President Donald Trump offering Americans a similar quid pro quo for their votes in the Nov. 3 midterm election. The president promised at the Republican Party’s convention in Dallas last week to give every American adult $5,000 if the GOP retains control of the U.S. House and Senate.
It was a bold and audacious proposal, to say the least, and no one except Trump is sure he can do it. Cost estimates for this dividend would be $1.2 trillion dollars, about 3.5% of the total gross domestic product.
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“If the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5,000,” Trump said on Sept. 9. “It will be called the Trump Dividend.”
Some may consider this “dividend” small potatoes, like the air war with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. Most, especially the loyal opposition Democrats, consider it a bribe.
Americans struggling with rising grocery costs and record-high diesel and volatile gasoline prices may jump at a “free” $5,000 check in the mail. If we got one depending on Republicans keeping congressional rule.
Like many, I’m still waiting for my $2,000 “dividend” from the crippling tariffs on imported goods. Then there were the $5,000 “stimulus” checks we were promised from savings allegedly uncovered by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, aka DOGE, right after Trump took office for his second four-year term.
There’s some debate among legal experts if Trump’s latest “dividend” is a bribe or campaign promise, like pledging to reduce taxes. Yet, federal law is clear on the subject.
In the U.S. Code under elections and criminal activities, dating from 1948, comes this tidbit: “Whoever makes or offers to make an expenditure to any person, either to vote or withhold his vote, or to vote for or against any candidate; and whoever solicits, accepts, or receives any such expenditure in consideration of his vote or the withholding of his vote — Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if the violation was willful, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.”
Sounds like offering either hooch or cash in return for a vote is considered a crime under federal election laws. Additionally, the president can’t just write checks to us. His outrageous proposal will need to be approved by Congress if Republicans retain power.
Besides the check-for-vote scheme, the Trump administration is also promising $500 rebate checks to an estimated one million Affordable Care Act enrollees across the nation who have seen their health insurance payments soar. The president contends they were overcharged by fees tacked on to their policies by former President Joe Biden.
Never a dull moment or boring news day while the Trump administration is in control in the nation’s capital. This includes the president’s latest pronouncement, which — shocker here — seems illegal.
As for exchanging free liquor for votes, Illinois lawmakers eventually got enough Dutch courage and allowed bars and liquor stores to stay open for the first time in the Nov. 7, 1972 election. The Land of Lincoln was ahead of the trend when it came to ridding law books of the electioneering law. Indiana finally allowed drinking and voting in 2010; South Carolina, the last state with the alcohol-election ban, held out until 2014.
Most Americans aren’t going to trade their hard-earned vote for a free drink, but they may belly up for free money, the new spirit of elections, flaunted by President Trump. If so, democracy takes another hit.
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Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor, and editor. [email protected]. X @sellenews