A scathing opinion piece in the American Thinker has ignited controversy by drawing direct parallels between Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin’s notorious election manipulation tactics and what it characterizes as systemic Democratic Party efforts to sway U.S. electoral outcomes through unorthodox means.
Stalin’s Playbook: Control the Count
The article opens with a jarring quote attributed to Stalin by his former secretary: “who will count the votes, and how” mattered far more than voter intent. It frames Stalin’s rise not through ideological fervor but through incremental election subversion, suggesting that today’s Democratic operatives have learned similar lessons about consolidating power.
2020 Election: The “Elephant in the Room”
The piece revisits the 2020 election’s record-shattering turnout numbers with skepticism, questioning how Biden could outperform even Barack Obama’s historic 2008 totals while Trump simultaneously gained 10 million votes from 2016. It implies these results defy political gravity, hinting at orchestrated irregularities without explicitly alleging fraud.
2024 Ballot Shenanigans
Recent election cycles come under fire for specific tactics the article links to Democratic officials: from North Carolina’s refusal to remove RFK Jr.’s name from ballots despite his withdrawal and endorsement of Trump, to New York’s socialist candidate appearing under two party banners. Most strikingly, it cites a Virginia case where a deceased dog received official voting rights restoration paperwork signed by the governor.
2026: Dead Voters and Decoy Candidates
The op-ed details ongoing controversies including Maine’s allegedly neglected voter roll cleanup (thousands of deceased registrants reportedly remain active) and New York Times reporting on Democrats recruiting ‘decoy’ independent candidates with names identical to GOP opponents. Each case builds the argument that election systems in Democratic-controlled areas prioritize access over integrity.
Though incendiary in its comparisons, the article lands on a broader philosophical question: when does strategic electioneering cross into unethical territory, and could accumulation of such tactics fundamentally alter American democracy’s legitimacy? Critics will dismiss it as partisan fearmongering, but the historical framing ensures even skeptical readers confront uncomfortable questions about electoral oversight in an era of razor-thin margins.
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/11/election-scheming-from-joseph-stalin-to-the-democrats/