Is There an OSCE/ODIHR in America?

By Ylli Manjani

There is some news that, had it happened in Albania, would no longer be news. It would be a criminal case file.

Donald Trump comes out publicly and promises: $5,000 for every American, if his party wins the November elections.

Now imagine the same sentence in Albanian.

“Edi Rama promises 5,000 euros for every Albanian if the SP wins.”

Five minutes would not pass. From SHQUP (the DP headquarters), the national alarm would erupt. The OSCE/ODIHR would issue a statement on “violating the equality of the race.” SPAK would open criminal proceedings for active electoral corruption in the form of an electoral promise. Analysts would speak of “mass vote-buying,” while televisions would open their newscasts with suspense music.

Because that is what our criminal law teaches us. Promising a material benefit to influence the vote is serious business.

But in America?

In America, it is not discussed whether it is normal to promise money. Only where he will find the money is discussed.

So the problem is not the promise. The problem is the Excel sheet.

A quite naive question comes to mind: Is there an OSCE/ODIHR in America?

Or is the OSCE an organization that exists only for countries where democracy is still “developing,” while when it comes to the superpower, democracy enters the category of “self-regulating”?

Perhaps Americans have another version of the manual.

With us it is called “electoral promise with elements of corruption.” There it is called “tax rebate,” “dividend,” “bonus,” “stimulus,” “refund.” Just translate it into English and the criminal article gets lost in the ocean.

It is not even a novelty. Joe Biden’s America distributed billions of dollars during the pandemic. Then it was called economic stimulus. Today Trump promises dollars in the campaign. It is called fiscal policy.

How elegant words sound when they come with an American passport.

Even more interesting is the media silence. Had it been Albania, we would have had three weeks of TV studios with the title “Is the vote being bought?” In the US the debate is entirely different: “Is it financially feasible?”

No one asks whether it is democratically acceptable to tell the voter: vote and you will get money.

Apparently, democracy also has an exchange rate.

One standard for those who are monitored and one standard for those who monitor.

Therefore, just for the sake of talk, it seems to me we have made a big mistake: we have tried to build a democracy more democratic than democracy. Or democracy has gone downhill… With more OSCE, more ODIHR, more reports, more standards, more morality.

Meanwhile, in the country that lectures us on elections, the campaign may also come with a promotional offer.

“Vote and get $5,000.”

Perhaps the secret is simple.

OSCE/ODIHR is not missing in America.

It simply… does not monitor Americans.