[Poohbah]

Why would you be so willing to accept this as harmless?

Because it is.

[Buffettbassman]

Nonsense. It's errosive!

[hedgetrimmer]

If you create a sense among a group of people that
1. they are incapable of governing themselves
2. they are incapable of holding a fair election
then you are creating a sense that someone must come in do it for them.

This action is the action of a government trying to persuade its own people that they are incapable of acting in the full faith of their constitutional government.