A few brief notes on the vote fraud controversy...
The DNC reports: Tomorrow, the Democratic National Committee's Voting Rights Institute will present DNC Chairman Howard Dean their report on the conduct of the 2004 presidential election in Ohio. You should be able to find a copy of this report at www.democrats.org. I don't expect kick-ass wording, but the report may include some good, hitherto undiscovered information.
California, here it comes: Why does governor Schwarzenegger insist on governance by special election, despite his plummeting popularity? Because elections can be fixed. First, he used trumped-up charges to get rid of Diebold-unfriendly Secretary of State Ken Shelley. Then he replaced Shelley with Bruce McPhereson -- who seems to have made it his task to computerize the California vote as rapidly as possible.
During a June 16 panel meeting in Sacramento, the California Election Protection Network and other election reformers did everything they could to put a stop to this outrage. There is a continuing effort to flood the new Secretary of State's email with letters of protest. Alas, we have every indicator that he will certify Diebold and ES&S machines in time for the upcoming elections.
In 2004, California residents were treated to a small but steady trickle of stories about the "reddening" of the state's electorate. In 2008, the new machines will insure a Republican victory in the presidential race. One may safely predict that pundits will then point to "long-term" trends, rather than to the replacement of Ken Shelley.
What to do right now? Personally, I see little point in writing to the bad guys and asking them not to be bad. Publicity is key. Most people still do not understand what is happening; Once the electorate loses faith in this corrupt election system, they may take the sort of protest actions (mass rallies; refusal to pay taxes) which can return the state -- and the nation -- to democracy.
Blackwell and the "mother machines": I should have mentioned this earlier, but better late than never. According to a Bob Fitrakis radio interview, Ken Blackwell -- Ohio's corrupt Secretary of State -- had direct access to the central tabulators in the 2004 election. (You may also want to hear this.) Letting the Republican party's state chairman have this sort of access is like giving John Dillinger the keys to a bank vault.
Speaking of Fitrakis: It's not enough to recommend his new book Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election? Essential Documents. Let's do everything we can to get this work into our libraries. And the best way to accomplish that goal is to ask a librarian to stock the volume. Simple, easy and free!
1 comment:
joe, thanks for this update.
first, interesting new factoid on the blackwell, eh? does this not open up possibilities of such connections with central tabulators on all levels?
second, i agree with the notion that CA is getting primed for 'reddening,' just as WA is (NY and MA are next!); get the guv and sec of state on board, turn the legislature a bit pink, and you're set, especially if the state courts are of that hue.
however, with regard to shelley, although he was appropriately against the machines, i have it from a very good source that the charges against him, though not criminal, were not out of line. evidently, according to a a very good friend's brother who has worked for years on elections from the sec of state's office in CA, shelley was sloppy, imperious, and indulged in his share of nepotism. unfortunately, the 'good guys' aren't always lily white.
finally, great suggestion about stocking libraries with fritrakis' book. i'll go one further:
BUY TWO COPIES AND DONATE ONE TO YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY!!
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