Guest Blogged by John Gideon, of VotersUnite and VoteTrustUSA
As an introduction, the “DVN Top 5” is a feature that I have been providing in the weekly voting newsletter of VoteTrustUSA. The November 28 edition can be found here. The selection of what will be the “Top 5” for each week and where it goes on the list is all mine. The fact that you may disagree with my choices is great because it shows that you have been reading the DVN articles that I’ve posted throughout the week here on BRAD BLOG!…
#5 – An interesting article from the Associated Press was printed on Wed. The article discusses the looming problem, nationally, as states scramble to meet the mandates of the Help America Vote Act of 2002(HAVA). The article discusses the recent GAO report and goings-on in North Carolina and California.
#4 – The state of Colorado has run into a large problem with their HAVA required state voter registration system. It seems that the prime contractor Accenture cannot meet the agreed upon deadline for the system. The state has cancelled the $10.5M contract with the contractor.
#3 – The Georgia Voter ID issue will not go away any time soon. In two Opinion pieces printed in the Atlanta Journal Constitution calls have been made to redo the legislation. This is the same legislation that employees of the Department of Justice recommended should not get federal backing but they were overruled by the political appointees. There is now a call for a congressional hearing into this issue.
The BRAD BLOG
Atlanta Journal Constitution
Atlanta Journal Constitution
Atlanta Progressive News
#2 – The ‘hack’ test in California is also a story that will be around for awhile. Misinformation seems to be flowing from the SoS office and the media, to some extent, seem to be reporting what they get without checking on the facts.
The BRAD BLOG
San Francisco Chronicle
Monterey Herald
#1 – The #1 story for the week is the amazing story from North Carolina. It seems that Diebold lost in court where they were hoping to get a judicial ‘ok’ to circumvent state law for escrow and inspection of their source code. The court found that they would have to comply, so Diebold threatened to take their ‘football and go home’. Then within three days, the State Board of Elections decided that if the judge would not let Diebold ignore the law, they would do it for Diebold. Suddenly, in what has become known as “The Immaculate Certification”, Diebold was certified.
Im a native north carolinian and this diebold story is truely amazing. Who is running the state?
John, the link to "The Dispatch" does not work … it says the id is wrong or some such thing …
As the election debacle continues, the presstitutes ignore it, and america suffers, more looms upon the horizon.
The neoCon administration has failed again. Now Iran is "months" away from nuclear weapons (link here).
Many will admit that great destruction is what the admin claims is its strong suit, and many will admit that diplomacy is its weakest suit … it is so weak that the admin is naked when it comes to diplomacy.
Rice, arguably the best liar in the diplomatic corps, just tells Europe to "back off" when Europe inquired about secret prisons where secret prisoners with secret charges and secret interrogations take place.
Some of the less articulate members of the diplomatic corps of this admin, e.g. Bolton, are not even that nice.
So who would be surprised that when the military had won the battle for Iraq, several foggy years ago, and it came time for diplomacy to build a bridge to the Iraqi people and other neighbor countries there, our diplomatic discourse began with our doctrine of preemptive invasion?
And now Iran, not being persuaded by the diplomacy, is months away from nuclear weapons. Our diplomatic efforts could not have produced anything but that.
So goes the election diplomacy too it seems. Laws are no better than the paper they are printed on if they are not respected, obeyed, and enforced. And this must be done in a context of priority.
First comes honest, open, and accountable government. Without that, all else fails. All else.
A pro-peace candidate to challenge Sen. Clinton!
Jonathan Tasini has set up a blog to kick off his campaign here:
http://tasinifornewyork.org/
and has an article in today’s AlterNet
http://www.alternet.org/story/29055/
I’m not working for him (yet), and apologies if I should’ve waited for an "open thread", but anyway, please watch this campaign as well!
Peace!
Dredd #3 – The bad link is fixed now. I really did check them last night before I posted the blog. It’s an AP article so it was on other media sites. Thanks