In case you’re wondering, it’s not just The BRAD BLOG trying to warn folks on the Right, Left and everywhere in between of the pending disasters of our oft-failed, almost always wholly-unverified and quickly disappearing system of once-overseeable, theoretically-democratic system of electoral self-governance.
As Steven Rosenfeld, veteran journalist of the 2004 Ohio mess, writes this week at Alternet in “Not Again! How Our Voting System Is Ripe For Theft and Meltdown in 2012” [emphasis added]:
“We are running elections in this country as if we are still in the 19th century,” she said. “The results are announced and there is no verification. At minimum, we should be doing manual post-election ballot audits for all major elections whether or not the results are close, because there even could be a major problem with an election with a wide margin.“
Rosenfeld covers a lot of ground in his piece, so you should read it in full.
That said, as much ground as he covers, he and the experts he quotes still manage to understate the concerns, while failing to define what, in nearly a decade on this beat we have found, so far, to be the only apparent solution: Hand-marked paper ballots counted publicly, by hand, on Election Night, at the precinct, in front of all parties, observers and video cameras, with decentralized results posted at those precincts, before ballots are allowed to move anywhere.
You have been warned. Again.
Now back to your bickering about off-shore bank accounts and “socialism”, or whatever it is you feel your time is better spent on between now and November 6.
I hate to say this but even the comments at Alternet have nothing to say regarding Rosenfeld’s topic. (I didn’t read all 186 of them though) Reading some of my regular sites, after being off-line for almost a year, I’ve seen two comments mentioning the “electronic voting” problem and the person has been completely ignored or another excuse is made for losing or winning.
Very discouraging to see.
It has got to be frustrating to you guys who have seen the problem in the US for so long..it is the system, not the men in town halls trying to win some votes.
WE as a country know that there is something terribly wrong with both parties but seeing the real problem…it is here.From the 14 points of fascism…read it and see our country for what it is..fascist.
14. Fraudulent elections
Elections in the form of plebiscites or public opinion polls were usually bogus. When actual elections with candidates were held, they would usually be perverted by the power elite to get the desired result. Common methods included maintaining control of the election machinery, intimidating and disenfranchising opposition voters, destroying or disallowing legal votes, and, as a last resort, turning to a judiciary beholden to the power elite.
NOTE: The above 14 Points was written in 2004 by Dr. Laurence Britt, a political scientist. Dr. Britt studied the fascist regimes of: Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile).
Does any of this sound familiar? As America sinks deeper and deeper into corporate greed will this country continue to be a democracy by the people and for the people or will it be ruled by the few? Will the trinity of money, power and greed over come one of the greatest countries in the world? Only we, the people, can keep it free. SPEAK OUT AND LET YOUR THOUGHTS BE KNOWN…ONLY BY SILENCE WILL WE BE DEFEATED!
Time to be honest.
Well Molly sad to say your problem is beginning to happen here with Harper leading the way.(He is friendly with Frank Luntz and has met with Murdoch) Fortunately, but not his intent I am sure, Harper’s 8% cut to Elections Canada has put the pilot project on internet voting (2015) on hold for now.
Elections Canada’s priority now is “robo-calls” in the 2011 Election.(One case in court currently) They received more than 1,100 complaints from voters who claim they received calls directing them to incorrect or nonexistent voting stations last spring. (Many made with a disposable cell phone registered to -get this-Pierre Poutine, of Separatist Street in Joliette, Que.)
A quote from one of my favourite MP’s…
“NDP MP Pat Martin said Tuesday the clearly falsified ID behind the cellphone is proof of the deliberate efforts to suppress votes and that the people behind it were trying to hide their tracks.
“Who the hell uses a burner cellphone and is not trying to hide something?” Martin said.
“If you’re trying to tape a recording through an Edmonton company to play in Guelph, Ont., why the hell do you use a burner cellphone in Montreal? Only dope dealers and Hells Angels and Tony Soprano use burner cellphones.”
http://www.thestar.com/news/can...obo-call-probe
Digging further I see some conservatives used an outfit called “Front Porch Strategies” based in Ohio in the May 2011 election.
“So what’s wrong with that” they say.
http://www.thestar.com/news/can...g-may-election
OMG… here is Front Porch Strategies President Matthew Parker sitting in the campaign offices of Con MP Julian Fantino (Toronto, ON) with a phone to his ear, a pencil in his hand, and a paper with the header “Election Day is Monday May 2nd – You Can Vote Now” in front of him.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ufRFC...nd+Fantino.jpg
I. must. back. away. from. the. computer. NOW
Great follow-up Molly and GWN!