POLL - Was machine rigging the reason the Dems won in 06

[papau]

This poll is asking variations of the question "WHY DID THE DEMS WIN SO MANY RACES" in the context of "WAS THERE MACHINE RIGGING GOING ON?"

It was inspired by my seeing an email by a PHD member of the National Election Data Archive (NEDA) group that was sent to Kieth/Countdown giving the 6 election riggings possibilities below. I expanded the list a bit for this poll.

"1) The Democrats rigged this one, perhaps by getting thru to a key programmer. (This would be a good reason why they have not publicly pursued the issue and seem to have taken a "head in the sand" position.)"

"2) The Republicans rigged it, but only by a few percent, so the Democratic tidal wave was enough to swamp out the rigging in most races."

"3) Both sides rigged it, but the Democrats either did a better job this time, or the actual vote Democratic wave carried them to victory anyway."

"4) The vote machine companies sensed big trouble, and possible loss of all business if they got caught, so they were vigilant in keeping everything straight this time."

"5) There never has been a fix" (Papau states that this idea - that pretty well credentialed activists PHDs have been deluded, despite there being a whole lot of evidence against this one - is not what the DU posting Edison/Mitofsky poll explainers have been saying as they speak of too few samples in their poll to find rigging for specific races but enough data to say no nationwide electronic box fixing.)

"6) The Republicans knew they were beaten handily, and if they fixed it, it would become obvious to even the most naive people, and they would get caught. So they played it straight this time, saving the rig for the presidential race in 2008, when no one will expect it, because 2006 looked relatively honest."

[Crunchy Frog]

1. I picked #2, but I also think #5 is a real possibility.

In any event, we do need paper ballots.

[iamjoy]

2. Consider It Was Rigged For Dems

Who is rigging the machines? Is it Rove's lackeys or big business who has their own agenda? If you go with the latter, big business is pissed at the Republicans and wanted to bloody their nose a little to bring them back in line.

Consider also immigration. A lot of the Republicans in Congress were taking a hard line towards the issue, as in - no amnesty, no guest worker program. But big buisness wants all those low wage workers to exploit. They figure they're more likely to get them with a Democratic Congress. So, they rig it for the Dems to win. In 2008 they'll be back to rigging it for the Republicans.

Now, I don't really believe it. After all, here in Orlando anti-immigrant Ric Keller lost to a moderate Democrat who would have supported the more moderate Senate plan. And I don't know if across the nation pro-immigrant candidates beat anti-immigrant ones, but if you want to say the election is rigged, we have to consider that it is not Rove doing the rigging, it is big business and they wanted to humble the Republicans a little bit.

[papau]

3. I like your post - but my experience in Big Business is that greed is

everywhere - so election theft would not be turned on or off - if it could - just to punish.

There are other dollar denominated ways to punish errant GOP.

[Orangepeel]

4. don't know. But let's have paper ballots and random audits just to be sure NOBODY rigs it

:shrug:

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

5. Personally, I do not care.

Investigate. Paper ballots. Count all the votes. It doesn't matter what party you side with, get rid of the ways in which an election can be cheated.