My Plea to Democratic Underground: If you want to win, address election theft NOW

[debbierlus]

It truly baffles the mind. The Republicans have now stolen TWO Presidential elections. Count em. TWO. The evidence is overwhelming and with the recent GOP cyber security expert coming forward on the theft of Max Cleland's seat in 2002, it is more clear then ever that the GOP will try and cheat their way into ANOTHER stolen election. Yet, we have yet to come together, and develop a plan for fighting back. And, we haven't even begun to discuss what we will do, if (imo, when), it happens again.

(Here is a link to the Cleland story, if you haven't read it - it is a great read and it outlines election fraud beyond just the 2002 state election -oh, the GOP cyber-expert is a former McCain aid - very interesting stuff:
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Cybersecurity_expert_raises_allegations_of_2004_0717.html

Here is a another important recent article about the reopening the election fraud case in Ohio - 2004:

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6189


I suggest a discussion board devoted solely to the topic of election fraud prevention. We need a central place (not election reform, a sub-category under topics that is buried on the site)...a central place to post issues related to election fraud and the tactics being used TODAY by the GOP. A board where we can post what is occurring in each state, and what we can do to stop another rigged election. I was listening to Thom Hartman today, and I learned that the Secretary of State in CO tossed all the new voter registration forms that have been submitted this year. CO is a swing state.

To do my part, I am reopening my Myspace Group - Preserve Our Democracy. It has not yet been updated, but I provide specific action alerts that everyone can do to fight back against election fraud. I will be working on the update over the next week, however, there is a LOT of great information and links on the group page for all those who doubt the reality and threat of election fraud. It already has over 700 members, and I will work to make it a useful tool for those committed to fighting the GOP.

http://groups.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=groups.groupProfile&groupID=103188830&Mytoken=180A6C41-3674-4DEB-BF13FF705665CBE2467988250

I hope the DU community can come together and work actively against one of the largest threats to a Obama Presidency - and ANOTHER four years of hell.

[ellacott]

1. We already have a board on election reform

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=203

Greg Palast is working on a documentary about the voter purge in many states.

I do agree that this is a serious issue that's not discussed.

[debbierlus]

25. It is a subtopic under topics - at the very least move the board into higher visibility

And, I was thinking that there should be a election fraud action/alert board specifically for the Presidential election.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Yes, it is mind boggling that the Dems haven't done something major about all of these election

issues long before this. :(

[kimmerspixelated]

3. Agreed, and kicked!

I've been saying it all along. It doesn't matter how many votes Obama gets-if they want to steal it-they will!

[ellacott]

4. Greg Palast was saying that people who had their homes foreclosed were being purged

They were still using the caging lists.

[Blarch]

9. Ya, I heard Palast on Hartman's show.

He is flying around to all the swing states and investigating how they are pulling people off the voting lists...and how they are rejecting new voters.

Hartman said he is taking donations ...

"In swing-state Colorado, the Republican Secretary of State conducted the biggest purge of voters in history, dumping a fifth of all registrations. Guess their color.

In swing-state Florida, the state is refusing to accept about 85,000 new registrations from voter drives – overwhelming Black voters.

In swing state New Mexico, HALF of the Democrats of Mora, a dirt poor and overwhelmingly Hispanic county, found their registrations disappeared this year, courtesy of a Republican voting contractor. " http://www.gregpalast.com/

[Doug.Goodall]

5. It is clear the only way Republicans can win is to cheat.

Backed up by a conservative Supreme Court, they could walk on us all again.

[Bonn1997]

10. I agree BUT

at some point you have to blame the Dems too for letting them get away with it for so long.

[EFerrari]

6. You might want to check out what our election forum is already doing

so you don't have to re-invent the wheel alone.

It's a great forum. :)

[debbierlus]

23. I am sure it is...perhaps DU could give it a more prominent place

I am all for stream-lining the process. I believe we need a highly visible board devoted solely to this topic - not a sub-topic under topics. I think there are many people who have no clue as to the scope and danger of this problem. If the topic is put front and center, we will be more effective in getting the word out and better able to get people to participate in specific actions to counter the problem.

[EFerrari]

29. Iirc, the ER forum was on the front page in 2004.

It's also the case that sometimes we brainstorm projects in the forum and then present them in one of the larger forums for consideration.

[samsingh]

7. k&r

[intheflow]

8. i want the UN to come in and monitor the elections.

All over the country, but especially in swing states. And I want foreign journalists allowed to accompany them.

[Chloroplast]

13. This is a legitimate request that would be seen as an outside entity impeding on our sovereignty.

It truly is a shame that we can't trust our government to do the right thing.

[intheflow]

17. I know.

That is a sorry state of affairs. :(

[EFerrari]

26. The State Department cannot insist that the elections of others be monitored

and then turn around and cry because we want elections as clean as Venezuela's.

[Arugula Latte]

11. What I want to know is ... Why don't our elected Dems. scream about this?

It seems they mostly just shrug it off. Why?

[KaryninMiami]

12. Ignoring Election Fraud is like Ignoring impeachment. They avoid both at all costs. Disgraceful.

Election Fraud and election machine tampering is an issue many of us have been SCREAMING about since 2000. I'm in Florida and have been begging Congress, the Senate, the media- anyone who would listen- for years. Why it never gets any serious media attention (except in the blog world and on occasion from Keith O who at least attempted to cover this in 04 with Ohio) or why the Democratic party hasn't started DEMANDING - Out Loud - in press conferences and in Congress and in the Senate- that something be done about this is a mystery. A big, fat, disgraceful mystery. It's disgusting. Just like not embracing or even taking seriously Impeachment.

I'm beginning to think that it's all connected somehow. The crimes of the Bush administration are SO DEEP- and the fact that they were never actually elected is just too horrifying for the spineless Democrats to face in public- so instead, they listen (occasionally), assure their constituents (occasionally when pressed) that they know all about it and are "looking into it" and they then bury their heads in the sand.

Look at Clint Curtis- for God's sake- the guy was asked to create a program that could flip votes in Florida without detection! He has sworn testimony before Congress- how come that never went anywhere? www.clintcurtis.com (he's running for Congress against Feeney- the guy who asked him to create the program)!!

I personally handed Grace Nelson (wife of Senator Bill) the Rolling Stone issue with Bobby Kennedy Jr.'s piece on election fraud. She read it on the plane we were on together, their son read it and they both gave me their word that they would share it with Senator Nelson. Did I hear from her or him? Nope. When I wrote a letter to him a few weeks later, I got a form letter. Same thing from my Congresswoman (Debbie Wasserman Schultz) who's office I have called repeatedly since 2002 about this issue.

We need a landslide and we need to be ready to hit the streets if they pull the same shit again- which they have, as Greg Palast has been saying, already started to do.

[Chloroplast]

15. I'm ashamed of how complacent I've become about my own welfare.

When our Founding Fathers were screaming about 'Taxation without Representation', they got tired of being ignored. What has happened to our great fighting spirit? I have been spreading the word to those who are registered and those who are in the process to frequently check to make sure they are indeed on the voter rolls. I fear that many people will show up to vote only to be 1.) bounced from location to location until they give up or 2.) told outright there is no record of their registration. I'd love to hear any suggestions on what can be done to ensure that we get this landslide and/or are ready to hit the ground running if voting irregularities pop up.

[snake in the grass]

21. They are silent because...

they are scared silly that someone might feel offended at them even suggesting impropriety. Just as most Republicans are made up of elements of bigotry, homophobia, or selfishness the Democratic mindset seeks peaceful compromise and avoids confrontation. As noble as this may sound, this intrinsic characteristic tends to make us look weak and unattractive to the other side; even to those who are themselves suffering under the compassionate conservatives. Nobody wants to be on the losing team and, for the most part (there are exceptions: Wexler, Feingold, Kucinich to name a couple), the Democrats give the perfect picture of losers. They have no fire in their bellies to fight. Just look at the hearing on executive power the other day. Who thought up those brilliant rules about what may be said and what not? No, we don't want to upset Junior by calling him a liar or a criminal. Let's just sit around and chat. Really, I can taste the bile sometimes and it is so frustrating because I see no other choice than to support political officials who absolutely do not deserve it and I'm growing ill of consoling myself each time with the hope that it will get better. The truth is, that which made us so great, our constitution, is eroding further into insignificance.

[Sancho]

14. I believe that two Fl races (Jennings, Castor) were also won with hacked machines.

Who knows about the current registration manipulation. I agree, the choice of VP in nothing compared to the GOP plan to steal the election.


:dem:

[CK_John]

16. There are at least 50,000 voting jurisdictions in the US. IMO, you do not seem to understand the

voting process. You envision a central entity controlling the voting process and secretly able to hack the vote. Total BS.

In NY we are still using the 20's lever ballot and may switch over for the Sept primary. It is not the internet and we have a very partisan cadre of poll watchers to watch for any problems.

The problem we are not being honest about is the voter. Most voters are too stupid to read or follow directions.

[KaryninMiami]

18. No- the problem is that they rig electronic voting machines which

are owned by partisan corporations who deny anyone access to their source codes and keep them hidden. The Chairman of one of those companies (there are 3 major ones in the US), Diebold, promised to "Bring in Ohio for Bush" in 2004. And so he did.

The problem is that thousands - possibly millions of eligible voters are purged from voting rosters focusing mostly on lower income neighborhoods and minority voters, the problem is they do not supply enough equipment to handle all the votes (or functioning machines or staff to fix them) in predominantly minority or university neighborhoods.

The problem is that there are only a few thousand of us who have been SCREAMING ABOUT STOLEN ELECTIONS for the past 6 years and we've barely skimmed the surface at getting our message out or getting anyone to pay attention (because most people think we are crazy or over dramatic or wearing tin foil hats or whatever) in spite of the fact that we have evidence, lawsuits, people in jail and even whistle-blowers confessing to crimes.

The problem is that NOT ENOUGH AMERICANS GIVE A SHIT ENOUGH TO DO ANYTHING and most of the American public and the media do not believe or care about our constitutional right to DEMAND HONEST, VERIFIABLE ELECTIONS are.

Voters aren't stupid- Americans are stupid for not giving a shit about the importance of not having our votes count in the way that we had intended. I wasn't stupid when I pressed the button on the machine in 2004 (our first year with electronic machines) and it told me to recheck my vote before pushing the red button and insisted that I had selected Jeb Bush for governor. It took me 3 tries to get it to show my candidate's name. Had I not taken the time to recheck before hitting that red "VOTE" button (and I'm bet most people do not take the time to recheck)- I would have voted for Jeb. To this day, I have no idea if my voted actually counted and if so, to which candidate.

Then there are the 18000 votes in Sarasota (06) that mysteriously disappeared- do you think all of those voters were- stupid? The Republican candidate was sworn in after having "Won" by less then 400 votes- but 18000 people never had their votes counted. Stupid voters? I think not. http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2006/11/13/florida/


Need more?

www.bradblog.com
http://www.gregpalast.com/
http://www.markcrispinmiller.blogspot.com/
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Cybersecurity_expert_raises_allegations_of_2004_0717.html
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/was_the_2004_election_stolen
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/rigvote.html
www.blackboxvoting.com
www.clintcurtis.com
www.blackboxvoting.org
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x505507
http://organikrecords.com/corporatenewslies/beginner_v2.htm
http://www.gregpalast.com/obama-doesn%E2%80%99t-sweat-he-should/
http://www.freepress.org/store.php#tnp


Sorry to be so long winded but this is one of those topics that really makes my blood boil. Second only to impeachment.

What to do? CALL, WRITE, EMAIL Your ELECTED OFFICIALS, the MEDIA, write letters to the editor, gather links to evidence and key stories and send them to everyone you know and ask that they do the same, call reporters and ask them to ask about this during press conferences with politicians, SEND A DONATION TO GREG PALAST who is working now on a story that will expose the purging taking place right now: http://www.gregpalast.com/obama-doesn%E2%80%99t-sweat-he-should/ or to www.bradblog.com for his tireless efforts to WAKE UP and Educate AMERICA and the MEDIA about this subject.

It's up to us folks- we can sit back and watch them steal the election again, or we can become the media. If not, don't be surprised when the exit polls don't match the results in November and much to everyone's surprise, McCain wins.

[CK_John]

19. It's a people problem not hardware or software. Every election usually have state and local

races on the ballot, how could they preset 50,000 different ballots. You can chase the technical bogyman all you want but the real problem is still people.

Example, our county just had a meeting for election inspectors and out of 22 people, I was the only one who used a computer and at 68 I was the youngest one there. These people have been doing this for 40/50 years using lever machines.

The county doesn't have any idea what to do and will probable have to contract with a consulting company to set up the equipment. Also at the meeting no has checked to see if all polling places have enough electrical outlets to run the equipment.

It's a people problem who are technical inept and intellectually lazy.

[KaryninMiami]

22. Sorry to disagree- it's the machines and corrupt election officials

and all of the other items I listed in my previous email. Most of the country has already migrated to electronic machines- few are still in process transitioning from levers such as NY and MA. Diebold and ES&S are the majority (85%)of machines being used and both are owned by GOP insiders. If you'd like more info so that you can get a better understanding of the massive electronic voting machine tampering (combined with all of the other ways they disenfranchise targeted groups of voters), send me a PM and I'll be more then happy to send them to you. Bradblog.com is a great resource by the way, to start with. Check out the law suit taking place now in Ohio or the evidence that was uncovered 2 weeks ago regarding the machines in the GA race regarding a patch on the machines.

[debbierlus]

24. It is a people problem AND a technical problem AND a FRAUD problem

Dangerous brew.

Bottom line:

We KNOW they will cheat to win. They did it before, they will do it again. So, we must address the issue preemptively and we MUST have a plan in place if/when it happens again in November.

What do we do, if they do it again?

I think there is a real possibility that there will be such an overwhelming turnout that they won't be able to rig it and it not be REALLY obvious. However, it was pretty damn obvious last time, and look where we are now.

If we are going to work our asses off to get Obama elected, donate the little money we have to fund the campaign, there has to be a open dialogue on this issue and OBAMA needs to have a MAJOR speech on this issue BEFORE the election.

Pretending it won't happen or ignoring it will not work.

[EFerrari]

27. You don't need to rig 50 thousand jurisdictions and you don't have to

use the same strategy from venue to venue. Vote caging, reg purging, challenges at the polls, under equipping, vote spoiling and yes, hacking. Lots of fun tricks to swing an election in key venues.

Have you read Mr. Conyers' book about Ohio? Or the GAO report? Or Mark Crispin Miller's or any of Greg Palast's reporting on this? Drop by the election reform forum sometime. You might be surprised.

[Stevepol]

20. THE critical issue that has to be addressed and NOW!

[EFerrari]

28. I was thinking we should try to figure out where the trouble will come

at us and adopt election protection groups there.

[jmondine]

30. I still haven't heard any real solutions...

...even from Palast himself. Voters are being purged in record numbers. Okay. How do we get them reinstated? Insufficient voting machines in poor neighborhoods. Okay then, how do we increase the number of machines?

Being aware of a problem, even making others aware of it, doesn't automatically fix it, and a general, "We need to take action", impresses me as ridiculously unspecific.

Literally, specifically, and physically, what...do...we...do?

[debbierlus]

31. Go to the link on myspace page - I put up action alerts

[jmondine]

32. Excellent. Just what I wanted

Bookmarked

[LWolf]

33. K & R nt