"Divestiture for Democracy" launched by VR

[understandinglife]

I did a search on DU and found a previous post from 7 Feb 2005 indicating that VR was going to launch the "Divestiture against voting machine companies" campaign. So, I thought I would just post a comment to that thread that the campaign actually launched on President's day, and I did:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x320158

However, when I refresh the list, I can't find the post in the current list. So, I'm posting a new thread, because it is important for this group at DU to know the effort has been launched. If this is a dupe, I will remove, immediately, just let me know, because I can't find a post of the announcement since Monday, 21 Feb 2005.

"On February 21, 2005 (President's Day), Velvet Revolution sent a letter to each of the nine major American Voting Machine companies -- (Advanced Voting Solutions, Diebold, Danaher-Guardian, Election Systems & Software , HartInterCivic, MicroVote, Sequoia Voting Systems, Triad GSI and UniLect Corp) -- asking them to do the right thing for our country!"

Letter sent to the following companies can be found at the link below the list:

Walden W. O’Dell, CEO, Diebold Inc.
David Hart, Chairman, HartInterCivic
Larry Ensminger, President, Advanced Voting Solutions
Jack Gerbel, President, UniLect Corp.
Jim Ries, President, MicroVote
Todd Urosevich, Vice President, Election Systems & Software (ES&S)
Tracey Graham, CEO, Sequoia Voting Systems
Matt Lilly, Sr. VP, Danaher-Guardian Voting Systems
Brett Rapp, President, Triad GSI

http://www.velvetrevolution.us/Campaigns/DV4D/VRLetterToEVoteCompanies_022105.php

Letter includes a large list of supporting organizations.

Letter's demands, in summary:

Voluntarily open their hardware and software for independent public inspection and analysis.

Provide auditable, voter-verified paper ballots for all votes cast.

Assure that there can be no form of networking on their machines.

Allow for non-partisan, independent monitors of the vote tabulation process.

Institute a corporate policy prohibiting the company and all of its executives from supporting candidates for public office or political action groups.

Disclose all data, codes and records from the last three national elections, if requested.

Adopt all feasible best practices suggested by a national committee of experts.

Do all of the above at no extra cost to their governmental clients with which they work.

If the companies publicly commit to all of the above within the 60 days, we will broadly recognize them for their efforts.

If, however, they choose not to take these steps to ensure free, fair.....

http://www.velvetrevolution.us/Campaigns/DV4D/

Peace.


PROVE MY VOTE COUNTS

[torque]

1. Thanks UL, this only takes a minute folks...

Lets take a moment to tighten the screws... Velvet Revolution

[Wilms]

2. Done. Nominated.

Good catch, UL. :)

[understandinglife]

3. Please, DU, distribute this widely. Support begins with a click....

....on this link:

http://www.velvetrevolution.us/mailing.php?Mailing=05FC507D500021102290C

And, a quick letter generator is provided for you.

Thank you.



BE THE BU$H OPPOSITION;24/7

[garybeck]

4. THIS NEEDS TO STAY KICKED

[understandinglife]

5. Thanks garybeck. We do need to get as many folk to respond, as possible.

TBO;24/7

[garybeck]

6. they just launched it officially today

they sent the letter out a few days ago but they didn't announce the campaign until today, that's probably why there was nothing on DU about it for several days

[understandinglife]

7. Correct.

I posted the disclaimer so that folk would realize that I searched carefully before I posted, given that the letter was sent on 21 Feb 2005, and I might have missed an earlier announcement that I was unaware had happened.

Peace.


TBO;24/7

[torque]

8. kick

[WeHoldTheseTruths]

9. Kick n/m

[understandinglife]

10. A 'Prove My Vote Counts' kick (nt)

[Peace Patriot]

11. Done! Great idea! Keep kicked! n/t

[bleever]

12. Done and kicked. Thanks, UL.

NGU.

:thumbsup:

[Wilms]

13. Brad Friedman urgently spoke about this at the "Teach In" in LA

Do it for Granny D.

[understandinglife]

14. Yes. Here's a brief report from Brad on that meeting.

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001221.htm


PROVE MY VOTE COUNTS

[BradBlog]

15. Thanks Wilms...

Great meeting you in person yesterday!

And yes, please spread the word!

Sign the E-Letter at:
http://www.VelvetRevolution.us/Campaigns/DV4D

Press Release for this effort, and other PR blitzes to commence throughout the week! So keep the word moving! And send in those letters! It only takes a minute! Click on the "SEND EMAIL TO THE COMPANIES" link!

Brad

[Laurab]

16. Done and kicked n/t

:kick:

[understandinglife]

17. Another "Prove My Vote Counts" kick (nt)

Thanks again VR for this important effort.

[understandinglife]

18. Raw story breaking: Campaign calls for divestment from voting companies ..

.....that refuse to produce paper trails; Voting companies dismiss move as politically motivated: 'They think we’re crooks; I resent that!'... Developing...

http://www.rawstory.com/

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001227.htm


"NOT ONE LINE OF SOFTWARE BETWEEN A VOTER AND A VALID ELECTION; NOT ONE SINGLE LINE"