Reply #15: Fleshed out ideas for the conference content [View All]

[Fly by night]

I've already been emailing with Kip Humphrey (51 capitals group) and he also favors the idea of a conference. Here's a bit more on the potential content. (Please excuse the capital letters -- I was interspersing my responses into Kip's email to me.)

AT THIS POINT, THE CONTENT I AM ENVISIONING IS AS FOLLOWS:

1) KEYNOTES FROM MEMBERS OF THE "DEMOCRACY 32" AND/OR OTHERS (JESSE JACKSON? AL GORE?)
2) A PANEL OF THE STATISTICAL EXPERTS (FREEMAN ET AL) ON THEIR NATIONAL/LOCAL ANALYSES
3) A PANEL FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON THE OHIO INVESTIGATIONS
4) A PANEL ON WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED IN OTHER STATES' INVESTIGATIONS (NM, WA, FL, NC, NV)
5) A PANEL ON THE VULNERABILITY OF ELECTRONIC MACHINES
6) A PANEL ON THE SILENCE OF THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA (I WOULD LOVE TO GET SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO WERE JUST FIRED FROM "60 MINUTES" TO BE ON THAT PANEL)
7) A PANEL ON THE NON-MAINSTREAM MEDIA AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
8) A PANEL ON SUCCESSFUL STATE VOTING MODELS (E.G., OREGON, NEVADA)
9) A PANEL ON PENDING US LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE ELECTION INTEGRITY
10) A PANEL OF 1960S CIVIL RIGHTS ERA LEADERS ON LEARNING FROM THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE
11) A PRESENTATION (OR PRESENTATIONS) FROM "WHISTLE BLOWERS" (E.G., CLINT CURTIS)

IN ADDITION TO THE PANELS (AND SOME OF THEM CAN BE SINGLE PRESENTERS, TO BREAK UP THE FORMAT), I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE REGIONAL BREAKOUT FORUMS FOR EXCHANGES OF IDEAS AND MODELS, COALITION BUILDING PANELS/WORKSHOPS AND "NEXT STEPS" GROUP DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE REPORTED BACK OUT TO THE FULL CONFERENCE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO DEVELOP A CONFERENCE STATEMENT THAT CAN BE ADOPTED BY THOSE PRESENT AS OUR BLUEPRINT FOR CHANGE.

I AGREE THAT THIS CONFERENCE WILL TAKE US THREE DAYS, WITH PERHAPS A DAY AHEAD OF TIME TO DRAW UP THE DRAFT CONSENSUS STATEMENT AND A FOLLOW-UP DAY TO ALLOW THE "MAJOR PLAYERS" TO MEET TO PUT OUR ACTION PLAN INTO MOTION. IF WE ARE ABLE TO GET MEMBERS OF THE "DEMOCRACY 32" AT THE CONFERENCE, I WOULD ALSO TRY TO SCHEDULE A FUNDRAISER FOR THEM AS PART OF THE CONFERENCE.

Again, folks, it would be great to hear from more of you on the utility of this idea. What other content would you find valuable at this conference? What election reform groups do you belong to who might want to speak or otehrwise be represented at the conference? The more feedback I get from DUers, the better. Thanks.