Reply #4: Here's the thing... [View All]

[pointsoflight]

Even if you're doubtful that widespread fraud was committed in 2004, it's just a matter of time until that happens with our current electoral process. The machines that are *gaining* in their use are extremely insecure and fraught with problems. Any average Joe can be shown in just a couple of minutes how to change election results. These machines do not have a paper trail, so we have no way to verify election results, whether there was tampering, computer problems, or whatever. And without a way to verify election results, those who might be inclined to tamper know that there's a good chance that their tampering won't even be detected. On top of that, the companies that currently dominate the industry have a very shady past, have direct ties to one political party, and have a vested interest in the results of the election. Throughout history, there have always been some politicians, party representatives, and businessmen willing to take bribes, commit stock fraud, etc. It would be completely naive to think that there aren't people out their with the willingness, as well as the opportunity and motivation, to tamper with an election.

So even if you don't think it's happened yet, at least on a large scale, it's just a matter of time given our current electoral process. For that reason, uncovering problems that occurred this year, whether due to fraud or not, is extremely important for potentially driving change in the way we conduct elections.