Gov. Bush defends (FL) state voting system after criticism

[Zancan]

TALLAHASSEE - With a week to go until Election Day, Gov. Jeb Bush could be devoting all his energy to helping his brother win reelection in a pivotal state with a polarized electorate. Instead, the popular governor finds himself wrestling with the curse of 2000: defending the integrity of the elections system.

A stream of criticism, from former President Jimmy Carter to nine legal challenges brought by civil rights groups and labor unions, have been hurled against the state's elections office run by a Bush appointee, Secretary of State Glenda Hood.

Last week, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement established a statewide task force to investigate voter registration fraud and voter harassment at early-voting sites.

The conflict and criticism has forced the governor to morph from head cheerleader, greeter and strategist for President Bush's campaign in Florida to chief defender of the elections system -- with an opposition ready to pounce on every misstep.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/10014833.htm?1c

[AIJ Alom]

1. because "caging" is sooooo important !

[maddezmom]

5. good luck with that message, shrub jr

Edited on Tue Oct-26-04 02:05 PM by CottonBear
By Greg Palast
Reporting for BBC's Newsnight (10-26-04)


A secret document obtained from inside Bush campaign headquarters in Florida suggests a plan - possibly in violation of US law - to disrupt voting in the state's African-American voting districts, a BBC Newsnight investigation reveals.

Election supervisor Ion Sancho believes some voters are being intimidated
Two e-mails, prepared for the executive director of the Bush campaign in Florida and the campaign's national research director in Washington DC, contain a 15-page so-called "caging list".

It lists 1,886 names and addresses of voters in predominantly black and traditionally Democrat areas of Jacksonville, Florida.

An elections supervisor in Tallahassee, when shown the list, told Newsnight: "The only possible reason why they would keep such a thing is to challenge voters on election day."

more...


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=933691&mesg_id=933691&page=

[AIJ Alom]

7. everyone should read this topic !!!

[Catfight]

2. There isn't any integrity in the Bush family. HONEST elections begin

at HOME!

[Cocoa]

3. first paragraph is a joke

there's no doubt that the FL state govt. will again be part of the Bush reelection effort.

[onehandle]

4. Bite me, Jeb. You banana-republic dictator. nt

[bagnana]

6. "voter registration fraud" and "intimidation"

This is just CRAP those a-holes are only going to investigate allegations against democratic voters -- in an attempt to invalidate dem votes and intimidate dem voters. I HATE THESE PEOPLE!!!!!

[cthrumatrix]

9. they hate democracy .... it's only about them and power

[flordehinojos]

8. Jeb Bush and the Miami Herald ought to read this Buzz Flash Editorial

the link to which, I hope it is okay to post here:

http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/04/10/edi04079.html

The first four paragraphs are these,
Here's the crucial difference between the GOP theft of the election in 2000 and their efforts to steal the 2004 White House campaign.

In 2000, they were outside the government trying to steal their way in, with Florida as ground zero in the mugging of democracy.

In 2004, they ARE the government: controlling the legislative, executive and judicial branches.

They have appointed enough federal judges, combined with past right wing appointees in the Reagan and Bush I administrations, so that any election initiative that they support or oppose will by upheld or struck down by an ideologically driven right wing judge somewhere along the appellate route. Their moles are in place and ready to do what they were appointed to the bench for: to protect the Bush regime and the interests of the Republican Party and its fundamentalist supporters over the rights of Americans to choose their government.

(to read more click on the link above)

[Zayin]

11. Nice link, thanks

[OutsourceBush]

14. damn good article

[Supersedeas]

10. poor Jebby prefers to be a 'cheerleader' this gub-nor stuff is such a drag

[cliss]

12. Exactly.

It's no fun working. In particular, it's no fun working with people looking over your shoulder. Or getting sued for things that aren't quite right.

During the recent hurricanes, I felt very bad for Floridians. I DID laugh, however, at Jeb's misfortunes. I just wished one of the big hurricanes would have turned left and gone straight for the capitol building.

[OutsourceBush]

13. This POS blocked paper backups - Cheney him!

[young_at_heart]

15. He has NO credibility..........he can defend it all he wants, to no avail

Only brain-dead people would trust him or his brother.