Governor Taft seems to put onus back on Blackwell....

[KaliTracy]

I just had to share this --

I sent several letters in the last couple of weeks, and this one I sent to Governor Taft (Ohio) after Ney's "partisan" comment regarding Conyers' hearing. I am posting the original letter, and then, the letter I received today from Taft. It is partially a form letter (doesn't fully address what I wrote about), but I was struck that he "forwarded" the concerns to Blackwell for his action. Your take?

Original Letter:

"Dear Governor Taft:

The purpose I have in writing is about the absence of Republicans at the Judiciary Hearing held yesteday, December 8th by Representative Conyers. While this doesn't have much to do with you, it has everything to do with Ohio.

I had the opportunity to watch the House Judiciary Hearing that Representative Conyers invited all of the Republican members to, and which all Republican members declined to attend. Kenneth Blackwell, who also was invited, and was asked to answer 38 questions pertaining to the election was also absent.

In an Associated Press article, another Representative, Bob Ney is quoted as saying "Election reform is a serious issue that requires serious, bipartisan examination and debate. It does not deserve what we are seeing today - partisan attacks and unsubstantiated claims disguised as fact in a faux hearing." I assume this sentiment is held by the other Republican members since none of you showed up to the hearing.

My question, sir, is this: Isn't this the time to become bipartisan? If indeed nothing improper happened in Ohio except long lines and machine breakdowns, (which just happened to occur unfortunately mainly in Democratic neighborhoods, but also occurred in some Republican neighborhoods), then why are all of the Republican Members so afraid of appearing in a public forum? Why did not one of the people who *represent* Ohio come to listen/participate before calling all of the information false? How can anyone possibly make that claim without hearing the evidence?

The issues that Kenneth Blackwell, Secretary of State/Co-Chair of the Bush/Cheney Re-election Committee, has refused to answer in the Letter the House Judiciary Committee (Dem) sent ( http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/ohblackwellltr12204.pdf ) are not merely "faux" incidents. They deserve careful scrutiny, and they deserve to be answered for the people -- for, lest you and the rest of the Ohio Republican Members and Representatives forget, it is we, the people, that elect you all.

The number of people that were disenfranchised during this election were not just a few, not just a hundred, but numbered in the thousands, and that is just in Ohio. This is not something that is to be "expected" in an election. This is *not* democracy, and it appalls me that the Republicans who are declaring the vote in Ohio a success believe it to be true. I would be just as upset if the same circumstances occurred, yet the other candidate was deemed to be elected. Would you be upset then? Would that change circumstances, and your intensity on this matter, or is this truly about free, fair and equitable elections, which you all profess to want?

I respectively ask that this matter be addressed now -- jointly with the Democratic Judiciary Committee -- that all House Members review the claims, and yesterday's transcript, and that Kenneth Blackwell answer the Letter sent to him to the best of his ability by December 10th. Election reform cannot occur if the issues surrounding this election are not considered and addressed.

You are expected to represent your constituents. Do not let them down.

Kind Regards.
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX"


***********************

Taft's Response, dated December 13th:


"Dear Ms. XXXXX:

Thank you for your recent letter regarding your request for a recount of Ohio's votes for President. I appreciate your taking the time to contact me about this matter.

I have forwarded your letter to the Secretary of State and I hae asked that your concern be reviewed and addressed as promptly and thoroughly as possible.

Thank you again for taking the time to write, and please feel free to contact my office in the future.

Sincerely,
Bob Taft
Govenor

CC:SOS
BT/adr"

[Gloria]

1. Your letter was excellent!!!

Taft's letter sounds like he's blowing you off. As for putting the onus on Blackwell....I'm sure Taft knows that Blackwell is stonewalling like crazy, even to the extent of refusing to testify under oath (that would be "harrassment", you know!). And I'm sure Taft is doing what he is supposed to be doing...nothing.

[KaliTracy]

9. Taft *isn't* supposed to be doing nothing and we

have to make sure that he understands that he also has a responsibility here. The Secretary of State isn't an Island unto Himself. Although he may think he is. Blackwell's actions/inactions/weird actions are *reflecting* on the image of Ohio -- if Taft is smart, he'd see this much clearer than he seems to at the moment.

[Gloria]

13. Re: "doing nothing" as he's "supposed to do...I meant that in

terms of what his GOP higher-ups want him to do....NOTHING.....sorry, should have been clearer.

[KaliTracy]

14. it wasn't you -- I should have mentioned

that though I understood the game the GOP is playing is "doing nothing" -- they are still our elected officials, and they should be working to solve these problems.

Tax payers should demand more from elected officials -- but they have to know that there is a problem first, don't they? (what a catch-22)

[WilliamPitt]

2. Great letter

"I am forwarding this to Blackwell," loosely translated, means "I am making this someone else's problem, now leave me alone."

Volume. Many letters and he will make it his problem.

[KaliTracy]

7. I agree, it reads like a brush off

it was really one of the first letters I wrote to him, I had been concentrating on BOEs and Blackwell himself, and various media outlets. Ney's comments irked me, though.

Thanks for your take.

[Pam-Moby]

3. I think Repubs are a joke....

I think it sucks that Taft sent it off to Blackballs office.

My husband and myself have written many letters to Senators and Congressman. If we got a reply, it was bulk generated responses. Never addressing the questions. We told them that we will be watching their actions on Jan 6, 2005 and there will be consequences by not standing up for Conyers.

All of this game playing by the repubs makes me sick....! They all act as if its not a big deal to them-so it never happened. I feel if we do not stop the repubs from ripping us off this election again- then we will always be subjected to unfair elections because they will be in control of it forever.

[KaliTracy]

8. In a way, I'm hoping that Taft's getting tired of this mess,

and that he wants Blackwell to "fix it" -- "make it go away" -- whatever, and the thing is.... it ISN'T going to go away... so the more that we push, the more Taft will not be able to ignore...

we *have* to keep up the fight, as much as possible. I found out tonight a letter I "blasted" to all print media outlets was published in Athens, Ohio -- a relative lives there, and told me about it tonight. (I live in Cincinnati area). I said "Really? I wonder which one?" She's going to send it to me (I've blasted maybe 2 or 3 times). The Athens paper never contacted me, they just published it! Our words CAN make a difference. I truly believe that. Maybe not in an instant gratification -- "oh you are so right, let me go back and change the way we do elections now" -- way... but hopefully in a way that will make people take notice.

[Alizaryn]

4. At least he answered, that's more then I have had happen.

Nice letter!

[Nothing Without Hope]

5. An absolutely superb letter

Clearly made this a bipartisan issue in which the stonewalling Repubs are distorting the election process. The tone was not shrill at all, but clearly and reasonably angry for the best reasons.

Thanks for sharing this. Even though Taft's response wasn't all you might hope for, he could easily have simply ignored your letter altogether. The fact that he says he passed the letter to Blackwell is significant, IMO. He didn't have to say that, either. If he responded to you at all, he could just have said, basically, "thanks for your concern, we all want the best for Ohio, blah blah blah."

May I have your permission to borrow some of your wording in my own letters to legislators?

[KaliTracy]

6. thank you... and absolutely -- borrow away!

and I appreciate your kind words.

I also sent variations of this letter to Ney himself, and Blackwell too. Tried to send something to Blackwell this week, though and his e-mail was down at the beginning of the week. What with the holiday, haven't tried again after waiting 24 hours and getting the same response on 2 of the emails on his website.

[Nothing Without Hope]

10. Thanks for your permission. I admire your "active activism"

The heartening thing is, according to DUer Will Pitt, that all the letters and pressure on Kerry and other legislators and government figures is actually accomplishing something. Did you read the last paragraph in Will's TruthOut piece about Kerry's filing in Ohio? If not, please do, it will lift your spirits:

 Perhaps the most significant aspect of all this, from the activist point of view, has been the effectiveness of the telephone calls and letters to Kerry. The activist push to get him involved had a significant effect on his decision to enter this effort. Likewise, calls to other Senators in order to convince them to join House members in challenging the election have likewise had significant effect. If such an effort continues, the activists involved will very likely see the desired result unfold.

The article is here:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122404Y.shtml

[FloridaCrat]

11. Recommended Next Step

Great Letter !!!

Since Taft delegated to Blackwell, you want to give Blackwell a reasonable period of time to respond to your issues. Two weeks is more than sufficient. Assuming that you have not gotten a response from Blackwell, I would forward your previous letter back to Taft saying that you appreciated his time, etc and the truth be told, you have not received a response from Blackwell. You might mention that time is of the essence, the issues have implications in the electoral college and inauguration coming up soon. cvg and alkhjdlkjsoeira

And your tone, always, is serious and unirritated.

[KaliTracy]

12. Great Idea!

Thanks! Definitely something I will do. Appreciate the feedback.
:)