Diane Feinstein's response to my letter urging her to challenge...

[Webster Green]

Solution: Introduce some bills, (which will no doubt be thrown out of repuke controlled committees.)


Thank you for writing to me about voter confidence in elections. I
appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.

A number of bills, which address the issue of voter confidence,
have been introduced in the 108th Congress. Some bills, such as H.R. 2239
and S. 1980, would require voting machines to produce a permanent paper
record so that voters can check the accuracy of their votes and officials can
conduct a manual audit or recount should either one be necessary. I am
currently reviewing a number of legislative options that have been
proposed to ensure an accurate and reliable voting system. As it became
clear in recent elections, inadequate voting mechanisms can be detrimental
to the integrity of our electoral process.

To address voting concerns, such as voter ballot verification and
others, I supported the AHelp America Vote Act", which became law
December 29, 2002. Among other reforms, the AHelp America Vote Act@
created a new federal Elections Assistance Commission to ensure that all
voting technologies are tested for accuracy and to provide procedures for
decertification of a technology that is subsequently found to be inadequate.
The Commission is also responsible for distributing federal grants to state
electorates for improvement of their electoral processes. States still
maintain control over election administration, but the law introduces a
degree of federal oversight and assistance.

Again, thank you for writing. I hope you will continue to keep me
informed on issues of importance to you. Should you have any further
questions or comments, please feel free to call my Washington, D.C. staff
at [phone].

Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

[Jack_Dawson]

1. Translation: "I ain't standing...you crazy?"

:eyes:

[oldtime dfl_er]

2. I am so sick of politicspeak

"...inadequate voting mechanisms can be detrimental
to the integrity of our electoral process..."

What is that? Come on people, this is a crisis, this is an urgent moment in the history of our country. This is the end of democracy if we the people don't do something. I love Feinstein but can't help but think she's protecting herself first at the expense of protecting her constituency.

[Pacifist Patriot]

3. HAVA is becoming a convenient pillow isn't it?

[Liberty Belle]

4. I got the same letter and fired back a very testy response.

I asked why only African-American legislators will stand up against Civil Rights violations, not to mention rampant voter fraud, and said that her constituents deserve better.

Legislation for future reform is NOT adequate. She needs to contest the vote. (I actually rambled on for a page or so, but that's the gist.)

[slackmaster]

5. Typical DiFi response

Your letter to her will be counted among those expressing support for S.1980.

:eyes:

[Imagevision]

6. Diane Feinstein? -- You can count her out!

[Broken Acorn]

7. I got the same letter from her back in late November

It looks like a pre-made form letter. If it's any hope, that letter is verbatim from a long time ago.

Maybe she will change her mind come tomorrow?

[fooj]

10. Lets not forget Boxer is a CA. Senator...so is Feinstein-

she may be shamed into it...we'll have to wait and see!


WHAT ARE THEY HIDING???:think: :think: :think:

[AtLiberty]

8. Has Diane every done anything...

...spontaneous, passionate and risky in her entire life?

[masaka___]

9. I got the same letter...

this morning in fact.

The Help America Vote Act didn't *really* help, though.

Quoting from http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Help_America_Vote_Act

The 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) (Public Law 107-252) (http://fecweb1.fec.gov/hava/hava.htm) mandates that by January 1, 2004, states submit plans to make the switch to electronic voting machines in time for the 2006 elections. See Timeline (http://fecweb1.fec.gov/hava/timeline.htm).

In an article in In These Times, Mark Lewellen-Biddle wrote "more troubling, the backers of the act and the manufactures of e-voting machines are a rat's nest of conflicts that includes Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and Accenture Ltd.. Why are major defense contractors like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin mucking about in the American electoral system? And who are Accenture and EDS?"

Hmmm......