Attn: New York DUers

[FormerOstrich]

I have been reading a lot from the Demos site. They may be a great resource. Can anyone attend this event? You can sign up on their web page. If there was anyway I would go, but I can't. Can we get someone there? Please let me know if you are going to attend.

Thank you!!!

http://www.demos-usa.org/events.cfm

Upcoming Events

Demos sponsors many conferences, speakers and other events in order to inject important ideas into the public sphere. Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and open to the public.

MAKING DEMOCRACY WORK
November 10, 2004
6:30 pm
Demos

Please join Demos and the Brennan Center for Justice for a real time analysis and discussion about the key democracy issues raised by the 2004 election and the reform agenda for the future.


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[FormerOstrich]

1. New York...New York

read some of the stuff on the web site....


:kick:

[Stephanie]

2. If you want us to read it why not just post some of it

.

[FormerOstrich]

3. okay...here are some clips from their press releases...

they are telling in what their position is.

New York, NY -- Today Miles Rapoport, President of Demos, a nonpartisan voting rights organization, and former Connecticut Secretary of State, issued the following statement encouraging the Department of Justice to uphold the rights of all eligible voters and ensure that every vote will be counted:

"As the chief law enforcement officer in the nation, Attorney General John Ashcroft bears a very heavy responsibility this election season. It is his duty to throw the full weight of the Justice Department - and its thousands of attorneys at the DOJ and U.S. Attorneys Offices - towards safeguarding the voting rights of all U.S. citizens. Given the mounting reports of organized voter intimidation and vote suppression, the case for vigilance is clear.

"And so I am deeply disappointed to learn that the DOJ is taking a stand against the voters. In legal briefs filed in connection with lawsuits in Ohio, Michigan and Florida, the federal government is arguing that individual voters whose rights are violated have no ability to seek justice from the courts. Only the Justice Department can sue.
..... http://www.demos-usa.org/page223.cfm

New York, NY -- Today Demos, a pro-democracy organization, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, and the national Right to Vote Campaign released the following statement on new attempts by the Republican Party of Florida to challenge voting by citizens with felony convictions:

"Yesterday's announcement that Florida's Republicans are planning to resuscitate the state's infamous felon purge list is beyond belief. Last July, the State of Florida agreed not to use that list to remove suspected felons from voting rolls after the Brennan Center for Justice found, and the Florida Office of Executive Clemency admitted to, numerous flaws in the purge process. This effort to keep eligible voters from polls must be stopped.

"Had the purge list been used by county election boards, thousands of eligible voters would have lost the right to vote -- many of them African Americans, who constitute 11 percent of the state electorate and accounted for more than 40 percent of the names on the list.

"Incredibly, Florida Republicans just announced that they may go forward and use the tainted purge list to challenge voters next Tuesday, knowing full well the list's very serious flaws and the widespread disenfranchisement that resulted from using erroneous felon data in the 2000 election. Thousands of eligible voters were denied the right to vote four years ago, and the Florida GOP's apparent and reckless disregard of those risks in challenging voters this year is indefensible......
http://www.demos-usa.org/page226.cfm

New York, NY - Today Miles Rapoport, President of the nonpartisan public policy organization Demos and former Secretary of the State of Connecticut, issued the following statement in response to recent news that, in Broward County, Florida, 58,000 absentee ballots have not reached voters who requested them:

The failure of Broward County election officials to ensure that the thousands of voters who requested absentee ballots actually got them is an outrage. The 58,000 people who have yet to receive their ballots represent roughly 5% of all the voters in the County. It is totally unacceptable that this many ballots have not reached voters.

"Worse yet has been the inept response of Broward County Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes. She has acknowledged having first become aware of the missing ballots a week ago. Snipes only chose to mail out additional ballots yesterday - which may be too late for many voters. Governor Bush appointed Brenda Snipes; he should immediately suspend her, and select a competent individual to take over her duties.
http://www.demos-usa.org/page213.cfm

[FormerOstrich]

4. I still think this is a great oppurtunity.....

isn't anyone in New York that can attend this session????


:kick:

[FormerOstrich]

5. My last kick....

great oppurtunity slipping by


:kick:

[FormerOstrich]

6. Okay...I lied....this is really going to be my last kick...

I just can't help but believe some DU input into this event wouldn't be a good thing..............

:kick:

honest last one....

[labouchet]

7. You can participate by phone and email...

From your link:

Those who are not able to participate in person on the 10th may listen in by phone and submit questions via email during the event. For more information on participating by phone, please email [e-mail] with the subject line "Making Democracy Work Phone Participant."