Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Tuesday 7/26/05

[MelissaB]

All members welcome and encouraged to participate.

If you can:

1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web.

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3. Re-post stories and announcements you find on DU, providing a link to the original thread with thanks to the Original Poster, too.

4. Start a discussion thread by re-posting a story you see on this thread.



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All previous daily threads are available here:

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[MelissaB]

1. A report: Howard Dean in Houston

I was able to hear the Chairman of the Republican National Committee and Howard Dean of the DNC address the 29th Biennial Session of the Connectional Lay Organization of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. There were about 2000 in attendance at the Americas Hilton.

Mehlman's focus was a plea to the delegates to give the Republican Party "a chance" to show their compassion, their ability to create jobs, and funnel money into faith based organizations. He received a polite reception but there were groans when he stated that aid to Africa for AIDS was doubled under Bush. (not true)

Dean on the other hand was absolutely on fire. He criticized Mehlman and the RNC for their lack of family values and went on to express the Democratic party's idea of family values. Jobs that paid fair wages and provided health care. Children with health care. Seniors who do not have to choose between food and prescription medicine. Truth and honesty in our government. And not sending our kids to war based upon lies to the American public.

He said the RNC should apologize for the treatment of the black community in Ohio many who were disenfranchised in the 2004 election.

He talked about no longer focusing on just the battleground states, but on 50 states, in every county, and every precinct. He said that 38% of the Black vote is in the southern states and the party will not give up on them. He said that He discussed his plans to achieve this and how the party will once again reach out to the Black community, as well as all Americans.

Unilike Mehlman, Howard Dean received a standing ovation with loud applause.

--
John R. Cobarruvias
President
Bay Area New Democrats
Houston, TX


Thanks to johncoby2 here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=180x17501

[MelissaB]

2. The Crisis Papers: The GOP is Certain to Win in 2006 — Unless...

The GOP is Certain to Win in 2006 — Unless...

By Ernest Partridge,
The Crisis Papers
July 25, 2005

*snip*

...A GOP win in 2006 and 2008 seems simply inevitable: as "inevitable" as LBJ’s re-election, Nixon completing his second term, and the endurance of the Soviet Union and apartheid South Africa. By this I mean that all this would have come to pass but for some extraordinary and unforeseen developments. Nothing less will budge the GOP from the White House and the Congress. After all, their “private sector” supporters count and compile the votes with secret software – and do so with no official independent means of validation. These facts about voting in the United States are publicly known and undisputed. And yet, despite compelling and unrefuted evidence of voting fraud, no one, except some determined citizen groups and a small minority of members of Congress, appear to be bothered enough to take action.

*snip*

The GOP can prevent their defeat, no matter what the voters have to say about it.

As things now stand, a Democratic win in 2006 is as likely as a vote for the restoration of the Romanov dynasty in the Soviet “elections” of 1930. And for the same reason: the party in power (more precisely its supporters in private business) counts the votes.

Evidence is abundant and compelling that the presidential election of 2004 and key congressional races in 2002 were stolen, primarily through the use of paperless “touch-screen” voting machines and the software that collected and totaled (“compiled”) incoming election returns. Though numerous private individuals and public-interest groups have presented this evidence, it is only through their initiatives that the issue remains alive. Because I have expressed my suspicions repeatedly and at some length, I will not repeat them here

But let’s suppose, despite all that evidence, that the 2002 and 2004 elections were entirely fair and accurate. If so, this was due solely to the civic-minded decision of the Republicans who built the machines and wrote the software (“source codes”), to “play it straight.” They faced little prospect of exposure if they chose to “fix” the vote totals. The machines produce no independent record of the votes and, as noted, the software is secret. In addition, as numerous public demonstrations have proven, the machines can be readily “hacked” leaving no trace of the tampering...

For the rest of this must-read article, click: http://www.crisispapers.org/essays-p/certainwin.htm



Thanks to AtLiberty here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x385677

[MelissaB]

3. FL: Court Rejects Appeal To Issue Order For Touchscreens

Court Rejects Appeal To Issue Order For Touchscreens
Machines Would Allow Blind Voters To Vote More Discreetly

DELAND, Fla. -- A federal appeals court has refused to order Volusia County to immediately purchase touchscreen voting machines.

The machines would allow blind voters to cast their votes in secret in upcoming municipal elections.

But the three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta agreed Monday to hear the National Federation of the Blind's appeal.

A federal judge in Orlando ruled last week that previous court cases and existing federal law do not require equipment for visually disabled people to vote independently.

More: http://www.wesh.com/news/4772026/detail.html

[MelissaB]

4. The Project for a New American Century for Dummies: How to Dominate the Wo

The Project for a New American Century for Dummies: How to Dominate the World and still receive Social Security!

by Jane Stillwater

http://www.opednews.com

I opened my inbox yesterday. Some guy had sent me a whole bunch of website links about world domination conspiracies. It really freaked me out! There were all these photos of jet bombers and missile weapons systems and underground bunkers in Idaho and top secret plots by evil madmen to conquer the world and...you get the picture. "James Bond tried to warn us!" My paranoia ran free.

Then some Congressman from Colorado came on some talk show and started chit-chatting about how if there was an attack on America, the Bush guys were gonna nuke Mecca -- and if THAT happened, someone (it wasn't clear exactly who -- maybe Russia allied with China or some teenagers from London with backpacks) would nuke Israel and Israel in turn would launch a giant Tsunami that would bury New York all the way to Ohio. Okay.

I was into this! "What REALLY goes on at the top secret level that we normal schmucks are not privy to?" I asked myself. At the Kremlin/Pentagon/Downing Street/caves of Afghanistan level, I bet there really ARE wheels within wheels. Even after just one DAY of reading the back pages of the Wall Street Journal or browsing through www.Janes.com, it all becomes obvious: Us Americans are just hapless dupes and set decorations -- happily shopping at the mall and voting on "for show" voting machines while being exploited by secretive mutants who live in some underground shadow government control center a la HG Well's book "The Time machine".


More: http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_jane_sti_050726_the_project_for_a_ne.htm

[MelissaB]

5. Discussion

here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x385736

[MelissaB]

6. NY: Decision to Forgo Uniform Voting Machines

Decision to Forgo Uniform Voting Machines
Sharply Attacked

...........................................................................................................................

The decision by the Legislature to forego a uniform statewide standard for voting machinery, in favor of local decision-making by county boards of elections in the legislation passed in the final days of the legislative session has been sharply criticized by Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan)

“I cannot say in full confidence that the package of legislation we passed will guarantee a transparent, well-administrated and reliable voting system for New York State,” Krueger said. “We are left with the unfortunate situation wherein the Legislature punted difficult decisions to the county election commissioners. I hope that the counties will show greater wisdom than the Legislature by adopting optical scanning technology, which studies have shown to be the most reliable voting technology currently available.”

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA), a federal law that was passed in response to the 2000 Bush-Gore fiasco in Florida, requires all states to upgrade their election procedures by January 2006. This includes updating voting machines, registration processes, and poll worker training to ensure fair elections at all levels. Since New York has complied with the HAVA mandate, the state will receive close to $235 million in federal funding.

New York was the last state in the union to complete their HAVA legislation. The package of legislation had languished in the Legislature for two years, but the body had no choice but to act now for fear of losing out on crucial federal dollars. “There is nothing more fundamental to a democracy than the right and ability of its citizens to vote,” said Krueger. “Too many New Yorkers see voting as an obstacle and do not exercise their right as a result.”


More: http://www.theempirejournal.com/072605_Decision_to_Forgo_Uniform_Voting.html

[MelissaB]

7. Hillary's star shines bright -- Plenty of interest for N.Y. senator from D

Hillary's star shines bright -- Plenty of interest for N.Y. senator from Dems

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., speaks to supporters of the Democra-tic Leadership Council Monday in Columbus. Clinton pressed Dems to adopt a tough stand on national security and urged the party to show a united front to counter “the hard-right ideology in Washington.”

AP/Jay LaPrete

By PAUL E. KOSTYU, Copley Columbus Bureau Chief

COLUMBUS – Although she’s not officially launched a campaign for president, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., sounded like a candidate Monday, mapping out a 15-year “American Dream” to improve the country.

Republicans immediately attacked her as “not the true face of the Democratic Leadership Council,” the same centrist organization that was a stepping stone to the presidency for her husband 14 years ago. Bob Bennett, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, also said, “The DLC is not the true face of the Democratic Party.”

Across the street from the downtown hotel where the convention was being held, a dozen protesters chanted anti-Democrat slogans and held up signs, one of which protested Clinton’s appearance. “1 Pres. Clinton was enough,” it read.

Nearby other protesters held signs calling attention to Republicans caught up in an investment scandal involving the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. There also were signs criticizing Diebold of North Canton after reports that it may have tried to financially influence Republicans to buy its voting machines.


More: http://www.timesreporter.com/left.php?ID=43976&r=4

[MelissaB]

8. TX: Grand Jury Investigating McAllen Ballot Buying Controversy

Grand Jury Investigating McAllen Ballot Buying Controversy

Reported by Ray Pedraza

The scandal over ballot buying in the McAllen mayoral's race is headed to a grand jury.

On Tuesday an Hidalgo County grand jury will begin looking into allegations of voter fraud. Most of the complaints deal with tampering of early voting ballots and the elderly.

Then there was a secret tape recorded by the son of former mayoral candidate Othal Brand.

In the recording, election supporter Joey Lopez is heard offering to sell mail-in ballots to Brand and mayoral hopeful Ric Godinez.


More: http://www.team4news.com/Global/story.asp?S=3644018&nav=0w0vcbKO

[MelissaB]

9. NV: Voter Beware: Alleged Voter Registration Fraud

Voter Beware: Alleged Voter Registration Fraud

Last fall's heated presidential campaign led to serious allegations of widespread voter fraud, including some right here in Nevada. The Channel 8 I-Team broke the stories alleging that voter registration forms were ripped up and thrown away.

The story gained national attention telling voters to beware, but was anything resolved, and could it happen again. The I-Team's George Knapp has a follow-up.

Eric Russell described a scene on Oct. 13, 2004; "She grabbed the democrats', handed them to her assistant, and then ripped them up right in front of me."

Las Vegan Eric Russell set off a firestorm when he alleged that he witnessed the destruction of voter registration forms by his employers in Voters Outreach of America, a Republican-funded registration effort that hired Russell and 300 other locals.


More: http://www.klastv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3639161&nav=168YcaPi

[MelissaB]

10. Jackson maps march in Atlanta

Jackson maps march in Atlanta

> By ERNIE SUGGS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
> Published on: 07/26/05

Hoping to rein in the "winds of hostility," the Rev. Jesse Jackson was in Atlanta on Monday making final preparations for his Keep the Vote Alive march, which he hopes will pressure the White House to reauthorize key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Jackson called on a nationwide contingent of supporters to join him for the Aug. 6 march, meant to bring attention to parts of the act set to expire in 2007.

"There is no willingness on the president's part to act on it or enforce it," said Jackson, president of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. He said he launched the effort because Bush told members of the Congressional Black Caucus in February that he didn't know the landmark measure was coming up for renewal.

The march is set to begin at 10 a.m. at the Richard Russell Federal Building, on the corner of Spring Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, and end at Morris Brown College's Herndon Stadium. There, marchers will hear speeches by Jackson and other civil rights and political leaders, as well as musical performances by Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack and Bobby Jones.


More: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/0705/26votermarch.html

[MelissaB]

11. GA: The big voting chill

The big voting chill
opinion

The nation marks the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on Aug. 6. Georgia officials ought to do something special on that day.

...snip

The Legislature passed a law prohibiting any person from voting at a polling place who does not have a driver's license, state-issued photo ID, U.S. passport or federal picture ID. Other forms of identification (Social Security card or birth certificate, for instance) will no longer be accepted. If the law stands, an estimated 150,000 Georgians will be disenfranchised. Gov. Sonny Perdue and his cohorts declared the measure was needed to combat "voter fraud" at the polling place.

Voter fraud? What voter fraud? Almost no instances of voter fraud involving IDs have been reported in Georgia.

However, the secretary of state's office has received reams of voter fraud complaints regarding the state's absentee ballot procedures that require no IDs - only a signature from a faceless mail-in respondent. Confronted with an abundance of evidence of voter fraud by mail, the Georgia Legislature moved as we have come to expect it to act.


More: http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/opinion/12201486.htm

[Gelliebeans]

12. I said this before Melissa,

but thanks again for all you do :)

[Algorem]

13. Diebold earnings drop 24 percent,voting machines segment up 20%

...O'Dell said he expects full-year performance in election systems to benefit from large orders from Ohio, Utah and Mississippi. Election systems are expected to produce revenue of $115 million to $125 million for 2005.

Sales in election systems, the company's smallest segment, improved 20 percent in the quarter to $32.7 million.

"There's still so much uncertainty out there right now," said Thomas W. Swidarski, president of Diebold Election Systems. Some potential customers are waiting to see whether Congress will amend deadlines in the Help America Vote Act.

"I think over the next several months we'll have a lot better picture of what the outlook will be for the rest of 2005 and 2006. There are so many states and counties unprepared at this point," Swidarski said...

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/business-4/1122470031264680.xml&storylist=cleveland