Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Tuesday, October 3rd

[Melissa G]

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Tuesday, October 3rd

Going Goimg Gone??? Wash Times asks Hastert to resign!


Members welcome and encouraged to participate!



Please post Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News on this thread.

If you can:
1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web.


2. Post stories using the new Spring 2006 Edition of "Election Fraud and Reform News Directory" listed here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x407240

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.




Please "Recommend" for the Greatest Page (it's the link just below).

[texpatriot2004]

1. K & R for Transparent Democracy nm

[Melissa G]

2. DRUDGE: WASH TIMES TO CALL FOR HASTERT TO RESIGN!

Bradblog


BLOGGED BY Brad ON 10/2/2006 8:01PM
DRUDGE: WASH TIMES TO CALL FOR HASTERT TO RESIGN!
UPDATE: Also, Michael Reagan Calls for Same!
This via AmericaBlog from Drudge…And note, if it's correct (Drudge isn't always, as you likely know) this if from the Washington Times, the White House organ! Not the Washington Post!

WASHINGTON TIMES ON TUESDAY WILL CALL FOR SPEAKER HASTERT'S RESIGNATION, NEWSROOM SOURCES TELL DRUDGE… DEVELOPING… Editorial titled: 'Resign, Mr. Speaker': 'House Speaker Dennis Hastert must do the only right thing, and resign his speakership at once… Mr. Hastert has forfeited the confidence of the public and his party, and he cannot preside over the necessary coming investigation, an investigation that must examine his own inept performance'… — Washington Times, October 3, 2006…
Holy crap.

UPDATE: We hear that Olbermann is reporting that Michael Reagan is calling for same! That's Michael Reagan, the White House organ! Not Ronny Reagan!

Holy holy crap crap.

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=3565

[Melissa G]

12. Resign, Mr. Speaker- Wash Times editorial

Editorials/Op-Ed
http://washingtontimes.com/

Resign, Mr. Speaker

October 3, 2006


The facts of the disgrace of Mark Foley, who was a Republican member of the House from a Florida district until he resigned last week, constitute a disgrace for every Republican member of Congress. Red flags emerged in late 2005, perhaps even earlier, in suggestive and wholly inappropriate e-mail messages to underage congressional pages. His aberrant, predatory -- and possibly criminal -- behavior was an open secret among the pages who were his prey. The evidence was strong enough long enough ago that the speaker should have relieved Mr. Foley of his committee responsibilities contingent on a full investigation to learn what had taken place, whether any laws had been violated and what action, up to and including prosecution, were warranted by the facts. This never happened.
Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois, the Republican chairman of the House Page Board, said he learned about the Foley e-mail messages "in late 2005." Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, the leader of the Republican majority, said he was informed of the e-mail messages earlier this year. On Friday, Mr. Hastert dissembled, to put it charitably, before conceding that he, too, learned about the e-mail messages sometime earlier this year. Late yesterday afternoon, Mr. Hastert insisted that he learned of the most flagrant instant-message exchange from 2003 only last Friday, when it was reported by ABC News. This is irrelevant. The original e-mail messages were warning enough that a predator -- and, incredibly, the co-chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children -- could be prowling the halls of Congress. The matter wasn't pursued aggressively. It was barely pursued at all. Moreover, all available evidence suggests that the Republican leadership did not share anything related to this matter with any Democrat.
Now the scandal must unfold on the front pages of the newspapers and on the television screens, as transcripts of lewd messages emerge and doubts are rightly raised about the forthrightness of the Republican stewards of the 109th Congress. Some Democrats are attempting to make this "a Republican scandal," and they shouldn't; Democrats have contributed more than their share of characters in the tawdry history of congressional sexual scandals. Sexual predators come in all shapes, sizes and partisan hues, in institutions within and without government. When predators are found they must be dealt with, forcefully and swiftly. This time the offender is a Republican, and Republicans can't simply "get ahead" of the scandal by competing to make the most noise in calls for a full investigation. The time for that is long past.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert must do the only right thing, and resign his speakership at once. Either he was grossly negligent for not taking the red flags fully into account and ordering a swift investigation, for not even remembering the order of events leading up to last week's revelations -- or he deliberately looked the other way in hopes that a brewing scandal would simply blow away. He gave phony answers Friday to the old and ever-relevant questions of what did he know and when did he know it? Mr. Hastert has forfeited the confidence of the public and his party, and he cannot preside over the necessary coming investigation, an investigation that must examine his own inept performance.

article goes on to nominate Hyde...
http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20061002-102008-9058r.htm

[Melissa G]

3. Abramoff Knew US Would Invade Iraq in March, 2002

Thanks to kpete for the post and DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2273491

Abramoff Knew US Would Invade Iraq in March, 2002


by jorndorff
Sat Sep 30, 2006

Newly-disclosed e-mails from the Minority Chair of the House Government Reform Committee Henry Waxman http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/abramoff/index.as... provide new areas of insight into Jack Abramoff's closeness to the Bush administration. Most shocking of all (at least of those I've been able to read so far) is that Abramoff off-handedly mentions "the upcoming war in Iraq." The date--March, 2002.

The following is available in doc dump two, page 26:


From: Jack Abramoff
To: 'octagon1'
Monday, March 18, 2002 8:31 AM
Subject: RE: Sunday

I was sitting yesterday with Karl Rove, Bush's top advisor, at the NCAA basketball game, discussing Israel when this email came in. I showed it to him. It seems that the President was very sad to have to come out negatively regarding Israel, but that they needed to mollify the Arabs for the upcoming war on Iraq. That did not seem to work anyway. Bush seems to love Sharon and Israel, and thinks Arabfat , is nothing but a liar. I thought I'd pass that on.



Conclusion--this is yet another piece of evidence that the invasion of Iraq was long-before conceived as absolutely inevitable and necessary by the Bush administration.

more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/10/1/0185/88184

[Melissa G]

4. Florida GOP Names Replacement Candidate

Florida GOP Names Replacement Candidate



By BRENDAN FARRINGTON

This story ran on nwitimes.com on Monday, October 2, 2006 9:47 PM CDT


ORLANDO, Fla. - Disgraced former Rep. Mark Foley sought treatment for alcoholism and "other behavioral problems" as Republicans on Monday picked a new candidate to salvage the seat Foley abandoned after disclosure of lurid online messages he exchanged with teenage boys.

State party leaders chose state Rep. Joe Negron to replace Foley in next month's election. Negron will receive votes cast for Foley, although Foley's name will remain on the ballot in the West Palm Beach district, which is largely Republican.

"My job beginning immediately is to get word out to all these absentee voters and to everyone else in this race that you are not voting for Mark Foley. You are voting for the Republican nominee, and I'm not Mark Foley," Negron said. "I think it's something that can be done."

Foley resigned Friday after reports surfaced that he sent sexually explicit e-mails and instant messages to male teenage pages. He quickly went into seclusion and released a statement that he was seeking treatment.

http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2006/10/02/ap/headlines/d8kgs2i80.txt

[Melissa G]

5. After Foley, New Fears For GOP At the Polls

After Foley, New Fears For GOP At the Polls
Some Say Party Could Lose House and Senate

By Dan Balz and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, October 3, 2006; Page A01

Republican strategists said yesterday that public revulsion over the sexually graphic online conversations between Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and former House pages could compound the party's problems enough to tip the House to the Democrats in November -- and jeopardize the party's hold on the Senate as well.

As House GOP leaders defended their role in handling revelations that forced Foley on Friday to give up his House seat, party strategists said the scandal threatens to depress turnout among Christian conservatives and could hamper efforts to convince undecided and swing voters that Republicans deserve to remain in the majority.



There was intense anger among social conservative activists in Washington yesterday, and some called for House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) to resign.

Republican operatives closely following the battle for the House and Senate said that they are virtually ready to concede nearly a third of the 15 seats the Democrats need to recapture control of the House, and that they will spend the next five weeks trying to shelter other vulnerable incumbents from the fallout of the Foley scandal in hopes of salvaging a slender majority.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/02/AR2006100201463.html

[Melissa G]

6. Mexico's PRD Agrees To Review Calderon Agenda - Report

Mexico's PRD Agrees To Review Calderon Agenda - Report
Monday October 2nd, 2006 / 2h17


MEXICO CITY -(Dow Jones)- Legislators of Mexico's left-wing Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD, agreed Monday to review a proposed legislative agenda submitted by President-elect Felipe Calderon, and said they would support initiatives that coincide with their own views, the Reforma newspaper reported.
The PRD - whose presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has refused to recognize Calderon's narrow July 2 election victory because he says there was fraud - obtained the second-greatest number of seats in the lower house of Congress in the election.
In its online edition, Reforma cited PRD lower house leader Javier Gonzalez as saying the legislative group will review the proposal submitted last week by Calderon of the ruling National Action Party, or PAN. The PAN has the most seats in both the lower house and the Senate but not a majority.
Calderon, who takes office Dec. 1, is seeking congressional support for the proposed agenda, which stresses rule of law, public safety, job creation, social equality, sustainable development and electoral reform. Points include providing universal health care, reducing social inequality, and governing civil servants' salaries to avoid abuse.
Lopez Obrador, who campaigned on the slogan "for the good of all, first the poor," had said he would cut top government salaries by half, including his own.
http://www.easybourse.com/Website/dynamic/News.php?NewsID=65770&lang=fra&NewsRubrique=2

[Melissa G]

7. Boxer-Counting every vote this November...

Counting every vote this November

The American people deserve an elections system that is beyond reproach -- a system where every vote counts and every vote is counted. That's why I've introduced new legislation, co-sponsored by Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), to address this problem -- and I hope you'll urge your Members of Congress to support it.

My "Confidence in Voting Act" is simple. It urges local jurisdictions to make paper ballots available at every polling place, so any voter who wants one can use one, and so there is a back-up in case electronic voting machines fail. What's more, my legislation defrays the cost by reimbursing local jurisdictions up to $.75 for each of these contingency paper ballots produced.

This is a win-win for local governments and for individual voters. The "Confidence in Voting Act" will make it easier for states to do the right thing in this November's election -- and it will make the American people more confident about the outcome. Please forward an email to your Members of Congress now -- urge them to support my "Confidence in Voting Act" before Congress adjourns this week!

http://ga4.org/campaign/confidence_in_voting?qp_source=bradblog

[Melissa G]

8. Don't trust vulnerable Diebold voting machines, use absentee ballots

Thanks to garybeck for the post and DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2291723




Don't trust vulnerable Diebold voting machines, use absentee ballots
Updated 10/2/2006 3:36 PM ET
Andrew Kantor, technology writer

...

What more do people need to hear or to see or to read to convince them Diebold voting machines simply can't be trusted? A burning bush?

After the past few years and specifically the past week, we have reached the point where it has become obvious that there is something seriously wrong with Diebold machines.

Let's look at the hard evidence.

...

But the Princeton paper isn't alone.

It's in the company of one from Johns Hopkins. In 2004 a paper on e-voting security from researchers there said, " We conclude that this voting system is unsuitable for use in a general election." (Incidentally, it was presented at the 2004 IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy. So this isn't lightweight stuff.)

And then there's evidence from Diebold itself, such as the leaked memos from some employees discussing, among other things, how easy it is to alter the database used to tabulate the votes.

And let's not forget Diebold's 2002 Election Support Guide. I can't say I'm thrilled to see that they're told that, despite a variety of problems with the e-voting machines, we must always promote the consistency and accuracy of our voting systems."

It seems that integrity and honesty aren't terribly important at Diebold, yet we're letting them play an integral role in our government. Does this make sense? The company also makes automatic teller machines. If Diebold ATMs were shown to be as untrustworthy as their voting equipment, do you think banks would even consider using them?

rest of article---
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/200...




spread this one around, people like to see it in the mainstream media.

and by the way the Election Justice Center promises to be in overdrive from here to November. Check our website regularly for updates on what's happening with the voting machines. http://election.solarbus.org

peaceout
gb

[Melissa G]

9. From the "We Count Conference" - Cleveland Ohio - Election Fraud

Thanks to autorank for the post and the DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=451385&mesg_id=45138

From the "We Count Conference" - Cleveland Ohio - Election Fraud
I'll (autorank) be posting updates from the


"We Count Conference" Cleveland Ohio.

The morning program:

The program includes Blackwell Acountability - State Sen. Marc Dan, Dem Candidate for Ohio A.G.

Greg Coleridge Corporitizatoin of Elections NE Ohio American Friends Service Committee

Ron Baiman PhD Exit Polls in Ohio ElectionArchive.Org, Univ. of Il -

Richard Hayes Phillips PhD - Analysis of Ohio Precincts - See "Declaration of Richard Hayes Phillips" at www.election fraud news. Original and ongoing statistician for the Ohio 2004 election.

Later today Bob Fertik, Harvey Wasserman, Jonathan Simon, Paul Lehto, Bob Koehler & Mark Crispin Miller.

[Melissa G]

10. Woodward has a damning quote from Bush about Ken Blackwell

Thanks to madfloridian for the post and DU discussion here..
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2859942

Woodward has a damning quote from Bush about Ken Blackwell
Bush: Ken Blackwell is a nut.

"From Buckeye
State Blog, which excerpted this from Bob Woodward's new book:


"At 2:43 a.m., someone noted that Bush was ahead in the popular vote nationwide, prompting the President to sneer, "If the popular vote made it, I wouldn't be here."

The campaign was left to anxiously wait for a statement from Kenneth Blackwell, a former black power student leader who had morphed into Ohio's gadfly Republican secretary of state.

"I'm the President of the United States," Bush fumed, "waiting on a secretary of state who is a nut."

[Melissa G]

11. Real Clear Politics Now Projecting a 50/50 makeup in Senate

Thanks to Lasher for the post and the DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2859165

Real Clear Politics Now Projecting a 50/50 makeup in Senate
Real Clear Politics is now predicting that Democrats will pick up net total of 5 Senate seats for a projected makeup of 50 for each party. Prior to the weekend RCP had shown a net pickup of only 3 or 4 seats for Democrats.

RCP uses a sampling of the latest surveys to develop and average, discounting polls that they consider questionable.

Here is a summary the current RCP averages:


Arizona: Kyle +9.0%

Connecticut: Lieberman +6.7%

Maryland: Cardin +5.3%

Michigan: Stabenow +13.2%

Minnesota: Klobuchar +13.0%

Missouri: McCaskill +1.3% *

Montana: Tester +5.6% *

New Jersey: Kean +1.2% *

Ohio: Brown +4.6% *

Pennsylvania: Casey +11.0% *

Rhode Island: Whitehouse +2.3% *

Tennessee: Ford +3.0% *

Virginia: Allen +4.0%

Washington: Cantwell +9.4%

* denotes a pickup and all others are retentions.

Election Predictions also projects a 50/50 Senate makeup, as well as a 219 to 216 Democratic majority in the House.

[Melissa G]

13. Statement of Barbara Simons for the Committee on House Administration Hear

Thanks to Vote Trust USA for the post!





Statement of Barbara Simons for the Committee on House Administration Hearing on Electronic Voting
By Barbara Simons, Association for Computing Machinery
October 02, 2006
We must make our elections more secure, reliable, accessible, and verifiable.

We all want elections that are reliable, secure, accessible, and trusted by the public. Given known security risks, the possibility that software bugs could generate incorrect election results, or that computerized voting machines may fail during an election, we cannot trust that the results recorded in a paperless voting machine accurately reflect the will of the voters. Providing a voter verified paper trail is a significant step toward mitigating these risks, restoring transparency to the election, and ensuring the public’s trust.

Because paperless Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) devices cannot be audited, many states have mandated that DREs produce a voter verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) or voter verified paper ballot (VVPB). We have seen that careful and well engineered implementation of this requirement is critical. Some of the most widely used DREs have retrofitted their machines by adding reel-to-reel thermal printers. Unfortunately, there have been a number of problems with these continuous roll printers, including jamming, privacy concerns, and difficulties conducting a manual count of the paper.

There are high quality printers that are much more reliable, that produce easy to read text, and that could print VVPBs that are easy to count manually. Our voting systems should not depend on mediocre equipment.

Precinct based optical scan voting systems also produce VVPBs, since by definition the optical scan ballot is verified by the voter when he or she marks the ballot. Accessible optical scan ballots can be produced using tactile ballots or electronic ballot marking systems. Optical scan ballots can be manually counted and used to audit elections.



As a defense against malicious or buggy software, we must have:
- reliable, well engineered, accessible VVPBs;
- policies and procedures that guarantee the integrity of the paper, control of custody, legibility, etc.; and
- routine mandated random manual audits of the VVPBs that instill voter confidence and that verify the accuracy of elections.

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1835&Itemid=26

[Melissa G]

14. Scanner and DRE Voting Machine Problems Are Not Equal

Thanks to John Gideon for the post!




Scanner and DRE Voting Machine Problems Are Not Equal
By Wanda Warren Berry and Bo Lipari, New Yorkers for Verified Voting
October 02, 2006
During the 2006 primary elections, some verified voting advocates were troubled by reports of problems with ballot scanners.1 The famous “Hursti” hack was carried out on a scanner.2 In addition, in March 2006, another flurry of concern about scanners was caused by reports of inaccurate grading of Scholastic Aptitude Tests. The testing agencies quickly admitted that the problems were caused by poor quality control rather than an inherent weakness of the system3, but this admission receives little notice by those seeking to ‘prove’ the benefits of electronic touch screen voting machines (DREs) over paper.




There is a tendency among election officials to use reported problems as a way to excuse themselves from careful comparisons of paper ballot and DRE systems. Too often we hear them say that both systems have problems. While this is true, it is only a half truth, for not all problems are equal.
Paper ballots and precinct ballot scanners have been used in the US for over 20 years and now by nearly 50% of American voters without significant problems. Today’s increased scrutiny of all voting systems has resulted in an increase in reported errors for all types of voting systems, including electronic touch screen voting machines and paper ballot precinct scanner systems. This underscores the fact that using computers in elections can be problematic and the ability to audit a system independently is of key importance.




A problem encountered with the scanner component of a paper ballot system need not result in lost votes. If the marked ballots are correctly managed, retained and recounted, votes can still be counted in a number of different ways. But a DRE which fails may lose these votes forever.


Voters Must Be Able to Understand How Their Vote is Recorded and Counted

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1836&Itemid=26

[Melissa G]

15. Notes from The WeCount2006 Conference on fair elections

by Joan Brunwasser

http://www.opednews.com

DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x451684

The WeCount2006 Conference on fair elections


I just came back yesterday from the WeCount2006 Conference on fair elections and democracy. It was held in Cleveland over the weekend. I felt impelled to go despite the fact that it involved more than twelve hours of driving, a weekend away from my family and timing that was very inconvenient. I can't express how glad I am that I attended this event. Kudos to Victoria Lovegren, who organized a very well-run event, heavy with terrific speakers and workshops on practical steps to take prior to the November elections and beyond. I have invited many of the participants to submit articles about their workshops and experiences and will post them as they come in. It was an exciting and energizing experience. A lot was concentrated in a short period of time: Friday evening until late and all day Saturday until almost midnight with activists getting together after hours as well.

snip
I drove to and from the conference with Bob Koehler, a Chicago-based syndicated columnist. We knew one another slightly, mostly via email and I was unsure how it would be to spend twelve hours or more in a small, enclosed capsule with nowhere to hide. What if he were boring? Or had bad breath? Or had annoying personal habits? That's more time than I spend at one stretch with virtually anyone. I went to the library and took out six books on tape with a total of about one hundred hours of distraction. Talk about overkill. We never even got to examine my choices. The time flew by and if Bob's work is suddenly peppered with Yiddish, the inside skedooley is that they didn't spring from his Lutheran upbringing in Michigan. Besides for playing with words, we did a lot of talking. One of the topics we explored was the solitary nature of our given roles. Bob was the one who coined the term "army of one" to describe his view of himself. Both of us appreciated the conference as a way for us to break out of that isolation and to feel a part of something larger and more dynamic.

One of the speakers was Jonathan Simon, co-founder of the Election Defense Alliance, a national coordinating body for citizen electoral integrity groups and individuals. He made several interesting points in a speech he made Saturday night at the conference. He reminded us of what Mark C. Miller had said earlier: that democracy is historically fragile. Simon added that these times are reminiscent of 1937 Germany. "You have freedom until the day, the minute, you don't. " Talk about a strong opening.

People need to recognize that without free, fair, accurate and transparent elections, everyone's agenda is at risk: environmentalism, anti-war, economic justice, universal health insurance, women's reproductive rights, civil libertarians, supporting our troops by keeping them from a misguided and poorly handled war. Everyone is at risk except the corporate interests and the infamous top 1% which does better and better as everyone else does worse and worse. Simply put, voting is the foundation of everything else. We need to come together for this fight. OpEdNews' readers seem to get it. Last week, I sent out an appeal for donations for the trip to cover my expenses: hotel, transportation, food, etc. I got a great response and want to thank all of you for that. I received an email from one donor. He is on social security and was awaiting his check, which was due in a few days. At the moment he had "$25 to my name" and he sent $10 of it to me. I was honored and touched by his gesture and his generosity. That vote of trust gives me an awesome responsibility.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_joan_bru_061003_notes_from_the_wecou.htm

[Melissa G]

16. Vote-rigging software written for Republican...

Thanks to Bleachers7 for the post and the DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x451597




Shocking election-theft testimony

Posted by Evan Derkacz at 3:16 PM on August 23, 2006.

Vote-rigging software written for Republican...

Computer programmer Clinton Eugene Curtis testifies under oath before the U.S. House Judiciary Members in Ohio (back in 2004) -- video to the right (partial transcript below). Stephen Pizzo writes:

If you can watch this entire video, and still use an electronic voting machine, you deserve the government you get. If your state or district has decided to use electronic voting machines this November demand an absentee ballot today. Watch this video. Then join those of us who have decided that since paper was good enough for our constitution, it's good enough for our vote too.

Oh, and when you're done watching the whole video... pass it along. November is only a a few weeks off and the last thing Republicans want to see is either house returned to Democrat control. Because if that happens, hearings happen. And if hearings happen... well, who knows - someone(s) could go to jail. So, demand a paper ballot or an absentee ballot in Nov. and leave the cheaters with a pocket full of worthless Diebold electrons.
<snip>

http://alternet.org/blogs/video/40755/

[Melissa G]

17. Tennessee Senate: Ford by 5 as Corker Falters

Thanks to Mark E. Smith for the post and the DU discusssion here..
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2540432


Tennessee Senate: Ford by 5 as Corker Falters
Rasmussen 10/2/06

Representative Harold Ford (D) has taken a 48% to 43% lead over
Mayor Bob Corker (R) in Tennessee's increasingly competitive race
for U.S. Senate.

Ford has an edge with unaffiliated voters and leads by a whopping 70%
to 23% among moderates.

Ford has gained ground fast in recent weeks. A Rasmussen Reports poll
conducted Sept 5 showed him trailing by a single point, 44% to 45%,
after lagging by six points in August, twelve in July.

http://rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/Tennesse...

[Melissa G]

18. Don't play politics with rights of voters

Thanks to Landshark for the post and the DU discussion here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x451591



Don't play politics with rights of voters


On an issue that needs bipartisan attention the most — voting rights — the political divide has never been greater.

In a number of states and in legislation passed by the U.S. House last week, new and proposed requirements are pitting Republicans, who say the rules are needed to combat election fraud, against Democrats, who say Republicans are disenfranchising poor, elderly and minority voters who tend to favor Democrats at the polls.


Add to that the scare allegation that illegal immigrants are being enlisted to sway elections, and you have ingredients of a major brawl.

Arizona's 2-year-old law requiring proof of citizenship to register has sparked lawsuits. In Georgia, a law that would require government-issued photo identification at the polls has been found unconstitutional by state and federal courts but is under appeal. New photo ID laws are being contested in Indiana and Missouri.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061002/OPINION01/610020325/1008

[Kurovski]

19. Kick to the top!

Many Thanks to you, Melissa G! :hug: