DNC just called me (again) for money...

[garybeck]

I told them I've been very disappointed with the lack of action on the voting machines (and other issues like long lines in predominantly democatic areas) since the Dems took control. I told her that I believe the election could be stolen again if they don't do anything about it.

At first she started to explain that the Dem party has been working on these issues and they are doing something about it. But I told her I've been watching the issue closely and Congress had a bill (Rush Holt's) which attempted to address some of the voting machine loopholes and they threw it in the trash before they even voted on it. In almost 2 years of Democratic control of Congress, nothing has been done and we're set up for another election theft.

I told her to call me back the day Congress passes meaningful election reform and I will write a check immediately for $200. Until then I do not wish to contribute to a potentially rigged system where cheaters win and winners lose.

She said I was not the first one to respond like this, and she agreed with my concerns. She was making a note to pass on.

[Maat]

1. Maybe they will listen to you ...

and actually DO something for the American people.

Oh, there I go with that Pollyanna attitude ...

[garybeck]

2. Money is the only thing that makes them listen. n/t

[eleny]

3. I heard here on local Colorado radio that the DNC is hurting for funds for the convention

And so is Denver. Mayor Hickenlooper canceled a "walk through" press tour of the Pepsi Center where the convention is to be held.

here's an article about it in the Rocky Mountain news.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/13/dnc-cancels-media-walk-through/

"Party officials on Friday denied that fundraising woes led to the cancellation, which was expected to draw "a few hundred" members of the media from around the country.

"It is not due to money issues," said Chris Lopez of Denver's convention host committee. The committee has been struggling to raise the $40.6 million it is contractually obligated to have on hand by Monday.

In mid-May, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper acknowledged that the host committee had banked only about half of the money it was supposed to raise for the convention.

Natalie Wyeth, a spokeswoman for the Democratic National Convention Committee, was cryptic about the reasons for the cancellation."

[garybeck]

4. I really would LOVE to contribute, but

I can't send money to a candidate in a potentially rigged system.

If the system were fair, I'd gladly contribute.

[eleny]

6. I heard that the DNC asked Obama to help out from his coffers

But I don't know the upshot.

A fair system - I don't there was, is or ever will be one. The other evening I saw a doc on PBS about Truman and how he got his Senate seat through the machinations of a Missouri Party boss. Dead people voting and such. Even FDR avoided talking to Truman when he got to D.C.

I'm not eager to contribute, either. But waiting for a fair system will be a long wait.

[garybeck]

7. it's all relative. there will never be a completely fair system , BUT

what we have now is completely out of hand. secret vote counting that is unconstitutional. I can live with a few dead people voting. At least that is traceable and I don't think a president can get elected on it. But when virtually all the votes are counted in secret by 2 or 3 private companies, that's a different story.

[eleny]

9. And for that reason you won't contribute to the DNC....

.... thereby helping us have a party convention to nominate Obama and also pursue a 50 state strategy? I guess I can't agree. I'll probably send them a little bit to help with the convention costs. I mostly donate directly to individual candidates around the country. But I can send the DNC a little something for their convention costs.

Take care!

[garybeck]

10. to answer your question... yes.

I can't contribute to a rigged system. Would you bet on a horse if you knew they were favored to win but the race was rigged? Of course not, it would be like throwing money into the garbage.

I think my money is most influential at this point as a carrot, telling them I'll donate if they do the right thing. they have an opporunity to plug some of the loopholes and for some mysterious reason they are doing nothing. mind boggling.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

5. Some Dems Good, Some Dems Bad

I will say - Sen Diane Feinstein is like poison to election reform, she has a bill that would allow
paperless "verification" systems, her way of bastardizing the term voter verified.

She is supporting the black box on a black box method, you trust a computer to tell
you that the other computer is telling the truth.

Its extremely bad stuff.

Then there's Rush Holt who has worked for years, and finally got a bill ready to pass,
an "opt in" bill that states could choose to participate in that would pay for
optical scan and ballot markers or even hand counted paper ballots.

But the White House told the minority leadership that they opposed the bill, so
republicans pulled their support.

An opt in bill would have been the best, since states couldn't complain they were being forced,
but instead could be grateful for the help.

[garybeck]

8. I'm not sure I agree 100% that Holt's bill was stopped purely

by the White House. I've heard several twisted stories about how it all went down. Like the Dems were "duped." I don't think so. They have control of congress. They run the committees. They could have brought the bill to a vote. They're not stupid. Uh, I mean, they're not all THAT stupid. I think the dems are partially to blame for Holt's bill getting sidelined.

[demodonkey]

11. Had Steny Hoyer moved HR 5036 right after it was reported out of committee it might have passed.

Nooooooooo, OUR Steny decided instead to sit on it for something like 18 days, giving the Republicans a chance to regroup and decide to stop it, perhaps in hopes of adding stuff like Voter ID in the future.

Hoyer should have moved that bill ASAP, like the next day after it left Committee. We needed it and he blew it.

WAKE UP DEMOCRATS!

[kster]

12. The political version of the Harlem Globetrotters

who will play the Washington generals in the 2008 presidential game? The Dems or the Repubs? It really doesn't matter since they all REMAIN SILENT about the counting of the very thing they are asking us for, our ballots/votes.

COMMON SENSE if you are in a contest/election to get the most votes/ballots, the most important thing to you, should be, how the votes/ballots are counted, but to these presidential candidates it obviously doesn't matter, because they REMAIN SILENT about it.

WAKE UP AMERICA!!

:)

[kster]

13. By the way, you have been around here for a long time

why would you accept an electronic counted/audit based election when you know full well that Hand Counting all the optical scanned Paper Ballots at the close of election, BEFORE the optical scanned ballots leave our neighborhood/polling place is the ultimate way to secure the electronic vote count?

You know this, and I know you know this, but yet you continue to push for AUDITS?

:wtf:

[BeFree]

14. You do see, don't you?

That the politicians who were elected through the use of these machines are quite happy with the results?

That's why they quiver at the thought that the machines need be done away with. It's why most don't want audits. It is why, again, 80% of the votes will be counted the same way.

No, don't give them another dime until they deliver on the promise of free, open and fair elections.

And prepare thyself for a resident McSame. I can see the headlines now: McCain squeaks by in a close election.

[Yellow Horse]

15. If McCain "squeaks by" those of you who held up real reform have only yourselves to blame.

Waaah, we want free, open and fair elections. And waaah waaaah to get them we want only hand counted paper ballots. Waaaaah, waaaaah, waaaaah HR 811 is not good enough for us. Waaaaah, waaaaah, waaaaah, HR 5036 is also not good enough for us. Waaaaah, waaaaah, waaaaah, nope, no audits either. Waaaaah, waaaaah, waaaaah, waaaaah, all we want is hand counted paper ballots, or nothing.

Ya got nothing.

Especially in the states that are still stuck on paperless DRE.

Happy?

[BeFree]

16. So

You think its better to keep the machines and count on audits by a select few officials?

I want to include lots and lots of people in on the deal.

You got your machines.

I want to see the damn ballots. If I win, we all win. If you get what you want, we still lose. Like now.

[Yellow Horse]

18. You have NO IDEA WHAT I WANT.

For your information thanks in large part to clueless people like you stalling realistic election reform I am still going to have to vote on a paperless DRE in November. How dare you -- HOW DARE YOU -- call that "my" machine and put words in my mouth saying that is what I want!

All you and certain other people do is spam this forum with your constant bawling for hand counted paper ballots and chase out the people who at one time got something worthwhile done on here. You have no strategy. You have no bill in Congress or in any state. You have only your big mouths, spewing meaningless rhetoric.

YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM, not part of the solution.

Show us your damn plan for getting to see the damn ballots, or shut the hell up.

[BeFree]

17. Who are you? A Yellow what?

You shame horses everywhere with your crap. Blame me for not having audits? Look at yourself.

Audits will not save you, or keep mcsame from being elected. They audited the 2000 election and what did we get?

It is a true shame that folks like you, think folks like me who want free, open and fair elections, are not truly correct in the desire for HCPB. But there you are. The only safeguard we have now is to hand count federal elections. Three races per precinct. Two hours extra, tops.

What is your problem? It ain't me, babe. It is you.

[Yellow Horse]

19. You may say that I shame horses, but you shame yourself.

'nuff said, babe.