A humble suggestion -- Temporarily assume that vote counts will be accurate

[Armstead]

I totally agree with the skepticism about the potential for fraud in the counting of votes. I also support all efforts to closely scrutinize and expose anything that undermines the prospect of a fair and accurate count.

But it is also incredibly irritating to read these posts that say "No matter who really wins, the GOP will win because of voter fraud."

Until Election Day, it seems to me ther real driving force should be winning the damn vote in the first place. The assumption that is is all a charade is a demoralizing aspect that we don't need at this point.

So I 'umbly suggest that if you feel the urge to say such things, that you count to ten and channel that energy into the actual task at hand, and focus your concern on the actual give and take of winning hearts and minds -- and keeping our own spirits up.

[SpreadItAround]

1. I for one am very excited to vote

[Richardo]

2. You rock, Armstead.

Recommended. :thumbsup:

[Hugin]

3. I agree!

Storm the barricades!

Voting is the first step to Victory!

(I think some of this cynicism is due to the lack of any fight in 2004... People
don't want to live through that again.)

[Atman]

4. Okay.

There, done.

Was that toooo temporary, perhaps?

;)

.

[Armstead]

6. I'd add a few days to that -- Emulate Stewart Smalley

Maybe a little Stewart Smalley New Age Creative Visualiuzation will help.

"We're smart and attractive, and enough people will vote for us that it will be impossible to rig the vote count."



O8)

[ashling]

5. Well said

I certainly don't want to disuade any efforts to be prepared for or to investigate and fight Republican fraud and tricks. But that energy muste be focused and not used to demoralize our voters before they ever get to the polls.

Thanks for this comment, Armstead.

[Atman]

7. Maybe, but most of it has been very well said already...

In this great rant by Nance Gregg. Some good responses, too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2905930&mesg_id=2905930

(edit: not that it matters much, but this was supposed to be a reply to post #5, by ashling)

.

[applegrove]

8. Apathy is the enemy. Right you are. And there are 49 ways the GOP

will try and suppress the vote. So show up early to vote. Then offer your services to drive someone to the polls. And for god's sake - ignore any "leaked information on the exit polls". Those suckers kept many a Kerry supporter home once he was declared a winner at 2PM in the afternoon - last election. The winner has only won when the results of the polls tricle in late in the evening. Until that time..assume Dems need every single vote. Every single oone.

[Armstead]

9. Pre-emptive discouragement is also an enemy

This year is enough of a nail-biter as it is, regardless of what actually happens regarding the methods of counting the votes.

The ups and downs of polls and the equally schizoid predictions that are being made is enough to add more than a few grey hairs.

To avoid getting totally fried out or discouraged prematurely, I'm hoping the focus between now and then will be on the actual races and campaigns, without the assumption that none of it matters because of how the votes might be counted.

[applegrove]

20. Wise you are.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

10. Will you please just STOP being so gaddamn

reasonable & sane?!

[Armstead]

11. Okay --- Booga booga. yahommmannna, yahomminimmmas

:crazy: :crazy: :crazy:


:crazy: :crazy:

:crazy:

[Orsino]

12. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Sure, the voting machines run proprietary code, count "votes" without any ballots that could ever be inspected or recounted, and are rather easily hacked. We must assume fraud, just as every other step in the electoral process is corrupted.

Acknowledging these facts doesn't mean we shouldn't vote. I think it's incumbent upon us to vote so as to make tipping an election the wrong way impossible to conceal. Criticizing voting machines is no less valid or necessary than is criticizing * or the GOP platform. None of these is necessarily defeatist.

[Armstead]

13. I agree that they are not mutually exclusive

Certainly people are caoable of walking and chewing gum at the same time.

However, what I am referring to is the tendency sometimes to use that as either an all-purporpose excuse for losing or (as is the case at the moment) to promote a sense of fatalism that whatever our side does is automatically doomed because of it.

[Orsino]

14. We ARE doomed because of it.

I just hope like hell that enough people voting can undo the enormous "it" that no one likes talking about.

[Armstead]

15. Half-right

The half I disagree with -- "We are doomed because of it"

The half I agree with -- I just hope like hell that enough people voting can undo the enormous "it"

I also disagree that it's not a matter of "no one likes talking about." I am not averse to talking about it. I think that's necessary. However, I seperate using it as an excuse from dealing with it realistically.

Corruption and miscounting has been part of the electoral system since the first vote was ever counted. It's nothing new. It's current form should be dealt with. But not using it as an excuse for defeat -- or as an excuse to give up or become excessively cynical.

[Orsino]

16. This is the conundrum.

Citizens get the government they deserve and work for.

[greeneyedboy]

17. assume whatever you want, but stay ACTIVE, not PASSIVE, and encourage others to do the same.

stay active and focused, even if you don't assume everything will be counted fairly. if we don't win in a fair fight, we sure as hell can't win with a few cards stacked against us.

this article describes the cards stacked against the Dems, and concludes that with an 8% lead in generic national polls, there is no way we can lose (and with 3% or more, it is extremely unlikely we would lose). if it's not close, it gets harder and harder to steal--think about the logistics. read the article and keep working to preserve our lead.

. . . .http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/10/25/13291/514">The system of da{m}s {and} levees that Republicans have in places (maps, voter suppression, fundraising, media, GOTV) appears incapable of withstanding a blow of gr{e}ater than eight percent. In what had been a fairly static, evenly divided nation from 1992-2004, that advantage of up to eight points was overwhelming, as we slowly depressingly learned over the past decade. That advantage was also why narrowly targeting the swing via triangulation was a nearly hopeless crusade for Democrats, since we needed a big win to break the system. However, with a wave of greater than eight points, not only can we take control, but we can also smash much of the Republican power system. We can dismantle the K-Street project, redraw maps, shift the media, shift fundraising, make real electoral reform--the works. We can significantly reduce the eight-point, built in Republican advantage by taking control, which will come in very handy should the nation revert to an even split. So, when you are watching generic ballot polls, keep the number 8 in mind. Anything above, and we should have blue skies up ahead.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/10/25/13291/514

[freeplessinseattle]

18. Thank You! I don't get the pont of these posts

obstensibly the authors are trying to "help" us by preparing our delicate psyches, or to inform us of something anyone who reads DU can't help but know. or maybe it is a cry for help and a good therapist.

[Stinky The Clown]

19. Speaking of votes, you have mine .......

..... for the Greatest page!

I could NOT agree more with every single word you said.

[TexasLinda]

21. Yes! And vote early if possible.

There's less stress, and if you're hit by a beer truck before election day your vote still counts.

[Califooyah Operative]

22. The only way to be absolutely sure your vote doesn't count is to not vote!!! nt

[IdaBriggs]

23. "Vote Miscount is Already Happening in MO"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2494271

A friend of our family's went last Friday to early vote in Maplewood, MO. He voted for Claire McCaskill, but each time he, the election worker, and the election supervisor pressed the screen for Claire, the screen said he had voted for Jim Talent.

(snip) The thread is up on Daily Kos -- http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/10/26/132240/14 -- but fortunately, I'm *sure* that this is just an isolated incident.

:sarcasm:

[McCamy Taylor]

24. Election fraud is in the works already. We should not be naive.

I am going to start a thread about how I know that Election fraud is already in the works.