[Vision2020] World's Greatest Democracy!

[Tbertruss at aol.com]

All:

As far as I can tell, unless I misread, the article posted by 
jeanlivingston at turbonet.com starts out mentioning blackboxvoting.org, but does not mention 
this site again, nor address the specific evidence offered at that site 
regarding fraud with electronic voting machines.  My journalism teacher would have 
jumped all over that!

The evidence that there were various violations of the Voting Rights Act in 
2000 and 2004 is indisputable to anyone who looks at all the facts.  And beyond 
this, continual monitoring and questioning of the conduct of anyone involved 
in the voting process, and the fallibility of the machines of voting, is an 
ongoing process not given sufficient attention in the USA, that is fundamental 
to improve our voting systems and ensure that fraud or error does not happen in 
the future.  

Even if the preposterous notion that there was no fraud at all in 2004 by 
anyone was true, we still face a voting system with unfair varying methods with 
differing error rates when counting votes, lack of monitoring of those charged 
with maintaining the integrity of voting systems, such as the absentee ballot 
process, underfunded and understaffed voting systems in some areas of the USA 
that unfairly impact the minorities and the poor, a voting system that renders 
voting too difficult or restrictive for many to find the energy or time to 
participate (polls should be open till midnight), lack of enforcement for 
violations of the Voting Rights Act, clearly evidenced in Florida in 2000, when 
felonies were committed regarding absentee ballot applications, and an apathetic 
electorate that, though we did see an increase in participation in 2004, is a 
mockery of what participation should be in the so called "world's greatest 
democracy."  

I would like to know what sort of a "democracy" we have when 24/7 shopping is 
a priority in all urban areas, yet on the one day we elect a president, only 
once every four years, the day we participate in and celebrate our democracy 
with the most important act that our system of government is based on, people 
get locked out of the polls because they show up past 8 PM?  A pathetic joke of 
a democracy, that's what kind.  A system more obsessed with consumption of 
goods than encouraging all to participate in choosing our leaders.

Whether fraud and/or violations of the Voting Rights Act in 2004 would have 
changed the presidential outcome, as it certainly did in 2000, is in the final 
analysis not the main reason to vigilantly address every shortcoming in our 
voting systems.  I applaud everyone who is involved in trying to expose possible 
acts of fraud in our voting systems, even if they make mistakes, unless they 
are deliberately and maliciously spreading disinformation, something 
politicians, political parties or the Bush administration would never do, right?  

Fraud indeed! 

For those who do not know the details of the Voting Rights Act:

http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/intro/intro.htm

For those who want to investigate the numerous problems and violations of the 
Voting Rights Act in Florida in 2000, with suggestions on means of remedying 
the problems:

http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/vote2000/report/main.htm

This statement below, quoted from the article jeanlivingston at turbonet.com 
posted about vote fraud, is rather incredible.  No one in Ohio engaged in any 
intentional fraud or tampering?  Oh, right, not that Hoffheimer saw with his own 
eyes.  Only a naive fool would believe that no one in Ohio engaged in any 
intentional fraud or tampering in the last election.

"We know this was an emotional election, and the losing side is very upset," 
said Daniel Hoffheimer, the lead lawyer for the Kerry campaign in Ohio. But, 
he said, "I have not seen anything to indicate intentional fraud or tampering." 


To present the facts regarding the fraud and errors in election 2004 I'll 
wait till the research on this election has been conducted more thoroughly.

Ted Moffett

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