...And We Have To Stop It.
I am aware that we, as Progressives are being inundated with so many issues that it's difficult to see which end is up. Over on the East Coast, the Leiberman/Lamont campaign has people fired up; The Gulf Coast is still a mess, awash with corruption far as the eye can see (though that can argueably be said about the whole country); Kansans running for the State House are all of a sudden 'cutting & running' to switch party affiliation (Rethuglicans to Donuthincrats) ; Texans are trying to replace Tom DeLay with yet another criminal, and everyone I know well, is up-in-arms about 9/11 (we won't go there currently). But in California, a little noticed but somewhat discussed, special election in June is what I think we need to focus on.
Give me just another moment of your time.
This 'other stuff' is important, but if we don't begin acting now to get the DNC and the DCCC to DEMAND that the voting machines (to be used in 90% of the elections in November) be made tamper-proof, all the grassroots in the world will not save another election from being stolen by the criminal right-wing thugs currently in charge.
I realize this is not a 'sexy' story. Not a fight that gets your hackles up. But we already know that getting Democrats to the polls in great numbers is like herding cats. We need every vote to count. How many times have you heard," My vote won't count anyway..."? It would appear that this, is indeed ,true if the party mechanics now in place are allowed to continue on their present course.
A little backstory and some links to find out for yourself that this IS what we need to be doing.
This election in San Diego's CA50 is bogus. And this isn't just about California or Mexico. Brad Blog has all the details and links:
http://www.bradblog.com/
This BradBlog article is a good place to start:http://www.bradblog.com/?p=3002
And please watch the video of Catherine Crier:http://www.bradblog.com/?p=3056
Another easy-to-do thing is listen to the Air America show "Ring of Fire" the 07/08/06 show.
This great show is hosted by Robert F Kennedy Jr. and Mike Papantonio. The first segment is on tort reform (which you can skip or not) and the rest of the program focus is on democratic stategies for the upcoming elections and the voter fraud scandal. Please try and listen to this program and lets begin to find the energy and resources to get back our votes. Here's the link:
http://www.airamerica.com/premium/podcasts.php?type=free the interview with Brad starts at 1:03:30
I really believe that this administration is now and has been, changing the very structure of our Democracy. They are re-making and instutionalizing the changes that are at base, the structural paradigms of how Our country operates. Well, they're not gonna take it without a fight.
And I guess my time is up. Thanks for listening. Now go check this stuff out.
I'm going to do some research and come back with some links and a strategy for taking back the country. I'll post on it in a few days. Please remember , WE NEED EVERYONE TO HELP. If you don't pitch in , who will?
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11 comments:
Swim, Right on. Democracy is definitely under attack. The machines are wacked, and ChoicePoint is busy scrubbing voter roles not only in this country but in Mexico, as we saw last week. And of course the mainstream media are complicit, since they won't lift a finger or utter a single unkind word about these thugs.
muscle
Thanks for checking in and you are so right. Mexico has all the same players on board that 'did' Ohio, including Choicepoint. I have had to prioritize where I spend my energy. I have huge issues in regard to Iraq (Hubby there now)and 9/11 and the list goes on. But if we don't get some measure of control back in DC, things will only get worse. Media Matters is doing a little something on the voting machines front but as I said in my post, I'm trying to formulate now how and what to do to mobilize enough roots support to change the DNC and DCCC policy on not correcting the problem.
Your post was great, as always, you are a pioneer.
just heard you on the malloy show podcast, best wishes, hope you might check out my blog in the future.
www.911blogger.com
-dz
Yes, focus is key. One can't be all things to all people all the time. The voting machines are certainly a real problem, and worth one's energy.
Greg Palast's Armed Madhouse is a must-read on the whole voter-suppression/electronic gaming/caging list business. It is a tricky issue for a couple of reasons. One is that there is not a single "gotcha" point of attack; what they are doing is using several different approaches to either suppress of cheat away small "wedges" of voters/votes. Another reason that it is tricky is that the media is afraid of the issue. If it turns out the elections are illegitimate, then what use are the pundits and reporters, since we'll have no choice but to take the fight to the streets?
Jim
Thanks for stopping by, if you return PLEASE check out the links in this post. The Catherine Crier video is priceless.
Oh yeah...the Greg Palast book. Its on my 'todo' list. Thanks for reminding me. I have heard him interviewed a few times and I know he's cutting edge on this issue. Thanks again Jim.
Right on - the left pannel of the WSJournal a week or so ago had an editorial on how whites are discriminated against at the polls...you know, since people were talking about the Voting Rights Act.
Maybe after Diebold rigs enough elections for the GOP to keep both houses something will be done about this.
Bookmarking the site - I like that you cite references often...w/ school and twin 1 year olds, I tend to get lazy.
Al Swearengen
www.deadissue.com
Best of Mike Malloy...it's how I found you Swim! ;-) Keep up the good work... and of course I welcome visits (and comments of course) too. http://truthdowser.blogspot.com/
Thanks.
IMPORTANT!!!
PEOPLE OF TEXAS...LISTEN UP!!!
These are the FACTS. The state of Texas is actually a MAJORITY DEMOCRATIC State. It is actually a BLUE state. The reason why we show up red is because, for such a largely populated state, only 29% of it's population will go and vote. The 29% of the people that actually get out and vote are Republicans. I am a Precinct Chair in a large district in Dallas. If EVERYONE OF US gets registered and actually votes, we can change the government in Texas. It is up to YOU!!! Thanks to Swim for this blog! I heard you on Air America radio. Great job! This is my very first blog, so forgive me if I have broken any rules. PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD TO OTHER BLOGGERS IN TEXAS. TEXAS CAN BE GOOD AGAIN!
My best,
wgifan
wgifan
Thanks for stopping by and for you comments. I'm an absentee voter in another state and haven't the first idea what to do about Texans and their voting habits.
I went this week to 'Drinking Liberally' here in San Antonio and was more than a bit disappointed at what I perceived to be a "lack of political will" to put it diplomatically. There seems to be interest in local issues to some degree but no real national consciousness.
Coming from a liberal and political hotbed-of-a-city like San Francisco, and now living in a conservative city like San Antonio, I'm still suffering from culture shock.
If you have any suggestions or strategy that's been effective for you in the Dallas area, please let me know. There are a couple more events I'm gonna check in search of 'like minded' Liberals, and would be more than happy to set up some roots works here.
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