Jesse Jackson on election-reform

[Eric J in MN]

I'm not a fan of Jesse Jackson, but some people have been posting that Jackson said Bush won fair-and-square, and I'm posting this to set the record straight.

Chicago Sun Times
http://www.suntimes.com/output/jesse/cst-edt-jesse23.html
No change in no-account system

November 23, 2004

BY JESSE JACKSON

Four years after the vote scandals of 2000, our system of voting remains a disgrace. Faulty machines that provide no paper record, obscure obstacles to registration, partisan state election officials using their office to exclude voters, millions of votes uncounted, millions more citizens stripped of the right to vote -- the evidence of systemic malfunction is overwhelming...

Poor technology, registration obstacles and tactical suppression of voting at the state level routinely deprive several million Americans of their vote in federal elections. Roughly another 8 million American citizens, a majority of them racial and ethnic minorities, are disenfranchised by law, a situation that will not change without an amendment to the Constitution. This includes over 570,000 draftable citizens living in the District of Columbia who lack any voting representation in the Congress, although they pay more in federal taxes per capita than the residents of every state but Connecticut.

In addition, 1.4 million ex-offenders have paid their debt to society but are permanently disenfranchised in thirteen states, mostly in the Deep South. This mass electoral suppression discriminates against blacks and Latinos. In Florida, more than 30 percent of all African-American men are permanently disenfranchised. In Texas, more than 20 percent. In Virginia and Mississippi, about 25 percent.

There are more than 4 million American citizens living in the federal territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands who have no right to vote for president and no voting representation in Congress, even though they are citizens, can be drafted and serve in the armed forces. My favorite congressman, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., has proposed a constitutional amendment to create a national right to vote. The RainbowPush Coalition is going to organize across the country to educate people about the reality, and push for the amendment.

[pointsoflight]

1. I'm confused.

Didn't JJ say just a couple of days ago that the election was "fair and square"?

I do like what he says here, though.

[Eric J in MN]

2. This article was probably finished a couple of days ago, to

be published yesterday.

So if he said the electon was "fair and square" a couple of days ago, then he was sending mixed messages.

[jamboi]

11. I think I heard him on TV say something like it was "fair & square". Glad

that he's changed his mind. He could be a huge mover in this. I saw an editorial in Louis Farakan's publication Sat. too that focused on the racist nature of the election fraud. All I can say is its about time. Where's Oprah?

[jbond56]

13. which one

Jr. or the father said that on tv?

[ebayfool]

17. junior n/t

[tinfoil_beret]

3. Flip Flop eom

[darthdemocrat]

4. welcome back to reality, Jesse -eom-

[MelissaB]

5. and....

It's about damn time!

[dzika]

6. Chicago Sun-Times: Jackson rallies for Ohio vote probe

Chicago Sun-Times

http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-ohio28.html

Jackson rallies for Ohio vote probe

November 28, 2004

BY STEPHANIE ZIMMERMANN Staff Reporter

-snip-
"The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition are
planning to hold rallies today and Monday in Ohio to press for an
investigation of alleged voting irregularities in the closely
contested state."

[sepia_steel]

7. God I feel stupid

Quote:
"There are more than 4 million American citizens living in the federal territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands who have no right to vote for president and no voting representation in Congress, even though they are citizens, can be drafted and serve in the armed forces."

I didn't know this, nor did this ever even cross my mind. Shame on me!!

And how was this allowed to begin with??? I feel like a fool. But this does make me incredibly angry.

(Better late than never, I guess.)

This has absolutely got to change.

[Hobbes199]

9. It's because the President is chosen by the states.

This is on purpose. They would need to petition congress to become states.

[fasttense]

19. They have to become state to vote for Pres (or at least be cheated)

I lived in Puerto Rico for four years and there seems to be a large group who want to be part of the US but then there is a vocal group who want to remain a common wealth. It is up to the people in those territories to decide.

[Cowboy Joe2k]

8. Please Blow Life into Democracy. Please please save it for kids.

"I am committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president." - Walden O'Dell, Diebold's CEO in a fundraising letter to Republicans, Fall 2003. O'Dell and other Diebold Senior Executives are Republican "Pioneers", which is the designation you get when you raise over $100,000. Brothers Bob and Todd Urosevich co-founded ES&S, another voting machine company, before Bob became President of Diebold Election Systems. His brother Todd is a Vice President of ES&S, the #2 vote machine maker, and is also a "Pioneer". According to campaign finance records at OpenSecrets.org, of the over $240,000 given by Diebold’s directors and chief officers to political campaigns since 1998, all has gone to Republican candidates or party funds. Is that partisan enough for you? Well, what about calling them unethical?

http://www.chuckherrin.com/HackthevoteFAQ.htm

The People with the paper ballots had the most rights as Voters. they could have their votes recounted if necessary. The voters that have the least rights were the ones that used the paperless ballots. the Diebold Employees or the "Super Voters" as I will call them from now on.

There is you class split.

Under the 14th amendment each states electorate must be proportionately reduced by the number of the "Disenfranchised"

The second option would be to call the registered voters who used the paperless machines back to the poles to vote for what would be their first time. ON PAPER BALLOTS.

All people Black and white Should stand up and restore Democracy. No matter who wins, we must restore democracy! Bush should be behind my second solution it would put an end to the dispute. and if there was no tampering, he will win, but you can not unify the country otherwise.

[dzika]

10. Cincinnati Enquirer - "Jackson questions Ohio election tally"

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041128/NEWS01/411280435

The Enquirer (Cincinnati.com)
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Jackson questions Ohio election tally

By Reid Forgrave
Enquirer staff writer

-snip-
"The Rev. Jesse Jackson is to lead rallies in Columbus today and in
Cincinnati on Monday to encourage Ohio to seek an investigation of
the presidential vote. Jackson is to speak at Integrity Hall, 2081
Seymour Ave., Bond Hill, at 8:30 a.m. Monday."

[sepia_steel]

12. Quote

"This is on purpose. They would need to petition congress to become states."


I understand that, of course. But if they have no rights to choose their leadership, and in fact it's chosen for them, then we shouldn't be able to send them into any of our battle fields unless it is by their own choice.

[SueZhope]

14. THANKS!!!I loved this part of the article....any day Kerry might surface

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041128/NEWS01/411280435

When asked why it was him, not the Democratic presidential candidate, who is demanding an investigation and recount, Jackson implied that Sen. John Kerry could become more vocal soon about an investigation on the Ohio vote or a statewide recount.

"Kerry was inclined to believe what he was told, and he was told the election was over," Jackson told a group of reporters in a conference call Saturday afternoon. "But now we're unearthing information that did not surface at first. I suppose the more information Kerry gets, the more you will hear from him."

[Cranial_Improvement]

16. Kerry is too quiet.

There is almost nothing in the news about Kerry or Edwards. Is this the calm before the storm? Is the Online Journal piece by Wayne Madsen http://babyurl.com/CWxrDY going to be featured by anyone else in the press? It's getting late. I don't want to listen to bush the lesser take a oath of office again. I want him with his hand on the bible saying he will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.......Yada, Yada, Yada, before being led off to a cell in irons.

[NVMojo]

18. another freeper attempts to crawl up our butt cracks ...

[SueZhope]

15. Shouldnt this be latset breaking news??

The fact that Jackson says(below) ..........this seems HUGE!!!

When asked why it was him, not the Democratic presidential candidate, who is demanding an investigation and recount, Jackson implied that Sen. John Kerry could become more vocal soon about an investigation on the Ohio vote or a statewide recount.

"Kerry was inclined to believe what he was told, and he was told the election was over," Jackson told a group of reporters in a conference call Saturday afternoon. "But now we're unearthing information that did not surface at first. I suppose the more information Kerry gets, the more you will hear from him."

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200...

[goclark]

20. Link didn't work -what happened at the rally?

This link may work better, if not try doing
it to the end of the ,com and keep searching for the political news of the day.


http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041128/NEWS01/411280435

[Eric J in MN]

22. That LINK

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041128/NEWS01/411280435

[Eloriel]

21. Your link is bad -- can you fix it? n/t

[Eric J in MN]

23. that LINK

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041128/NEWS01/411280435

[texpatriot2004]

24. Thanks for the link Jackson says we could hear more from

Kerry soon as more information about election irregularities surfaces. The Rev. said Kerry was told the election was over, but since then many problems have been uncovered. Thank you Rev. for your candid comments.