Reply #17: Thanks for saying it, IndyOp! I believe in this very strongly--that

[Peace Patriot]

exposing election fraud, and this fraudulent election SYSTEM, will energize people, not depress them--because it explains WHY we had 56% of the American people opposed to Bush's war, way back before the invasion (Feb. '03), and yet we had war anyway; and WHY we have 63% of the American people opposed to torture (May '04) and we still have torture anyway, and WHY, with the opposition to the war now up into the 70%s, the war still goes on, and WHY most Americans want good, responsible, accountable, LAWFUL government that represents ALL of us, and instead have had bad, reprehensible, unaccountable, CRIMINAL government, that represents the super-rich and the nuts, shoved down our throats!

Our government is deaf to the majority of the people. THIS is why. We are suffering under a fraudulent election SYSTEM, in which all the votes are being 'counted" on electronic voting machines, run on TRADE SECRET, PROPRIETARY programming code, owned and controlled by Bushites corporations.

TELL. PEOPLE. THE. TRUTH! And THEY will solve the problem. What is depressing and demoralizing to people is NOT knowing why we have such rotten government.

The people are solving this one--Diebold/ES&S--already. There is going to be a huge Absentee Ballot vote in November, because people DON'T TRUST these Bushite-controlled electronic voting systems, and if NOBODY WILL VOTE ON THEM, then election officials will be forced to reform the system, or resign.

That could be the most important outcome of this election--that electronic voting with TRADE SECRET, PROPRIETARY programming code, owned and controlled by Bushite corporations is fully exposed and rendered UNACCEPTABLE.

As for Diebold/ES&S only mattering in close elections, I'm sorry, Dr. Dean, but that's not true. And, anyway, what a thing to say?

Ohio 2005: Four good election reform initiatives on the ballot, predicted to win by 60/40 margins--flipped over on election day into 60/40 LOSSES! The biggest flipover we've seen yet. The machines and their masters are now dictating election policy! See the Bob Koehler article on it...

Read this and you will never vote on another electronic voting machine in your life:
"Poll Shock," by Bob Koehler (11/24/05)
http://commonwonders.com/archives/col321.htm

Don't tell me they can't do it. They can! They did! But whether it would be smart business for them to do it this time is the question--with so many election reform books, articles, web sites, weighty reports, groups, and passionate activists crying foul, and the Bushites in such a mess with scandal after scandal after scandal. They don't want to jeopardize this extraordinary election theft capability for future uses. They need to hang onto to these rigged machines with tooth and claw, for as long as possible, but they also really can't afford to permit transparent vote counting. So, in a situation in which the Democrats should be wiping the floor with the Bushites, and riding the lot of them out of town on a rail, I expect modest gains. I think we will end up with a combo of Bushite Democrats (like those who voted for torture and suspensions of habeas corpus last week) and outright Bushites, for a continued Bush majority in both houses on most issues, with the real representatives of the American people still outnumbered. And to those of us who complain about Bushite corporations "counting" all our votes TRADE SECRET, PROPRIETARY programming code, they will say, 'What are you crying about now--the Democrats won!"

They'll tweak it. They'll play with it. They'll add a little here, take away a little there, and we might even see some 60/40 whoppers (where they think it's really critical, or where payoffs are due). A few sops thrown our way, but, in the end, an impeachment-proof Diebold II Congress, in which serious investigation of the Bush Junta's mind-boggling list of high crimes and misdemeanors will surprise me. We might see some social/economic gains, though--but remember the emperor's veto. Not much, I'm afraid, this time around.

That is the price we are paying for Tom Delay's and Bob Ney's and Christopher Dodd's handiwork, the "Help America Vote for Bush Act."

Truth. Reality. Cold water. Keep your eyes on the prize--as Martin Luther King used to say. Democracy itself.

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THE ABSENTEE BALLOT PROTEST

I'm hearing reports from all over about a vast increase of requests for Absentee Ballots--a sign of revolt against the machines, and high turnout. See these latest reports:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x453114

One way to promote turnout, and to defeat those disillusioned voters who say "it's all rigged" and don't want to vote, is to ask them to JOIN us in this nationwide protest, aimed at UN-rigging the system, by casting ABSENTEE BALLOT VOTES, and BOYCOTTING these goddamned machines. No excuse not to vote if it's AIMED not just an trying to elect people in a rigged system, but at UN-rigging the system. And if enough people vote AB, we will! They can't defend this rigged system, if NOBODY WILL VOTE ON THEIR MACHINES!

Also, Absentee Ballot voting is the ONLY guarantee, in case of machine breakdowns (frequent), that you will be able to cast your vote!

Do not count on a paper ballot being provided at the polling place. Do NOT vote on "provisional" ballots. And do NOT trust optiscan ballots, unless that is your only option.

Californians have until OCTOBER 31 to request an Absentee Ballot. (The voter registration deadline is one week earlier on Oct. 23). Check local rules and deadlines for other states. Some Absentee Ballots may require two stamps. (Best to hand-deliver or send by registered mail/return receipt requested, or Fed Ex.) Fill the Ballot AND Envelope out very carefully (to avoid disqualification)!

The other things you can do, are just as Dr. Dean lays them out. WATCH the polls. Let these election officials KNOW they are being watched. Take pix, take notes. And do everything else we have to do: get out the vote!

We are, indeed, going into this election with a handicap--just as if we were a prize race horse bearing 20 lbs. more than the other horses. That's the situation. Work with it!

Don't let ANYBODY sit home Nov. 7! Drag them out of their depression and powerlessness with the Absentee Ballot protest!

You can also say: a) big turnout is also important to un-rigging the system, and can sometimes beat the machines; and b) never, never, never, NEVER give up on your right to vote! NEVER!

Bust the Machines--Vote by Absentee Ballot Nov. 7!