My conversation with Steny Hoyer and Brazile 15 min. ago (Blackbox voting)

[Epoch]

Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) the House Minority Whip was at my college today for a Board of Trustees meeting. Earlier I noticed 3-5 men with ear plugs in a Ford Expedition around the meeting area. Since my school is in the middle of rural Southern MD, a bunch of friends of mine and me (who were playing frisbee golf) looked at each other and said "WHAT THE F***"

An hour later I walked by again and saw Steny. 4 months earlier I saw him and asked him about rush Holt's bill. He wasn't sure then about the costs so I said:

Me: "How's it going Congressmen?"

SH: "Great, how are you?"

me: "Have you given any more thought to Rush Holt's bill"

SH (as he stopped to talk, 2 men from the truck jumped out and approached, he sounded a bit hurried): "Actually we had a meeting with all the civil rights people yesterday about the bill and problem. We are concerned with it, but we don't know if Rush's bill is effective."

Me: "what do you mean?"

SH: "Well, all voting systems are subject to misuse. If we're going to use a paper trail and check recounts from the machine, if the machine has already been tampered with, the recount will be messed up as well. It wouldn't be effective" (something to that extent)

Me (looking incredulous): "But the paper trail would show the voter that their vote has been counted, and provide officials with a separate way to conduct recounts." (He was in a hurry and said they were looking into it and talking about it)

That is a good sign,. They know of the problem.

Well, 2 weeks ago Donna Brazile spoke at my school and talked a lot about the problems of black box voting. She is definitely concerned about it and she e-mailed me a few days ago (no kidding!) saying she is pushing for the issue to be addressed. She e-mailed me because I handed her an anyone but Bush bumper sticker and asked her to please please please contact me about working to help our nominee out this summer.

Anyone who wants to call Steny have at it. If he signs on, many more will!

my report,
-Epoch

[Eloriel]

1. A word of warning re Steny

He was one of the original sponsors of HAVA -- and after all this time, I no longer think he's necessarily innocent. At the very least, any further legislation on the subject points out how INADEQUATE his original bill was.

But worse than that, and someone really ought to research this, he had to have been hobnobbing with a gazillion of the industry's lobbyists as he drafted that damn bill.

Good work, tho!

[leftchick]

2. I am surprised about Donna's reaction...

I had the distinct impression a few months ago it did not matter to her. This is progress!

[RedEagle]

3. Bogus Argument

Notice he's using the tactic of saying the paper ballot would be in question. Needs to answer how that could be if the voter verifies it as correct.

And with the newer systems, it's very hard to stuff a ballot box.

Very troubling, if he doesn't get it or chooses to misinterpret.