BBV: Please help....edit this

[shirlden]

I wanted to do a one page, simple handout that would get people interested in the BBV and maybe start asking a few questions. At the same time give them a suggestion that is simple to do. (Keep it simple stupid) Please read and comment, correct, whatever.

BLACK BOX VOTING: A BEGINNERS GUIDE

“The vitality of America’s Democracy depends on the fairness and accuracy of America’s elections. Every registered voter deserves to have confidence that the system is fair and elections are honest, that every vote is recorded and that the rules are consistently applied.”
George W. Bush, October 29, 2002, on the occasion of signing HAVA (Help America Vote Act)

HAVA mandates the use of electronic voting machines in every precinct in America, and Congress has agreed to allocate $3.9 billion of taxpayers money to partially fund the purchase of these machines. The total bill could come to over $5 billion and will be paid for by tax monies at either the Federal or local level. Does this significant expenditure give every voter the confidence that the system is fair and elections are honest ? Are electronic voting machines accurate and are the rules consistently applied? There are only three possible answers to both questions. No. Maybe. Who knows ?

SECRECY: What was once our sacred secret ballot is now a privatized, secret balloting system. No voter, no citizen’s group, no elected official, no academic expert, no one representing the public common welfare is allowed to examine or inspect the voting machines or the software code operating those machines. Instead of trusting the local precinct worker who we may personally know, or the county Board of Election folks who are in the public servant category, we are told that we must trust for profit private corporations.

VOTE FRAUD: Vote early, vote often. Stuff the ballot box. Buy my vote. Election tampering has always been a part of our ongoing democratic experiment. Computer driven voting machines escalate this potential for vote rigging to a new degree. The voting machines run on the same Windows platform as your families PC with the same modems (connected or wireless) and the same software, except for the proprietary software written and kept secret by the voting machine company. This is equal opportunity vote fraud. Anyone can do it. Not just a Democrat or Republican, but the mafia, the French Intelligence, your local geek hacker.

To be honest, here, it would not be easy for an outsider, just possible. However, for an insider and that includes everyone working for the company building the machines and everyone involved in the election process from state level to precinct level have an opportunity to manipulate the ballot and vote counting procedure. That’s a whole lot of people to put your trust in when it would only take just one. Scared yet ?


WHAT CAN I DO ? This is easy. Call, e-mail, write your congressperson and tell them to support House Bill # 2239 by Congressman Rush Holt. This bill requires that each machine produces a paper ballot to be used in case a recount is necessary. If this is too difficult then in the next election vote by absentee ballot. We must have an audit trail and we must have a means of verifying the vote. Vote as though your freedom and your country depended on it because it does and this could be your last opportunity to cast a secret ballot and have it recorded and counted honestly.

[TrogL]

1. nitpicking

"honest ? Are"

No space after "honest". I see you're buying into the latest fad of one space after punctuation. This is incorrect and unreadable.

"Are electronic voting machines accurate and are the rules consistently applied?" run-on sentence

'There are only three possible answers to both questions. No. Maybe. Who knows ?'

s/b

There are only three possible answers to both questions; "No", "Maybe", or "Who knows".

"French Intelligence, your local"

French Intelligence or your local

"honest, here, it would " take out ", here,"

"and that includes everyone working for the company and everyone involved in the election process from state level to precinct level " s/b in brackets

"because it does and this could" - run on sentence

[Eloriel]

10. One space after a period is NOT a fad -- it's typesetting standard

Once compueters took us from monospace (Courier-type) output (as from old typewriters) where an "l" took the same space on the page as an "m" to variable width "type," the two spaces after a period were no longer needed. In fact, anyone using the 2-space convention on a computer looks extremely amateurish and out of touch.

Also, your idea of a run-on sentence is odd indeed. I'm seeing compound sentences, not run on sentences. A run-on sentence isn't even a complete sentence, which (if I even recall) is defined by having a subject and a verb (and if it's a compound sentence, two subjects and two verbs).

Eloriel

[Bossy Monkey]

2. OK

BLACK BOX VOTING: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE

“The vitality of America’s Democracy depends on the fairness and accuracy of America’s elections. Every registered voter deserves to have confidence that the system is fair and elections are honest, that every vote is recorded and that the rules are consistently applied.”
George W. Bush, October 29, 2002, on the occasion of signing HAVA (Help America Vote Act)

HAVA mandates the use of electronic voting machines in every precinct in America, and Congress has agreed to allocate $3.9 billion of taxpayers' money to contribute to the purchase of these machines. The total bill could be more than $5 billion and will be paid for by tax monies at either the Federal or local level. Does this significant expenditure give every voter the confidence that the system is fair and elections are honest ? Are electronic voting machines accurate and are the rules consistently applied? There are only three possible answers to both questions. No. Maybe. Who knows?

SECRECY: What was once our sacred secret ballot is now a privatized, secret balloting system. No voter, no citizen’s group, no elected official, no academic expert, no one representing the public and the common welfare is allowed to examine or inspect the voting machines or the software code operating these machines. Instead of trusting the local precinct worker who we may personally know, or the county Board of Election folks who are public servants, we are expected to trust for-profit private corporations.

VOTE FRAUD: Vote early, vote often. Stuff the ballot box. Buy my vote. Election tampering has always been a part of our continuing democratic experiment. Computer-driven voting machines escalate this potential for vote rigging to a new degree. The voting machines run on the same Windows platform as your family's PC with the same modems (connected or wireless) and the same software, except for the proprietary software written and kept secret by the voting machine company. This is equal opportunity vote fraud. Anyone can do it. Not just a Democrat or Republican, but the Mafia, foreign intelligence agencies, or your local geek hacker.

This is not to say that it would be easy for an outsider, just possible. However, insiders, and that includes everyone working for the company building the machines and everyone involved in the election process from state level to precinct leve,l have an opportunity to manipulate the ballot and vote counting procedure. That’s a whole lot of people to put your trust in when it would only take just one. Scared yet ?


WHAT CAN I DO? This is easy. Call, e-mail, write your Congressperson and tell them to support House Bill #2239 sponsored by Congressman Rush Holt. This bill requires each machine to produce a paper ballot to be used in case a recount is necessary. If you do not feel able to contact your Congressperson, then in the next election vote by absentee ballot. We must have an audit trail and we must have a means of verifying the vote. Vote as though your freedom and your country depended on it because it does and this could be your last opportunity to cast a secret ballot and have it recorded and counted honestly.




Further notes: you need to give Rush Holt's state and party affiliation; you might want to rethink advising people to vote absentee, since these often aren't counted unless it's a very close election. Other than that and many minor typos, fine job.

[LearnedHand]

3. Hi, SD

Do you mind if I suggest this one thing? If this is aimed for the average Jane/Joe who goes to the polls, the writing is way too technical and not "folksy" enough. (Think "Harry and Louise.") What I mean is, you need to strive for a "let's-chat-about-this" tone.

If you like, I can download the entire thing and edit a bit. I'll be happy to send it PM if you like.

[shirlden]

5. By all means.....

Go for it

[LearnedHand]

4. EDITED (?!?) -- see my post above

BLACK BOX VOTING: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE

“The vitality of America’s Democracy depends on the fairness and accuracy of America’s elections. Every registered voter deserves to have confidence that the system is fair and elections are honest, that every vote is recorded and that the rules are consistently applied.” – George W. Bush, October 29, 2002, on the occasion of signing the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)

Well, there we have it; the “Help America Vote Act.” At last, we’re going to have decent, fair elections. No more month-long recounts. Right? But hold on. I think we need to look closer at this law that’s supposed to help us vote (whatever that means).

HAVA (fancy government word for Help America Vote Act) says every voting place in America has to use electronic voting machines. And of course, Congress intends to pony up $3.9 billion to help pay for this. That means you and I are going to help buy these wonderful machines (the entire bill could come to over $5 billion!) from our federal and state taxes.

Feeling better yet? More confident that our elections are going to be fair and honest? After all, computers are going to be counting our votes…. But who’s going to make sure the voting machines are accurate? That they’re counting and recording votes according to the rules? Turns out, we can’t answer these questions. Want to know why? Because the voting machines are being developed by private companies, all of whom claim the software that runs the machines is private property! No one, not even the government, can inspect the software!

SECRECY: Americans have always cherished their right to vote in a secret ballot process. Now, private, shareholding companies are going to be responsible for our elections. And let me repeat, no one – no voter, no elected official, no citizen’s group, no professor, NO ONE – can inspect the machines or the software that run them. Out goes the local precinct worker – our neighbor whom we’ve known for years – out goes the county Board of Election folks. Now we have to trust our elections to private, for-profit corporations.

VOTE FRAUD: We all remember the stories from earlier generations: Vote early, vote often. Stuff the ballot box. Buy my vote. Election tampering was the order of the day, and we’ve always been on the lookout for it as part of our ongoing experiment with democracy.

But now, these computer-driven voting machines allow nearly unlimited opportunities to rig the vote, and no one will ever know! These voting machines run on – you guessed it – Windows! The same Windows platform as on your family’s PC. Same modems. Same software (well, except for that secret “proprietary” voting software, owned and kept secret by the voting machine corporation)! Of course, we know how secure the Windows platform is. Just ask the people who wrote the Blaster and SoBig viruses.

This is a perfect setup for equal opportunity vote fraud! Anyone can tamper with the votes. Not just a Democrat or Republican, but the mafia, the French Intelligence, your local geek hacker, the newest terrorist cell. Anyone who has enough knowledge to break into the software!

To be honest, here, it wouldn’t be easy for someone to break into the software, but it’s possible. And considering how many people work for the corporation building the machines, and how many are involved in the election process, that’s a whole lot of people to trust when you’re casting your vote. After all, it would take only one tampering with the software to change the outcome of the election. Scared yet ?

WHAT CAN I DO ? This is easy. Call, e-mail, write your congressperson and tell him or her to support House Bill # 2239 by Congressman Rush Holt. This bill requires something extremely simple and sensible: that each machine produce a paper ballot – in addition to the electronic vote – in case a recount is necessary. Paper ballots make so much sense! Our democracy ran on them for the better part of 200 years, and it’s a simple means to make sure we never have an election like the one in 2000. Vote as though your freedom and your country depended on it, because it does! This could be your last opportunity to cast a secret ballot, have it counted honestly, and recorded accurately!

[shirlden]

6. I like it !!!!

Thanks,
Will edit down some so it will fit on one page. I worry about giving anyone too much to read because they won't take the time to do it. Also thought it may be a good idea at the bottom to say something to this effect.....Don't take my word for it....Google and do your own research. Someone want to play with that wording. I'm tired and brain dead.

:kick:

[LearnedHand]

7. Again, GREAT IDEA!

When you're done, please post the final text. I'd like to hand it out around here!

[RedEagle]

8. Corrections in Double Brackets

BLACK BOX VOTING: A BEGINNERS GUIDE

“The vitality of America’s Democracy depends on the fairness and accuracy of America’s elections. Every registered voter deserves to have confidence that the system is fair and elections are honest, that every vote is recorded and that the rules are consistently applied.”
George W. Bush, October 29, 2002, on the occasion of signing HAVA (Help America Vote Act)

HAVA mandates

<[HAVA does not mandate. If a state wants federal money, they have to follow the HAVA protocol. In those rules, states could even still use punch cards, if the instiute a voter education program>]

the use of electronic

<[no, it only requires getting rid of punch cards and lever machines, to be eligible for federal money>]

voting machines in every precinct in America, and Congress has agreed to allocate $3.9 billion of taxpayers money to partially fund the purchase of these machines. The total bill could come to over $5 billion and will be paid for by tax monies at either the Federal or local level. Does this significant expenditure give every voter the confidence that the system is fair and elections are honest ? Are electronic voting machines accurate and are the rules consistently applied? There are only three possible answers to both questions. No. Maybe. Who knows ?

SECRECY: What was once our sacred secret ballot is now a privatized, secret balloting system. No voter, no citizen’s group, no elected official, no academic expert, no one representing the public common welfare is allowed to examine or inspect the voting machines or the software code operating those machines. Instead of trusting the local precinct worker who we may personally know, or the county Board of Election folks who are in the public servant category, we are told that we must trust for profit private corporations.

VOTE FRAUD: Vote early, vote often. Stuff the ballot box. Buy my vote. Election tampering has always been a part of our ongoing democratic experiment. Computer driven voting machines escalate this potential for vote rigging to a new degree. The voting machines run on the same

<[No, they don't all. Accupoll uses Linux and is open source>]

Windows platform as your families PC with the same modems (connected or wireless) and the same software, except for the proprietary software written and kept secret by the voting machine company. This is equal opportunity vote fraud. Anyone can do it. Not just a Democrat or Republican, but the mafia, the French Intelligence, your local geek hacker.

To be honest, here, it would not be easy for an outsider, just possible. However, for an insider and that includes everyone working for the company building the machines and everyone involved in the election process from state level to precinct level have an opportunity to manipulate the ballot and vote counting procedure. That’s a whole lot of people to put your trust in when it would only take just one. Scared yet ?

<[The big difference here is ONE person can commit MASSIVE vote fraud>]


WHAT CAN I DO ? This is easy. Call, e-mail,

<[fax also, do all three>]

write your congressperson and tell them to support House Bill # 2239 by Congressman Rush Holt. This bill requires that each machine produces a paper ballot to be used in case a recount is necessary. If this is too difficult then in the next election vote by absentee ballot.

<[And demand recounts and pay for them if results don't sound right>]
We must have a <[voter verified>]

audit trail and we must have a means of verifying the vote. Vote as though your freedom and your country depended on it because it does and this could be your last opportunity to cast a secret ballot and have it recorded and counted honestly.

<[Physical, tangible EVIDENCE of your vote is necessary, not bits and bytes in a computer>]

[shirlden]

9. Thanks RedEagle

I am aware of the mandate issue. It seems that every article, in every paper, has the word "mandate or requires". I went back to the original Hava and read it again. Can see where people are getting this idea. It is a foggy issue if you read the whole thing. Anyway, I do agree that we should not mis-speak or someone will call us a Repug.
I am going to do it over and use more of nm3damselfly's stuff. See above.
Will post here when finished. Hopefully tomorrow.

:hi: and thanks all