The Ohio Recount Really Doesn't Mean All That Much

[Harlan James]

And honestly, I'm beginning to think that we'd have been better off without it.

The only way this thing is going to turn around is if some truly courageous and conscience-stricken soul emerges from the bowels of Diebold or some such vile place with an armload of tapes and computer chips that prove beyond a doubt that the election was fixed.

The numbers that are being recounted are post-fix. This recount is the equivalent of going back into the barn to search for a horse that left a long time ago. This is an after the fact exercise that will only appear to prove the GOP contention that those complaining about the Ohio election result are foolishly (and self-indulgently) wasting both the taxpayers' dough and the time of those who have to do the actual tabulations.

The votes that are being recounted have already been screwed with, and this recount will do nothing to change that. In the end this exercise will only serve to give credibility to the very people who could have fixed the presidential election of 2004.

And that is very unfortunate.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. That may or may not be true

But credibility in the system is far more important.

[prof_science]

2. You know.

I hate to agree with what you say, but I've been having the same sickening feeling.

You're right, I think, to say that the evildoers have had much too long to cover their tracks. My main feeling right now is one of anger that election fraud issues weren't addressed (I mean, seriously addressed and remedied) in the last four years, and dread that they will continue to not be addressed in the next two, four, six years.

It feels more like Orwell every day, though somehow I am able to cling onto some hope...

[jamboi]

3. Not! The revelations yesterday already having effect. n/t

[On the Road]

4. I Could Be, But it Depends on How Fraud Was Done

Crimes are never perfect. There could be a slip-up at some level. The investigation could go further than the Republicans expected.

Some of the methods that have been discussed here, such as the creation of ghost votes, would mean reported totals would not synchronize with the physical ballots. If there is a court order to examine the voting machines, trojan horses could be discovered. There are many possibilities.

The more the Democrats shake the tree, the greater the chances something will fall out.

[prof_science]

5. Yes.

Thank you for pulling me somewhat back from the ledge. I do agree that we must "shake the tree", even if tracks have been covered. The only alternative is not shaking the tree, and that is not acceptable.

Sorry for my defeatist post above. Just sometimes...
NGU

[Harlan James]

9. I Doubt That The Massive Conspiracy It Would Take...

...to pull off a scam this large could hold its water for long.

If I am wrong I will be the happiest sinner in church, believe me. But I don't think that is going to happen.

I just can't help thinking things are far worse than anyone here cares to discuss. And recounting votes in Ohio isn't going to reveal very much about anything that really counts.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. I agree, but only to a point.

There's no doubt in my mind that Blackwell has been busier than he's ever been in his life covering up the crimes. I further suspect that most of the crimes have been sufficiently hidden to allow a cursory inspection to turn up nothing.

But, the flip side is, if anything at all turns up, it could trigger much deeper looking. Maybe, just maybe, we can get into the software.

What can't be covered up would be the voter suppression efforts. That should probably turn up some good shit for us.

In the end, I have not had hope it would turn to our side since maybe November 3 or 4. However, maybe the even bigger issue is that we can get back to a fair (or at least *more* fair) election process nationwide.

[dbfl33040]

7. correct

Finally, you are absolutely right!!!!!!!!

[nickshepDEM]

8. I Agree.

I can hear Hannity and Limbaugh now "we won the first time, we won the second time, and we will win the third time if you would like to waste more taxpayer money to prove us right, again."

[inezcardozo]

10. Report from someone who will be counting votes in Ohio

A former university colleague of mine--Ohio State
University--who will be counting vote in Ohio emailed me the
following yesterday:
"One of the Franklin County Democratic board of election
persons was on WOSU radio talk show, and he explained his
problem this way. He said that Blackwell has the power to
remove any one of them from their positions anytime. He said,
for example, that until just days before this election,
provisional ballots were counted as long as the person was
registered in the county [where] they were submitted,
regardless of precinct because provisional ballots are
typically cast by people who have moved who don't know any
longer what precinct they are in. Blackwell has always allowed
this until just days before this election so Franklin County
had to disqualify a lot of ballots they would otherwise have
counted. He said if he didn't go along with this, Blackwell
would have had him removed. Then he went on to say that
Blackwell might have him removed because he was on the radio
saying this. The man has too much power. What do they say
about power corrupting those who have too much? I learned
yesterday that Ohio Wesleyan students who stayed in the same
buildings but switched roommates and therefore rooms during
the semester we denied their right to vote, the claim being
that they changed their addresses...."