What Hope is there for 2006? 2008?

[Jack_Dawson]

We can raise all the money in the world, but if the republicans are making the machines and counting the votes...what does it really matter? Not trying to rain on everyone's parade, but is there a reason to be hopeful? Just wondering.

:shrug:

:beer:

[GR]

1. McLaughlin Predicted Dems Would Take Back House In 2006

said Bush has glass political jaw...

[Skink]

3. Howard Dean

:smoke:

[autorank]

29. He does have a glass jaw and now we've got some punchers.

Boxer punched...she's doing just fine.
Reid punched...doesn't seem the worse for wear (and he's a hero here)
Dayton punched...jury is out but he'll rally

Let's get some more welterweights with good basics and endurance.

I believe that 2006 could by like 1994, but for us if we get the voting thing so spotlighted they don't dare eff with us.

[rockymountaindem]

2. I don't see any.

And as for McLaughlin, how can we erase a 35 seat deficit in one election with all the gerrymandered districts?

On edit: To be honest I'm just waiting it out until my generation (those under the age of 25 right now) take things over from the boomers and gen-x. Nothing against mom and dad, but since their generation has been voting things haven't been good for our party.

[simcha_6]

5. Right On!

Only a couple more years, and then our generation's going to clean this mess up!

(Though with the way the world is, the social conservatives will think of some new group to persecute after we win the gay rights war. Who do you think it will be?)

[The Doctor.]

8. Hopefully NAMBLA. n/t

[OKNancy]

12. You have it backwards

First thing is your generation doesn't vote.
2004 results:

Age 18-34, 44% voted
Age 35-54, 63% voted
Age 55-74, 71% voted
Age 75 and up, 67% voted

Secondly, younger people are MORE conservative than older people.
The over age 50 crowd votes Democratic, under 50 vote Republican.

This is from 2003, but things haven't changed.

During the past election cycle, we looked closely at voting patterns to help design our campaign strategy and discovered that the older half of the electorate - people over 50-were far more Democratic than the younger half (those under 50). According to both an August 2002 Washington Post poll and an October 2002 Gallup poll, voters over 50 were strongly Democratic while voters under 50 were marginally Republican. The Post poll also showed that voters over 50 trusted Democrats more to solve the country's biggest problems, while those under 50 felt just the opposite.

A comparison of the 1996 and 2000 presidential elections, based on Gallup's post-election surveys, shows the practical implications of this trend. Surprisingly, George W. Bush and Bob Dole received the same percentage of the vote among voters over age 50 (45 percent). Bush ran 17 percent better than Dole among voters under 30 (47 percent vs. 30 percent) and 22 percent better among voters between the ages of 30 and 50 (53 percent vs. 31 percent).

http://www.youthvote.org/news/aug03/083103-shift-pew.htm

-----
On edit: Here is an article about how college kids are more conservative. The highest year of self identifying as liberal was
1971 --- yes the baby boomers.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2004-01-25-freshmen-politics-usat_x.htm

The problem is not with the boomers, it's the younger voters.

[rockymountaindem]

20. I think you're mistaken.

As my generation ages it will vote more consistently, and our children will be the non voting youth. Besides, it won't matter how much the current crop of 75+ voters go to the polls in 30 years. They won't be voting anymore.

As to your reasoning about older people being more liberal, that's incorrect. The only age block won by Kerry nationwide was the under 30 crowd. If you look at only those voters, Kerry would have also won; Ohio, Florida, Colorado, Mississippi and Missouri (I think) and would have had over 320 electoral votes.

[Hippo_Tron]

16. Gingrich did it

But the groundwork had been laid in previous elections. 1994 was only the high point.

[Just Me]

4. The radical right-wing is actually our greatest hope!!!

Besides, hope is something no one can buy or steal since it is based upon one power everyone holds: the power to choose.

[CuriousA]

6. Heres some hope

Well...I am one of those elusive Independent (in Texas) voters and I would like to register to become a Democrat. Can someone point me in the right direction and also, if I register as a Democrat, do I HAVE to vote Democrat?

Thanks

[The Doctor.]

10. No reason to change anything...

You can always vote for who you want except in the primaries where a number of candidates from one party are vying to become their party's representative candidate for whatever office.

Otherwise you can vote for who you want in general elections.

Switch parties only if you feel strongly about voting in the primaries for a particular party.

I'm a Republican and always vote in Rebublican primaries, but that doesn't mean I have to vote for a Republican in the generals.


Oh, yeah - welcome to DU.

:hi:

[Just Me]

13. In some states, a registered Independent's choice in the primaries,...

,...is limited. If I were you, I'd call my country clerk and ask what the consequences are as a registered Independent in the primary election.

With respect to the general election, you have the choice of voting for whomever you choose.

[newyawker99]

33. Hi CuriousA!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Texas_Kat]

35. Texas does not 'officially' register voters into parties

There is no 'official' party voter registration in Texas.

Anyone (of either 'party') can vote in either primary. The closest you come is that when you vote in the Democratic primary, you get "democratic' stamped on your voter registration card.

Otherwise, just go to http://www.txdemocrats.org and find a Democratic organization in your area and get to work.

[On Par]

7. It's A Great Question.

And one to which there is no answer unless the Fourth Estate investigates, find wrong-doing, and thereby forces the Republican Run Congress to act. Maybe it will take a "Deep-Throat" to lead them by the nose, but if, as an example, the NY Times kills a story about Bush because the Kerry campaign isn't complaining, we shouldn't hold our breath.

Every polling place in the United States should have identical voting machines with paper trails. They should require the same voter identification. And they should utilize the same rules and regulations for tabulation.

Until then, like you, I see little hope.

OP

[Warpy]

9. DFA meetings

are putting together a grassroots organization, and that's really what we need right now. A big enough organization will be able to take the party back from all those corporate hacks.

As for 2006, who knows? It all depends on whether or not there's a special skills draft and how much social security gets chopped up.

What we have to do now is start contacting state lawmakers, organize a movement through the DFA meetups to get paper ballots in all states, eliminate those hackable machines with no paper trail.

If we don't have fair elections, we don't have anything.

[Disturbed]

11. Diebold now has paper trail machines in the works.

Aren't you surprised that they couldn't have them before the election? Duh!

[Ashamed_American]

15. Diebold still doesn't quite get it...

<snip>

"Even so, paper records alone are not enough to satisfy computer scientists who say transparency in the electronic machines' design and software must complement paper backups."

http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/02/ap/ap_2020605.asp




www.BlackEyedSundays.com

[Hippo_Tron]

18. If done properly, the paper trail is the perfect solution

Your ballot is printed out of the computer (so that there is no errors in filling it out) and you look at the paper copy. If it looks correct, you deposit it in the ballot box, if it is incorrect you talk to a poll worker who can help you fix the problems. The paper trail would over-ride the electronic count if any candidate wants a recount.

[moggie12]

14. They can't steal elections if it's not a squeaker

Like the Bush-Kerry race was right down to the wire. Tons of my middle-class friends, family and neighbors voted for Bush -- on purpose!!! Yes, they were brainwashed by Bush/Rove/media propaganda. We need to help Harry Reid, Barbara, Boxer, Howard Dean & the other Dems fight back. If you're not already signed-up, consider getting on the Seante Dem's web mailing list:

http://democrats.senate.gov/

P.S. Enjoy your beer.

[Hippo_Tron]

17. Exactly, BUT...

We need to get them out of office before they become entrenched enough to steal races that aren't close.

[moggie12]

24. That is the truth!! n/t

[Hippo_Tron]

19. Dean made a VERY good point, we need to start focusing on SoS races

Because they count the votes. State legislatures are also very important.

[Just Me]

21. Dean's BEST point was about "empowering the people",...

,..which is WHY he is so threatening *LOL*!!!!

He is an advocate for an empowered people.

All those who have been "manipulating" people to empower self-interests are threatened.

My response: too freakin' bad, don't expect me to be sad!!!!

Dean cannot be "labeled" because he is FULL METAL JACKET AMERICAN!!!

He is principled and a protector!!!!

He doesn't piss on people's ignorance like the neoCONspirators.

He doesn't take advantage of people's loyalty like the neoCONspirators.

He VALUES the American people, UNLIKE THE NEOCONSPIRATORS!!!!

[Hippo_Tron]

26. Well man, I don't think that he's the second coming of Christ

But there's no doubt that he's a step in the right direction.

[shance]

27. What some people don't realize is that empowering everyone empowers

everyone* and takes less stress off of every body from the element of survival all the way up to being obsessed and consumed with hoarding money and things.

It's the fear that erodes a healthy society and that comes from the huge imbalances between living standards.

What I find interesting is if we cant take the money and possessions with us, why the obsession to keep all of it and not try to balance the imbalance, in order to maintain a false power that keeps people isolated and alone?

[Massacure]

22. Bush has low political capitol, he is always begging congress for things.

The republicans are divided. If us democrats can take advantage of it, we have plenty good of a chance.

[julialnyc]

23. 2006 GOODBYE SANTORUM!!!!

I think we should hard at that one!

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

31. Oh, please, oh please, oh please....let my state be cleansed of him. nt

[Jack_Dawson]

32. What were you guys thinking...

electing that dweeb? Then again, what was MY state thinking electing Ahnold. Yeah come to think of it...nevermind. :beer:

[shance]

25. Hi Jack. You win the prize for best DU question for today.

The truth is this is the problem. We can look everywhere else for an answer, however the answer remains in removing the machines and going back to paper ballots and same day manual recounts.

This will require citizen/community involvement, which is why our strength lies within our local parties and being involved in our local parties. Tip O'Neil said "all politics are local". That has been our biggest mistake in allowing more power and focus to come from the Federal branches.

Our power and focus need to return to spreading the word about how our votes have become privatized and what we need to do about it
along with more local community building and less focus on the 2006*and 2008 elections for now. They will be bought if we don't deal with the machines and companies that have purchased them.

Nothing will change until we deal with the problem which is the companies that now own our votes.

Each county should maintain their constituents' votes and not companies with a vested interest.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

28. AMEN. BBV is the ANTI-CHRIST. And CIA-steered media matrix. Must fix!

The BBV/neocon/Dominionist alliance has us totally locked out of power.

We must eliminate rigged electronic voting, totally controlled media, and lobotomizing public schools. Only then can we MAYBE elect some leaders for a change.

We MUST RE-HUMANIZE the Repubs and cross the divide intentionally created between us by divide-and-conquer fascism. This Red vs. Blue meme is part of the scam and must be rejected. But with KNOWLEDGE, not just warm fuzzies.

What is working against us is that Americans have been lied to and brainwashed for almost 100 years to make Repubs think 'like that.'

Psychology became weaponized by the robber barons like John D. Rockefeller and used to
a) design public schools
b) sell lots of crap
c) sell politicians
d) control the mainstream media for a,b,c

Here are some details:

1) Kerry won. Electronic voting machines and voter suppression stole the election...again. Dems won the last four presidential elections.

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0225-05.htm
(Diebold, Electronic Voting, And the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy)

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/KEE501A.html
(The Strange Death of American Democracy)
Someone here at DU actually found the evidence of hacking in the Cuyahoga County vote totals. It's there for all the world to see but to no avail.

2) Basic psychology has been used as a weapon against the masses for almost 100 years to hide the truth from us from the day we are born.

http://www.thedoctorwithin.com/index_fr.html?content=articles/doors_of_perception.html
(Why Americans Will Believe Almost Anything)

http://www.rationalrevolution.net/articles/rise_of_american_fascism.htm
(The Rise of American Fascism)

http://www.mackwhite.com/tv.html
(The TV Hive Mind)

http://www.tscm.com/CIA_PsyOps_Handbook.html
(1979 Army Manual 33-1 Psychological Operations in Guerrilla Warfare)
This weapon has actually been used on the American people as though they were the enemy of the White House. They are.

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0712-01.htm
(Trading on Fear)
Wars and cars have been sold to us with this basic tool.

3) Public schooling was designed by robber barons in the early 1900s with the intention of turning out obedient worker drones and cannon fodder who are afraid of each other and welcome a police-state.
It works.

http://4brevard.com/choice/Public_Education.htm
(The Shocking Origins of Public Schools by John Gatto)

http://www.sntp.net/education/education.htm
(How Psychiatry & Modern Psychology Subvert
Education, and Harm Children and Society)


4) The mainstream media has been completely controlled to create a fascist mentality that blindly follows the fuhrer for over 60 years now. That's three generations of brainwashing to get to this point where they STILL have to steal the election.

Operation Mockingbird has had the CIA massaging and working in the ENTIRE MSM for over 50 years now! This is an old old story which is being minimized into the 'Few Bad Apples' technique of damage control due to the internet.
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/MOCK/mockingbird.html
(Operation Mockingbird: The Subversion of the Free Press by the CIA)

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-overclass.html
(The Origins of the Overclass)

>snip<

MOCKINGBIRD was extraordinarily successful. In no time, the agency had recruited at least 25 media organizations to disseminate CIA propaganda. At least 400 journalists would eventually join the CIA payroll, according to the CIA’s testimony before a stunned Church Committee in 1975. (The committee felt the true number was considerably higher.) The names of those recruited reads like a Who's Who of journalism:

* Philip and Katharine Graham (Publishers, Washington Post)
* William Paley (President, CBS)
* Henry Luce (Publisher, Time and Life magazine)
* Arthur Hays Sulzberger (Publisher, N.Y. Times)
* Jerry O'Leary (Washington Star)
* Hal Hendrix (Pulitzer Prize winner, Miami News)
* Barry Bingham Sr., (Louisville Courier-Journal)
* James Copley (Copley News Services)
* Joseph Harrison (Editor, Christian Science Monitor)
* C.D. Jackson (Fortune)
* Walter Pincus (Reporter, Washington Post)
* ABC
* NBC
* Associated Press
* United Press International
* Reuters
* Hearst Newspapers
* Scripps-Howard
* Newsweek
* magazine Mutual Broadcasting System
* Miami Herald
* Old Saturday Evening Post
* New York Herald-Tribune

>snip<

That's why there was a blackout on election fraud again. TOTAL CONTROL.

Has anyone talked about Operation Vigilant Warrior? The NORAD exercises 'simulating' multiple hijacked planes crashed into buildings the morning of 9/11? No. TOTAL CONTROL.

http://www.oilempire.us/wargames.html
(9/11 Wargames Before and During the Attacks)

The NYT just edited the transcript of Rice's damning tsunami remarks at her confirmation hearing out of the online transcript. Why? Someone at the NYT is helping out the neocons. TOTAL CONTROL.

Just before the Em-poor-er's Inaugu-urination recruiting speech TIME magazine ran a cover story about young men who still live at home with the shaming headline 'Why Won't They Grow Up?' This was intended to push them into the military. TOTAL CONTROL.

Does anyone think this is a coincidence? These MSM organs are STILL all part of the Mighty Wurlitzer of organized propaganda that shape the attitudes of Americans so they will drive around and buy crap or pick up a gun and kill on command.

Americans have no idea what is going on and most of what they think they know is wrong. This gives them the innocence of ignorance, something Ward Churchill failed to articulate clearly and got crucified over. Sad but true.

[Jack_Dawson]

30. Very Thorough

So what can we do?

[GOPBasher]

34. Let's shout from the rooftops to get a transparent voting system in place.

[Jack_Dawson]

36. I'm at work right now

but when I get home I'll get on my roof. :-)

[GOPBasher]

37. Me too. I always post here when I'm at work.

If they catch me I'm so fired. Oh well, I addicted. :shrug:

[Jack_Dawson]

38. Me2

Thank God we don't have Websense (knock knock knock).