|
Never!
While there is still even the remotest outside chance that we can get our votes counted, that we can monitor and challenge suspicious results (see USCountVotes.org), or change election officials' minds and get them to back away from this corruption (see VotersUnite.org), or overwhelm the election fraud with masses of new voters, we MUST REMAIN ENGAGED.
This is our MECHANISM OF POWER--our ONLY mechanism of power. This IS our democracy, and giving up on it is a HUGE DECISION, that most of us here are NOT PREPARED to make. We see hope in PEOPLE, who want good government. We see hope in the progressive MAJORITY that we know exists--there are amazing polling statistics that back that up--but which has no voice in the war profiteering corporate news monopolies, and has been disempowered and DISENFRANCHISED, while the minority rightwing has been given a big trumpet way out of proportion to their numbers.
There is also the scenario of overwhelming them with our numbers--which we did, successfully, in '04, but not enough (and there was little consciousness of what they were doing; now there is!). We needed a 15% to 20% margin, not the 5% to 10% that Kerry actually got. There is only so far they can go with electronic vote theft without risking exposure, and losing this valuable and lucrative election theft tool. They have to make it look SORT OF right--in some cases anyway.
You will notice that, in 2004, they HAD the capability of producing a phony Bush blowout, and they DID NOT DO SO. The win they manufactured was a modest one, compared to what they could, theoretically, have pulled out of their magic hat--a 3% margin over Kerry (the exact opposite of the exit polls, which Kerry won by 3%--the Bush margin derived by using Diebold's and ES&S's secret, proprietary vote tabulation code, and the Kerry win of the exit polls being more reliable due to the pollsters' relative independence). (Note: This does not count suppressed votes, purged black voters, etc. which would have bumped Kerry's margin up several points. He likely won by at least 5%.)
Anyway, you see what I mean. In an election where Republicans have a safe parameter of say, 3%, that they can steal without much fear of detection, YOUR VOTE COULD BE VITAL. They DO have to have people GO to the polls in order to steal an election!--and if you were to bring two or three new voters to the polls with you, and others did the same, you COULD STILL BEAT THEM.
The Dems had a blowout success (mostly due to grass roots fervor) in new voter registration in 2004, nearly 60/40. Obviously, we've got to make that 70/30 or better, to overcome the fraud.
Just like women and racial minorities, Dems are going to have to work harder, much harder, to win--because they begin with a handicap of X% of the votes that Repubs are going to manufacture or steal, or suppress.
And there are many strategies and projects being worked on to restore transparency in our elections, and to closely monitor the next elections, and challenge them.
Don't give up, donsu! Never give up! Join these efforts! We're fighting for our democracy, and yours. It's yours to fight for, or lose. Or, if you've decided to give up, please give us a better explanation than depression, or the size of the mountain we have to climb.
Yes, the voting is rigged--in a more difficult way to overcome than has ever been the case before--but elections over the last several decades have also been rigged in various ways, chief among them by money (large donors being able to buy elections). We have THAT to solve, too--but first we have to solve this more fundamental and more recent problem: EASILY riggable, non-transparent elections.
-----
Good web sites for information and action:
USCountVotes.org: They have a plan to monitor the 2006 elections, and be ready with statistical info to help challenge any questionable results. They need donations!
VotersUnite.org: (Note: .org NOT .com). They publish an excellent pamphlet called "Myth Breakers," which simply and clearly explains the problems with electronic voting, and how to fix them. They urge you to send this pamphlet to all election officials and other reps.
Freepress.org, Bradblog.com and Solarbus.org are also excellent sites for election information.
-------
We need...
Paper ballots hand-counted at the precinct level (--Canada does it in one day, although speed should not even be a consideration, just accuracy and verifiability)
or, at the least...
Paper ballot (not "paper trail") backup of all electronic voting, a 10% automatic recount, very strict security, and NO SECRET, PROPRIETARY programming code! (...jeez!).
--------
IT'S NOT OVER YET! Think of the years and years and years that black citizen had to struggle for full citizenship. Think of the 30 years Nelson Mandela spent in jail in South Africa, before he emerged from jail to become its first black president! We may have a long way to go, but we have some golden examples of courage and endurance to inspire us.
|
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
