Can someone review the text of my letter to my friends? Feedback?

[ClintCooper2003]

Dear friends and family, this is a very significant time in our democracy. Right now, there is an effort underway to challenge the election results in Ohio. And there is also an effort underway to thwart that challenge.

Just yesterday, in a hearing that took place in Columbus, Ohio, some extremely serious allegations were made about possible vote tampering at the Franklin County Board of Elections.
(here's a link to the article: http://www.bluelemur.com/index.php?p=490)

Additionally, sworn testimony was given by a computer programmer named Clint Curtis, who used to work for a Florida-based company called Yang Enterprises. In his sworn testimony, Curtis stated that Tom Feeney, a Florida Republican with ties to the Bush family, asked him to write a prototype for software that would rig election outcomes.
(Here is the link to the video of his testimony from yesterday: http://home.comcast.net/~clotheshorse1967/video/curtis121304.wmv)

Furthermore, the original exit poll for the presidential race in Ohio, released on CNN.com after the polls had already closed, is now available online at exitpollz.org for all to see. This original exit poll showed John Kerry winning Ohio by about four points. Exit polls are highly accurate measurements of election outcomes and are routinely used as a check on democratic institutions.

Yet, the mainstream media has been largely silent on the issue of possible voter fraud in Ohio. They have been silent about the fact that Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell (who also happens to be the chairperson of Bush's reelection campaign in Ohio) has largely stonewalled in the face of queries about his highly questionable and possibly illegal actions before, during, and after the election on Nov. 2.

Currently, a group of Congressmen, helmed by John Conyers of Michigan, are actively investigating voting irregularities in Ohio. Additionally, an attorney named Cliff Arnebeck has filed a lawsuit challenging the results of the election and accusing the Bush campaign of "high-tech vote stealing."

If you are as concerned as I am about the possibility of fraud in this election, then please visit http://www.cnn.com/feedback/ and let CNN know how significant it is to report on the current investigations in Ohio.

I believe that no American truly wants an electoral process tainted by a lack of transparency. All Americans, whether conservative, moderate, or liberal deserve to have completely fair elections, free of active partisanship. Please pass this on to every American you know.

[ClintCooper2003]

1. kick

[crispini]

2. I like it. n/t

[hiley]

3. Very good

and to the point. Hopefully they will want to help.

[americanwhothinks]

4. Advice from writing teacher...

Choose what you like, lose anything/everything that doesn't suit you!

1. In general, let reader decide. Tell them specifics, and they will decide if the allegations are "extremely serious." Readers prefer this kind of independence/autonomy.

2. In general, lay out down least controversial claims first-- ie, let them know about stuff that "common sense analysis" can't refute.

3. Stick with facts--leave out theory. Easy to dismiss a given idea with "conspiracy theory," but difficult to deny numbers. I'd offer the weird facts, and might save the wilder stories for those who are interested.

4. Might offer a little info that would get reader to ponder meaning of "irregularities," "glitches," etc. The FACT that they all favored Bush may make reader wonder.

5. I'd include basic voter suppression stuff as well. Many people don't even know about lines, all the foul play we take as a given! (it's astounding...)

well, choose/lose as you wish!
-- wendy

[ClintCooper2003]

7. Thanks, I appreciate it.

[MasonJar]

5. Done! You got my attention; I just visited the CNN website and

gave them a dressing down.

[MarkusQ]

6. I'd leave out the Yang stuff

It still looks (to me at least) like it might be a Rove-ish plant, like the Dan Rather letters. If true, it will come out eventually, and if false, better not to depend on it too heavily.

The voter supression by shorting machines to Democratic precincts, the Waren county lock down, and the rest of Blackwell's shenanigans are much more clearly true, far easier to substantiate, and just as damning. So are the problems elsewhere with machines misrecording straight party votes, losing votes, making votes up...with so much to choose from, I'd stick to the easy to prove facts.

--MarkusQ