Executive Director of National Election Reform Commission Goes Ballistic

[Twist_U_Up]

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001337.htm

"If you're trying to make sure you are heard," he yelled at us on the phone, "you've been heard! But we're not going to work with you because you are harassing us!"

"How is individual email being sent by individual American Citizens to let you know that they find it absurd that the man responsible for ensuring the votes of Americans would never be counted in the 2000 Election would be appointed as co-chair of a secretly formed Election Reform Committee?...That there couldn't be a more inappropriate choice for the job...how is that harassment?" we asked him.

ROBERT PASTOR: You are harassing us. And we're not going to talk to you, or anybody in your group. We've heard you, but unless you turn off that email, we're not going to...

BRAD BLOG: You are receiving mail from Americans who are letting you know how they feel?

RP: It's the same message over and over again.

BB: They are welcome to add any text they like as a P.S., but would you feel better if we removed the text and let them write whatever they wanted?!

RP: No. We are not going to talk to you, you've been heard, but we're not going to talk to you.

BRAD BLOG: You keeping saying you've "heard us", but what have you done about it? Have you made any changes to the commission? Anything at all other than giving us lip-service that "we've been heard"?!

RP: The commission is done, we're not making any changes.

BB: So what good is "hearing" us?...If we take down the page where Americans can Email you -- you asked on your web page for input from Americans after all -- will you place Velvet Revolution or any of our affiliates on the commission? Since not one of them -- over 100 Election Reform and Voting Rights groups -- was even invited to participate in this commission?

RP: The commission is done, we're not making any changes to it. It's closed...What you are doing is harassment...Stop the harassment, sending us the same Email over and over again.

BB: We're not doing any such thing...Those are individuals sending you email...

RP: It is not individuals! We've received thousands of Emails and they were sent from only about 6 or 7 people only!

BB: Wait, wait, wait...What are you talking about?!...Do you have any evidence of that, sir? Do you have one single iota of evidence to make that claim that the thousands of emails you're receiving are in fact from "6 or 7 people"?...Do you have any evidence? ...Why don't you try replying to a few hundred of those notes, and see if they bounce back, or see if they get to people and you get a reply back...Those are thousands of Americans who are trying to have their voice be heard!, Bob!...That's the only way they can be heard since they've been shut out of this commission entirely! People who have been working for months and years on the very thing your secret commission is supposedly working on!

RP: Well, they are not going to be listened to.

BB: So, you are suggesting that somehow, for some reason, you should have more power over our American democracy than any other American Citizen? Are you kidding me?!

RP: Well, apparently I do have more power because otherwise you wouldn't care so much about what the commission is doing.

BB: Yes, we care, because it's an important commission...It needs to happen...Such a commission is necessary, very necessary...but the way this thing has been fixed and stacked...

RP: It is not stacked.

BB: Who appointed the members of that commission?

RP: The members of the commission are Republicans and Democrats and individual non-partisans...

BB: Who appointed them to this commission?

RP: You have a problem with three or four of the commission members and one of the academic advisors, but there are probably more Democrats than Republicans on the commission...

BB: I don't care how many...This isn't about Democrats or Republicans, Bob. There should be Republicans on the commission...We have no problem with that! What we do have a problem with is Bush/Cheney and Voting Machine Representatives...is the lead attorney from the Kerry/Edwards campaign on the advisory board, Bob?

RP: No he's not. But there are people on the Right that have problems with all the Democrats on the committee.

BB: I don't give a damn about the...There's no problem with Republicans on the committee, Bob...It's not...

RP: Do you know who won the last election?

BB: Uh...Not really...Do you?...

RP: You don't know who won the election?

BB: Not really...I wish I did, but...

RP: The Republicans won the Presidency! And both houses of Congress, the House and the Senate!

BB: How do you know that?...

RP: Look, if you...

BB: How do you know that, sir?

RP: Look, if you think you speak for 51% of the American people you are wrong, you don't...

BB: How. Do. You. Know. That. Sir?...How do you know the Republicans won?!

[Missy M]

1. So much for the idea this is a democracy and the American people..

will be heard. The only thing anyone in Washington ever says is 'we hear you' and then they go about their business doing whatever they damn well please. This has got to stop!!!!

[texpatriot2004]

2. I wrote them and told them what I think of their commission and

the sham of an "election" we had.

Thanks Brad.

Keep up the good work. We're with you.

[annabanana]

3. this was last April.....

Why post now?

[applegrove]

4. Come on guys - Chins Up! They are trying to make you apathetic

with their talk of diebold and stirring that pot.

State by State the governments are getting transparency laws into place. Diebold was used to suppress votes by long line ups. The Exit Polls were dicked with in more places than diebold counties. And in more elections that Bush has run in - in just the last two.

They use this as a hammer to bash you over the head again and again. Don't take the bait.

Much easier to play with the exit polls. Much much easier. And it leaves no trace. Plus - any forward looking manipulator would know it would make the Diebold (new technology) scarier. And build distrust between the left & the right in the Democratic Party.

Because that has been the neocon plan all along. They join up with conservatives - give them kool-aid. Then diminish the Liberal name. Then they smash the Democratic Party in two using various kinds of fear.

Don't get apathetic. Don't let them win.

They only do the voter suppression games that will not get them prosecuted.