Roger Ebert on "Free for All"-now clear enough that it may have been stolen

[mod mom]

Free for All


/ / / October 2, 2008

by Roger Ebert

I'm getting tired of being angry about the 2004 Presidential election. It is now clear enough that it may have been stolen. The vote totals in Ohio are particularly suspect. Florida in 2000 you know all about. But did you ever seriously focus on Ohio 2004?

You perhaps have vague memories of a controversy about polling machines. And confused voters. And how the chairman of George Bush's Ohio campaign was the Secretary of State, in charge of overseeing the election. And how the state awarded a $100 million contract for voting machines to Diebold, whose chairman attended a strategy session at Bush's Texas ranch, hosted a $1,000-a-plate dinner for Bush in his mansion, and told the press he would do whatever he could to ensure that Bush won Ohio.

You may have missed some details. Such as, that Kenneth Blackwell, the GOP Secretary of State/Campaign Manager decreed (1) that a vote not cast in your precinct would not be counted; (2) that all precinct lines be redrawn; (3) that the new precincts would be explained on the Secretary/Chairman's web site, which unfortunately was six months behind in being updated. Some voters actually found their way to the right place, such as a school gym, but didn't know that as many as four precincts were voting there, so that mathematically three of four were in the wrong lines and voted in the wrong precinct. Of course the Republicans efficiently informed their mailing and e-mail list members of correct voting sites.

-snip

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/REVIEWS/810049997/1023



If you haven't seen this film yet, it's not only informative but highly entertaining! The director appeared at a preview in Columbus. The film was very well received.

[MissWaverly]

1. well, there is only one way to stop this: accountability

as long as the thieves see this as a college fraternity prank, it will keep on happening.

[RC]

3. Yeah, politics is only a game anyway,

so what's it matter who wins, there's always next time. :sarcasm:

[MissWaverly]

8. yes, if we had a recount or impeachment

we would not have had the Iraq War or the current bailout of the banks Bush pushed to deregulate in 2003.

[BeFree]

14. If only

... had the system been set up to protect our votes none of those things would have happened. Hopefully we will change all that and restore democracy.

[Mike Nelson]

2. Thumbs Up!

strange, but I didn't care for much of his movie reviews... oh, well!

[mod mom]

7. the movie was done in a sort of Michael Moore style. I think the humor helped

people get through this painful history. As someone who lived through this first hand and has seen multiple movies on the subject, I think this one can reach a broader audience.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

4. K&R.

[dhpgetsit]

5. Ohio 2004 was rigged at many levels

There was an aggressive voter caging operation going on. The distribution of voting equipment was designed to make it harder to vote in predominately Democratic precincts. The machines were clearly tampered with or rigged in some cases.

Some of us have been screaming about it ever since, but almost nothing has really been done about it.

Now we have the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division actually doing a 12 month tour of duty WITHIN THE UNITED STATES??? Posse Comitatus has been suspended and a very ugly chapter in our nation's history could be unfolding.

I'm not really trying to scare everyone, but we must not allow this election be stolen like the last two were! This has to be an absolute landslide! Get out the vote! Vote as if your life depends on it!

[mod mom]

6. WATCH IT FREE HERE:

http://www.freeforall.tv/

[jtrockville]

11. I contributed $4.95 to download the mp4. I plan to watch it tonight.

What a fabulous way to distribute a flick!

[Kurovski]

9. K&R. (nt)

[tbyg52]

10. Woo hoo! Someone in the mainstream gets it! nt

[FlyingSquirrel]

12. k/r

[OakCliffDem]

13. Kick