Ohio (my state) Democrats, swept into all but one high State office in 2006, are showing they are determined to clean up one of the most corrupt, problem-plagued vote counting systems in the country. The Republican shenanigans (read: criminal acts) most evident in the 2004 Ohio election in which John Kerry's strong lead in the reliable "exit polls" mysteriously(?) disappeared and thrust George Bush into a second term have been so well documented that they will earn a special chapter in "Best Election Thefts of All Time", right behind Florida 2000.
It's no wonder that voters have no faith in the system. Voter confidence in the integrity of our elections is perilously low, and our whole system nationally is threatened as a result. However, we have a new sheriff in town, and Jennifer Brunner, the new Ohio Secretary of State, is kickin' ass and takin' names.
She realizes that the myriad schemes the Republicans employed to steal the 2004 election can't be solved at once, but she's trying her best. One of the biggest problems is with the reliability and security of electronic voting machines, which I have taken to calling VRE's (Votes Ready to Eat). Brunner commissioned a bipartisan study which proved that most, if not all, electronic voting systems used in Ohio can be easily altered to either wipe out votes cast or to swing votes from one candidate to another. Brunner recommends decertifying those machines, among other things.
Brunner has also issued a directive that paper ballots be made available to all voters who want one, as well as several other improvements in the vote handling and counting process. The only thing I take serious issue with is her recommendation that votes be tabulated in central locations rather than in the precincts where they were cast. That is a security weakness, because it will allow vote tampering while they are being moved to the central location. But overall, Brunner is making great progress in restoring voter confidence in our system.
If she keeps going like this, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her head a new national Cabinet position as "Emporer of Election Integrity".
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2 comments:
John this takes me back to the sixtys and the shenanigans (read criminal acts) of the democrats in wv when they bought the state vote lock stock and barrel with delivery on a promise of two brand new county courthouses. Remember the Kennedys.
Anon @ 6:40 AM--I accept what you say because I don't know that you're wrong. And if it's true, it just proves what liberals have always known--that there are dishonest politicians in both parties.We are trying to get EVERYONE to clean up their act and deal with the American people honestly and fairly. We citizens deserve no less. We tend to work through the Democratic party because the Republicans, at this time, are far more corrupt. Occasionally, you will even find a Republican to admit that's true. I've said for forty years that I usually vote Democratic because they'll screw you just like the Republicans, but they'll just do it slower.The problem is that too many politicians of both parties are bought and paid for by "big money",and they will always work to help them, not us. Our whole system needs cleaned up.The bad eggs need to be weeded out and replaced by people of integrity who will work for the people--you and me. Don't you agree?
Thanks for the comment.
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