Kerry: Citizens Need to Pressure Lawmakers for Voting Reforms

[kerrygoddess]

Kerry Says Citizens Need to Pressure Lawmakers for Voting Reforms
10 April 2005

Speaking today at a Faneuil Hall event sponsored by the Massachusetts League of Women Voters, John Kerry “told a crowd of about 100 in Boston on Sunday that all citizens must demand their right to vote and refuse to be intimidated.”

Kerry, who is using crutches as he recovers from knee surgery, said too many voters who tried to cast ballots in last November's presidential election were rebuffed. He said people must push for changes to make sure all voters are treated equally.

"Last year too many people were denied their right to vote, too many who tried to vote were intimidated," Kerry said. "There is no magic wand. No one person is going to stand up and suddenly say it's going to change tomorrow. You have to do that."

Supporters of Kerry have said voting irregularities in a largely Democratic areas made it harder for voters to cast ballots.

More & Links - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=692

[spooky3]

1. self-delete

[stray cat]

2. He is right - they won't act unless they feel enough pressure from us.

[kerrygoddess]

3. Exactly!

We need to keep it up. Glad to hear him pseaking up again about this.

[Melodybe]

4. Sign the petition

www.verifiedvoting.org

[kerrygoddess]

5. Thanks for the link

Not sure if I have signed it before... if so I signed it again!

[Liberty Belle]

10. Is this petition endorsed by Kerry?

Or some political leaders we can trust?

[sandnsea]

15. They're doing good work

They're getting state legislation enacted and that's very good too. Hit it from both sides to make sure we get it one way or another.

[sandnsea]

14. This is kind of comical

Back in Nov or Dec, I said the easiest way to do this was to go at it from the state level. People got really pissed and told me it wasn't possible to get organized enough to get all the states to enact legislation. Hmmm...

(Not directed at you Melodybe, just a comment)

[FreedomAngel82]

9. Exactly

It takes us all to pressure. If only a few people are pressuring what good does that do? We have to write our Congress people, Senators, everybody who has power. I'm glad to see Kerry still speaking about this.

[politicasista]

12. I am too.

:applause:

[kerrygoddess]

6. Photo from event

U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., stands on the stage at Faneuil Hall in Boston, Sunday, April 10, 2005, during a flag ceremony with Victoria Strojwas, with Girl Scouts Troop 9357 of Dorchester, foreground, in an annual online student essay contest awards event, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts. Kerry was the keynote speaker of the event. (AP Photo/Chitose Suzuki)

[kerrygoddess]

7. This is hitting the news wires...

Great to see this is getting coverage!!!

Kerry says Americans need to pressure lawmakers for voting reforms - http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-04-10-kerry-democracy_x.htm?csp=34

Kerry: Trickery Kept Voters From Polls - http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050410/ap_on_go_co/kerry_campaign_lessons_2 & http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3127452

Kerry: Election Reforms Should Be Pushed - http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050410/ap_on_re_us/kerry_campaign_lessons_1 &
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=658106&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0405/219745.html

http://www.wrgb.com/news/regional/regional.asp?selection=article_32367

[kerrygoddess]

24. More in the news... International

http://www.canada.com/news/world/story.html?id=a2023f0c-8968-45b3-a332-1ff3f083efe1

http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Kerry-says-voters-were-kept-from-US-poll/2005/04/11/1113071883122.html?oneclick=true

25. it's even on cnn's US webpage! eom

[kerrygoddess]

26. We need to keep this in the forefront!

:kick:

[bvar22]

8. Better yet, John Kerry,

you lead us.
If you ask us to stand behind YOU on the steps of the Capitol to DEMAND Voting Reforms, myself and several MILLION of my friends will show up!

That's how they did it in the Ukraine.

[kerrygoddess]

11. He is asking people to stand up...

The people took the initiative in the Ukraine. That's what happened there.

If we want change we need to take the initiative here.

[bvar22]

13. The people in the Ukraine had a leader...

...who joined them in the streets. Their leader asked them to STAND with him and DEMAND justice until JUSTICE was delivered. He did not ask his people to phone their opinion in.

If John Kerry asked you to join him on the Capitol Steps, would you come.

I would.

[kerrygoddess]

16. Of course...

But I can't afford the airfare! The economy is killing my business.

[bvar22]

17. Then we will have to be content...

...to continue to write letters to reps, LTTEs, phone calls, and E-Mails, but I'm frustrated after 5 years, and losing hope that these activities have ANY effect.

Was it the CNN poll yesterday that said 94% of Americans believe that they are NOT represenated in our government?

[kerrygoddess]

18. We're all frustrated...

And hopefully we'll all keep doing what we can to make a difference.

I missed that poll, do you have a link?

[bvar22]

19. John Kerry is right.

These laws and reforms must take place on the STATE level. It is up to us to demand the reforms from our local reps, and we are having some effect. Things are slowly turning our way.

Back to the barricades.

[kerrygoddess]

20. So we'll march to our Statehouses!

He is right, it does need to happen on the State level!

[moocho1]

33. We Need A Unified Voting System

There needs to be a federal law that outlines registration procedures that are unified for the whole nation. Now each state can do what they want. GA just passed the ID act that mandates photo id's. A large percentage of seniors don't have photo id's.
What we need is a paper trail, and laws that will make sure that people will be investigated and prosecuted for voter fraud.
There are good organizations working on this. We as individuals must continue to call our senators and representatives. We can't give up. 2006 is around the corner.

[FreedomAngel82]

28. 94%???

Wow.... Truly amazing.

[blm]

30. The Ukraine "protest" was agitated by BushInc operatives. That whole

episode was a powerplay between Bush and Putin and Bush won, thanks to the perception of many on the left that it was a grassroots people movement.

The structure was put in place well in advance to instigate protests depending on the outcome of the vote.

[Catamount]

42. You are so right!

:kick:

[zann725]

34. I agree. He needs to be more specific. "Where" and "when"...

and we'll all be there...in droves.

[lojasmo]

21. "because somehow, we can't figure it out ourselves"

What is this "democracy" of which you speak?

[kerrygoddess]

22. HUH? N/T

[KoKo]

27. Tell him we need big Help here in NC...not seen Edwards/Kerry helping

our little band of folks petitioning the NC House and Senate to make Verified Paper Trails the norm for these machines. In fact we are needing some big time support here because the "old guard" doesn't want the changes in the machines. They think they are great and that folks with disabilities need these machines. :shrug:

Come on Down here Kerry...give us some help. Edwards is busy with his new Foundation and we need all the help we can get..it's very shallow so far from our Dems...and don't even think about Repugs signing on. :eyes:

[kerrygoddess]

29. Send him an email! N/T

[KoKo]

31. ROFL....yeah right.....n/t

[kerrygoddess]

32. Seriously... why not?

Send an email and express your concerns.

[zann725]

35. I have on many occasions. He never answers...not even a "form letter."

EXCEPT when he wants a petition signed, or wants a donation.

I try not to feel jaded about it, but...I at least get form letters or more personal responses from other Reps.

[LittleClarkie]

37. He must get a ton of email

Are you in Massachusetts? I think constituents get first consideration. Snail mail as well might be more effective than email.

But otherwise I imagine he not only gets Mass. constituent mail but also emails from around the country because of his former status as nominee. It's alittle like expecting an answer from Elvis, I suspect, though perhaps not in such numbers.

When I started going down the list to promote Kerry for Minority Leader, I think I got one reply that seemed at all taylored to my email, and that was from Levins.

[lojasmo]

36. Kerry and his clown cabal should have been on this in 2001

Four years later, they still haven't figured out that it's a pressing issue.

What a joke.

[LittleClarkie]

38. Woulda shoulda coulda

doesn't help us now.

Never mind what he should have done, this is what he's doing now. Is it better than saying nothing? I would think so.

What are you doing to further this issue?

To what clown cabal do you refer? His staff? Us on his mailing list? Those sponsoring the election reform bill with him and Hillary? Or were you just after the alliteration?

[lojasmo]

39. clown cabal refers to our legislative branch.

Specifically, the democratic caucus, whose constituents are suffering from voter disenfranchisement.

Too little, too late.

[LittleClarkie]

41. Too legit to quit

perhaps someday, with enough effort, those who repeat "too little too late" will realize that some action is better than no action. The attitude strikes me as being quite defeatist.

So, as I asked before, do you act, or do you mostly criticize?

[lojasmo]

43. Act, mostly.

Ridiculing those who need to be reminded to to their job takes up a miniscule ammount of my time.

It's made SOOOOO easy by those who are awed by every napkin left behind by our legislators.

Please call your legislators and remind them to inhale and exhale.

[LittleClarkie]

44. But if you react to evidence that action is being taken

with "too little, too late" how does that help. Shouldn't positive action be supported? What will it take before "too little, too late" gets put to rest?

Alot of little, and not so little, actions start to add up after a while, you know?

How does ridicule help? How is that constructive?

[lojasmo]

45. This article shows NO evidence of action.

This is more lip service from Kerry.

Reminds me a lot of his speech before congress just before he voted to let the giggling murderer have free reign in Iraq.

[LittleClarkie]

46. I don't seem to remember

a "giggling murderer gets free reign in Iraq" amendment. What number was that one. I'll look it up.

The speech I do remember made it clear what Kerry expected to see happen, and that if there were indeed no WMD's he'd be among the first to squawk. And he was.

(www.kerryoniraqwar.com for all you "Kerry on Iraq" needs.)

Kerry also has co-sponsored a bill on the subject of election reform, as I have said, not to mention still being involved in a lawsuit in Ohio, so it appears to be more than lip service.

Even so, if I wandered over to the Election 2004 forum, I bet many would not call it "lip-service," they'd call it "publicity" and the more the better.

Some have wanted Kerry to pipe up, but then when he does, others shoot it down as "too little, too late."

He's been doing more than inhaling and exhaling, actually. Alot more.

So, do you find ridicule constructive or not? How does this help the cause?

[lojasmo]

47. oH YEAH. Iraq War Resolution

Silly me.

I guess that any posts on a message board are about as constructive as any other, certain exeptions aside.

[LittleClarkie]

48. No, I don't think that any post on a message board is as constructive

as any other if the objective is to tear down needlessly.

So you do think that ridicule is constructive? Do you find it helpful when you yourself are ridiculed in your daily life?

[lojasmo]

49. Well I think it's safe to say we'll disagree on plenty of things.

I would say that >99% of the posts on this site aren't overly constructive.

As far as me being ridiculed in my daily life, if it happens, I don't really hear much of it. If I'm ridiculed to my face, I take it in stride. Sometimes it's constructive and I learn from it, sometimes it's just play, and I can easily blow it off.

I can say for SURE that I'm never ridiculed for asking somebody to tell me to do my fucking job.

[kerrygoddess]

23. Heads Up: Karl Rove to be on Frontline

We all know the damage he is done, this looks like a must watch in gearing up to take back our country!

Check it out - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1716067&mesg_id=1716067

President Bush called Karl Rove "the architect" -- a way of thanking him for his role in the president's 2004 reelection. And we couldn't think of a better title for this week's FRONTLINE.

However, Karl Rove is much more than a political guru who guided Bush and Republicans to victory. With his appointment as deputy chief of staff in charge of coordinating domestic policy, economic policy, national security and homeland security, he is the single most powerful and ambitious policy adviser in the White House.

For this report, producer Michael Kirk set out to look for answers to these questions: Who is Karl Rove? How does he operate? How does he work with President Bush? And what does Rove's new position mean for America? You might say that Kirk found out that 'past is prologue.'

[Dr Fate]

40. I'm glad he went on TV and talked about this.

Do it some more,John- so that everyone else knows what we are talking about.