Heated Emotions Still Run High over Last Year’s Election Outcome

[kerrygoddess]

Heated Emotions Still Run High over Last Year’s Election Outcome
November 4th, 2005

There’s no doubt that emotions still run high over last year’s election outcome. So many feel that the election was stolen, yet with a Republican dominated House and Senate, it’s nearly impossible to push the envelope.

In an interview on Democracy Now, Mark Crispin Miller, pushing his new book, “Fooled Again” made some claims that are causing quite a stir over on DU.

I spoke briefly with him just as he arrived, and handed him the book, saying, “You were robbed, Senator.” He said, “I know!” with a clear gesture of extreme frustration, and then said that he can’t get any of his colleagues on the Hill to face the issue… In bringing the subject up with Dodd, Kerry was not influenced by the GAO report, which he didn’t even know about until I mentioned it to him. Indeed, he seemed mightily impressed that the GAO had come out with a strong report… He said that, given his position, he doubts that he can be the one to go out front about the issue, because of the “sour grapes” factor. I appreciate his dilemma, but still think that he must embrace the issue of electoral reform, for the country’s sake.

A Kerry campaign spokesperson, has questioned Crispin’s claims noting that Kerry is leading the way on voter reform with the Count Every Vote Act:

I know Mr. Miller is trying to sell his book and he feels passionately about his thesis but his recent statements about his conversation with Senator Kerry are simply not true. The only thing true about his recollection of the conversation is that he gave Senator Kerry a copy of his book.

Make no mistake, after pouring his heart and soul into the campaign and seeing George Bush continue the mess he created, if the election had been stolen John Kerry would be fighting them today to reverse the outcome.

If Mr. Miller wants to prevent the problems that happened in Ohio moving forward into 2005 and 2006, instead of misrepresenting what Senator Kerry said, he should be complimenting Kerry for leading the way in Congress with the Count Every Vote Act to improve voting rights and fund the election reform effort across the country.

Miller notes that Kerry needs encouragement to continue moving forward on this issue:

But if he’ll champion the issue of electoral reform, we stand to gain much more than we can get from merely cursing him for his timidity. I therefore would advise you all to shower him with strong encouragement ASAP.

But, what Miller states above is off the mark because, as noted above, Kerry is championing electoral reform. Beyond the Count Every Vote Act, is the fact that the Kerry campaign is moving forward with the Voter Fraud lawsuits in Ohio.

Miller is on target in reminding people to keep the pressure on, but indeed the pressure needs to be on ALL the Senators, ALL the Reps, not just Kerry. We’re never going to move forward with electoral reform unless everyone gets on board. That’s where Miller misses the mark.

We need to target those in Congress who are NOT on board with this. Kerry consistently mentions the need for voter reform - as recently as his eulogy for Rosa Parks, and as noted here and here.

Mark Crispin Miller claimed that Kerry said he did not know about the GAO report, however that is absolutely false. On January 5, 2005, John Kerry released a statement regarding the GAO Report. Here’s a quote:

“As Representative John Conyers’ (D-Mich.) recently released voting rights report shows, there are very troubling questions that have not yet been answered by Ohio election officials. I have supported and will continue to support a close examination of voting irregularities in Ohio and elsewhere because it’s critical to our democracy. (The entire statement can be found here.)

And on January 6, 2005, though Kerry was in Iraq during the counting of the Electoral Votes the Congressional Record shows that a statement was entered by Kerry on the count and mention was made of the GAO Report. Here is a quote from that statement:

The questions being raised by my colleagues in Congress about the vote in Ohio are important. As evidenced by the media and Congressman JOHN CONYERS’ report of the vote in Ohio, there were many voting irregularities in the November election that led to the disenfranchisement of voters. These included long lines at predominantly minority polling places resulting from the failure to provide sufficient number of voting machines; voter intimidation and misinformation; the restriction of provisional ballots in a fashion that likely disenfranchised voters; and instances in which malfunctioning voting machines transferred Kerry votes to Bush.

I strongly believe that we need to investigate this election and reform our system. (The entire statement can be found here.)

It’s really time that everyone who feels so strongly about the outcome of last year’s election and the need for voter reform understand that John Kerry IS doing his part. It’s others in the Congress who are not, particularly, the Republican’s who only stand to gain but avoiding this issue. We need to stand up and demand our rights. Kerry brings this up frequently - we need to demand that others do as well.

Mark Crispin Miller would do better to promote his book and Electoral Reform by suggesting that everyone put the pressure on where it is needed most - with all who have not co-sponsored the Count Every Vote Act.

UPDATE - To date, the only Co-Sponsors for the Count Every Vote Act are: Sen Kerry, John F. - 2/17/2005; Sen. Hilary Clinton; Sen Boxer, Barbara - 2/17/2005; Sen Dayton, Mark - 3/7/2005; Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. - 2/17/2005; Sen Leahy, Patrick J. - 3/1/2005; Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. - 2/17/2005.

LINKS AVAILABLE HERE: http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=1062

[texpatriot2004]

1. Whatever! nm

[Mass]

2. Thanks for reminding things that I had forgotten.