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

[mod mom]

X-Post because some of DU never ventures over to Election Reform:

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

original post here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x508899

BTW this film is presented in a "Michael Moore" style which combines humor to a serious subject. I enjoyed it.

Link to film info:
http://www.freeforall.tv/

[EFerrari]

1. Btw, has David Corn ever apologized to us?

It's been four years and I'm STILL mad at him. lol

[mod mom]

2. I hear you. I've gone through training to be an Election Observer for Ohio.

remember how we were called crazies for even mentioning vote flipping? Well now at the training (through the Dem Party & Obama) they said incidences of vote flipping warrant an immediate call to the boiler room so that the machines will be shut down. I was like WTF if you know the machines are doing this why wait until a voter notices-REFUSE TO TAKE PART IN AN ELECTION ON THESE MACHINES AND DEMAND VERIFIABLE PAPER BALLOTS!

BTW the Ohoi State Senator who had this happen to him but was ordered by the party to remain quiet is presented in this film.

[EFerrari]

3. I wish you'd write that up and put it up at OpEdNews, mod mom.

That's insane.

[nashville_brook]

10. i am sick to death of truth being stolen. democracy hasn't a prayer if we can't trust our vote.

is there nothing sacred to these people (our people too, i'm afraid)? we can't keep hoping to win "by large enough margins" to offset the black box flipping, the chain of command shenanigans, voter purges and ID laws.

moreover, we can't expect people to work for a party that is unwilling to fight for clean and fair elections. if we're asking people to spend all the money and time and passion on getting our dems elected, the party needs to be showing us that they are ready to fight the fraud.

[Jade Fox]

4. Ebert, you continue to be a great, gutsy American...

:toast: Here's to your health. We need you in this country.

[Richard Steele]

5. K&R

[Stevepol]

6. Go Roger. Somebody send him "Murder, Spies, Voting Lies" and let him review that.

[renate]

7. Hey you guys... you can watch the whole movie for free at that link!

Way cool!!

(Also hella depressing... it physically hurts to watch the footage from the 2000 and 2004 election nights. :cry:)

(I'm only about 10 minutes into it so far, but I assume the whole thing will play.)

[Tutonic]

8. Kenneth Blackwell should be forced to eat his own shit--because he

is one messed up being.

[renate]

9. his name should be a hissing and a byword

By getting Bush reelected he has done as much damage as Karl Rove, but somehow he's gotten away without being loathed the way Rove is.

[OakCliffDem]

11. kick