Reply #30: When the accusation is conspiracy, biz as usual is a rebuttal

[Fredda Weinberg]

You may not want contradiction to your proposition but you'll get it from officials who can justifably claim that they haven't changed the rules for election software. Whether or not you - or I - find it acceptable, that is the system as it stands now. Vendors are routinely pre-qualifed, delivered software is proprietary and nothing about election systems makes them an exception to routine purchase practices.

As for the GAO, you dropped the name but did not provide a reference. Have you read the report "Federal Efforts to Improve Security and Reliability of Electronic Voting Systems Are Under Way, but Key Activities Need to Be Completed"? Here it is

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05956.pdf

It lists the same vulnerabilities and weaknesses we've been discussing - but in no way supports conspiracy theorists or those who want to abandon computerized elections.

I repeat: it is possible for informed citizens to change the way government works - I've done it. But before I had indisputable proof, I didn't discuss my suspicions publicly. Once I had it, I didn't need PR professionals to get the word out - we have the means available. In this case, it's been abused.