Do we need to Swiftboat McPherson? We need a plan

[EFerrari]

1. We need to pull everyone together and coordinate with Bowen -- but not follow her. Everyone being: political parties, PACS, unions, communities like DU. Who else?

2. We need to scope out who sits on each County election board. Eisteinia -- do you have that?

3. We need to see which counties need the most help.

4. We need to bombard McSatan, lol, with voter feedback AND figure out a graceful out for him when it's clear he's going to lose this one.

5. We need to muster the Indy media because they have been somewhat helpful. Here in SF, the Bay Guardian has done a good job, for example.


What am I missing?

[Webster Green]

1. A march on Sacramento!

This is unacceptable!

[EFerrari]

4. I'm in. But we have to have numbers or we'll look like

that picture of those three freeps with their two signs. lol

[EFerrari]

5. Second thought: What about protesting outside our LOCAL

Elections Board? That's much more manageable for most people.

Let Bruce Diebold get calls from all elections officials from over the state. :evilgrin:

[Webster Green]

10. That's a good idea

You wouldn't need the massive organizational effort it takes to do a big march.

Just go out there and make a stink.

[EFerrari]

12. And that way, they couldn't say a few leftists in SF are making

all the noise.

:bounce:

[Webster Green]

8. Yes, it would have to be large, well-organized, and focused...

...on the issue at hand. (certifiably fair elections)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Some details, please

Who is McPherson, and where is he/she from?
What is McPherson running for?
Why are you using the term "swiftboat"?

Just mho-to me the term swiftboat means to use lies and innuendos to smear the reputation/character of a veteran. I hope this isn't what you mean, because if Democrats stoop to using these repuke tactics, then they become no better than repukes.

[EFerrari]

3. Kidding about swiftboating -- so far. :(

McPherson is the Republican CA Sec of State appointed by the Grope when our Dem ELECTED one was smeared out of office for decertifying Diebold.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

13. Ok, thanks

Sorry, I'm not from CA and don't always remember names. Glad to know that the term was used in jest.

[I Have A Dream]

14. Yes, this was my thought also. n/t

[cyclezealot]

6. you need get a refenderum to suspend Diebold before the next election.

Or else your next election will be rigged. Too late then. YOu get enough petitions, Diebold will be barred until the election result. The power of the unions in Calif. , it is not a problem. It is an election you are sure to win. Paper trail has an easy ring about it.
Seems I recall some reserch on McPhearson's campaign money; seems had some personal connections with Diebold's coffers?

[EFerrari]

9. Good idea. Pretend I'm an Idiot,

:)

Where do I find out about referendums?

[cyclezealot]

17. Refenderums are a right in California.

Takes something like 600,000 signatures. Californians are experts at this. I'd say any refenderum should demand a paper trail. After all, did not Arni just get his rear kicked by this process. Now ,he need desperately find way to not count all the votes.
Remember, some counties elections offices are run by Democrats. I think you might get a majority of Repug votes on this one. Everyone votes for honest elections. I say it is an easy battle.
I'd get with Democratic party officials and your unions. You can have the issue on the ballot in three months time with enough motivation and Diebold would then be barred for now at least.

[Amaryllis]

24. If you are going to do that why not go for paper ballots and no DRE's

except as needed to meet disability requirements? In OR we have to have paper so the only thing that would meet disability requirements AND OR law is the automark, since it uses a paper ballot.

[msongs]

7. follow the lead of your dems legislators..hahahahahahaha

they voted overwhelmingly to put this guy in office. maybe one or two of them besides bowen will actually do something about the
sithation now.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[EFerrari]

11. But WE can also use the 2006 election for impetus.

My supervisor is running for the Assembly. She needs to get some calls.

Okay: Who else is running in 2006 in CA? This should be #6 on the list.

[Peace Patriot]

15. For those who want to catch up, here are some threads on the McPherson

Diebold payoff (ahem, re-certification) yesterday:


"2-17-06: BREAKING: Calif. Sec. State certifies entire Diebold product line"
(good comments/links; see #5,7,9 and 10; links to news coverage)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x459307

"Alert to all of DU: Diebold/Bush junta to rig elections in California"
(lots of links to news coverage, and to election reform resources)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x459769

"Demand Mainstream Coverage Of DIEBOLD in California!" (poster says s/he is "scared pissless" by this development)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x459813

-----

And here are some important election reform RESOURCES, for those that need them:

www.votersunite.org (MythBreakers - easy primer on electronic voting--one of the myths is that HAVA requires electronic voting; it does not.)
www.verfiedvoting.org (great activist site)
www.UScountvotes.org (monitoring of '06 and '08 elections)
www.solarbus.org/election/index.shtml (fab compendium of all election info)
www.freepress.org (devoted to election reform)
www.TruthIsAll.net (analysis of the 2004 election)
Sign the petition (Russ Holt, HR 550, great bill-has 169 sponsors). http://www.rushholt.com/petition.html
www.debrabowen.com (Calif Senator running for Sec of State to reform election system)

Also of interest: (Bob Koehler--very bad machines in Ohio, recent)
www.tmsfeatures.com/tmsfeatures/subcategory.jsp?file=20051124ctnbk-a.txt&catid=1824&code=ctnbk

Amaryllis (Diebold, ES&S, Sequoia lavish lobbying of election officials - Beverly Hilton, Aug. '05)
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x380340

-------------------

As to strategy--just some thoughts:

1. Let's stop trying to patch up this crazy, non-transparent, expensive electronic junk, think big, and propose total Calif conversion to mail-in voting

I think we should consider an all-mail-in/absentee ballot proposal (combined with getting rid of Diebold and other central tabulators). This is a much less costly way to vote and count votes. It has some pitfalls. (One of them is centralization--but currently, we don't have open vote counting in ANY precinct, so we wouldn't lose any transparency at the precinct level; we don't have any.) It's MUCH CHEAPER than these highly expensive, long term maintenance electronic systems. Cost is a big headache to election officials/counties. It's a real paper ballot (not a "voter verified paper trail"). It's been time-tested in Oregon. And it is increasingly the choice of voters. (I think it's up to 30% or so--a big increase in absentee ballots.) If we had such a proposal in hand--a prototype--we could give it to groups in each county, to take to the Supes as a big cost-saving measure, and restorer of voter confidence. And failing at the Supes, to cities/towns.

2. We need to look into this UC Berkeley group that McP used to support his fiat. Who is funding their research, for instance?

3. Media: Good alternative news outlets in L.A.? Here's the L.A. CityBeat article on McCormack--pretty hard hitting, by reporter Andrew Gumbel:
http://lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=942&IssueNum=51

4. More media: Is Air America in L.A. yet? We could ask to do a public service announcement on their L.A. and CA broadcasts--or ask Randi, Mike or others to interview, say, Debra Bowen, at length, or a CA election activist who is good on the radio. Media goal: Flooding McPherson with phone calls, emails, letters, over a certain time period.

5. Things to emphasize about McPherson: He is a Schwarzenegger APPOINTEE. Schwarz's popularity is almost as down as Bush's. He put a bunch of Diebold shills on his VSPP advisory group then disbanded this long standing SoS institution--to hide his connections to Diebold? He has operated in SECRECY--just about the worst thing an SoS can do. He is a Republican, and pulled off this coup for a corporation that was, until recently, headed by a big Bush player (Wally O'Dell). (Diebold's spinoff, ES&S, is even worse--they have ties to the Chalcedon Foundation--far, far, far rightwing "Christians" who believe in the death penalty for homosexuals--but Diebold has gotten into the most trouble re: glitchy elections, failed tests. ES&S/Diebold run by the Urosevich brothers--and together count 80% of the nations' votes.)

-----

I'm starting a new job, so I don't have the time I once had, but I have some time--and can plug in on writing, editing for media blasts, and in other ways. I will check back here for further comments, ideas, and how to get involved. (I have limited time today--more time tomorrow, Sunday.)

[EFerrari]

18. L.A. Weekly. Also, you do have Pacifica stations in L.A.

I don't know about Air America.

Thanks so much for the links!

[Amaryllis]

22. PP, can you cross post a reference in ERD when you post something

election related in GD or GD politics? I still go to ERD for election news. Have a lot of people who used to post here started posting election news in GD or GD politics? Damn, I wish the mods would move ERD back to the main section; I can't remember what it's called.

[EFerrari]

16. Link to McPherson's campaign contributors here:

http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1281617&session=2005&view=received

[cyclezealot]

19. thanks for the link.

Recall tracing money to campaigns is a difficult process. Takes research to know how the money tree branches out. From whom to whom, etc. You gotta explore a corporate structure to know who is who. Takes real insight. Started to explore this donor list. will come back. Don't expect an entry to state "Diebolt Pac." It won't . Sort of similiar to money laundering.
But, I am sure I recall an LA Times story about the money trail from Dieboldt to McPhearson. That might be a better search to get to the bottom of who got what amount of dollars.

[Peace Patriot]

20. I just checked out and saved the list of McPherson donors. Wow,

what a list of bad guys! Chevron, George P. Schultz, numerous car dealers and developers, big logging companies, PG&E and other energy companies, Blue Cross and other med groups, a lo-o-o-o-o-ong list of traitors, exploiters and wingers, including the Bob Dutton for Senate 2008 campaign (guess he really needs Diebold in place), the Committee to Elect Jim Brulte (Rancho Cucamonga), and the Jim Battin Good Government Committee (of Palm Desert)--most of the recognizable evildoers in the big donor ($5,000-$10,000) category.

Looks to be a goldmine of corruption and scandal.

[AX10]

21. Car Dealers, the scum of scum.

[Amaryllis]

23. Curious why you say coordinate wtih Bowen but not follow her?