The one thing we must correct before we can have representative government

[madokie]

of the people for the people again. That one thing will fix all that ails us and it is 'Fix the voting.' Paper ballots, hand counted. Make the day we vote a national, state, county or district holiday, which ever applies and all the while doing this be encouraging participation. Free and open elections is what got this country to where we were just a few years ago. It is the only path to having a true Democracy. A Democracy can not be given to or forced upon it has to be earned with action from each and ever person.

lets discuss

[Philosoraptor]

1. Destroy all voting machines, literally.

Refuse to use them because using them ELIMINATES your vote anyway.

[patrice]

7. Being vocal at any and every opportunity, "The computer WILL eat

you and your vote."

[Voltaire]

8. Correct

The voting machines must go. No excuses. Paper and Pen is all we need and if we need to wait a few days for the result so be it. A lot of what is wrong with this fucking country is that everyone wants an immediate result for everything.

NO MORE GODDAMNED ELECTRONIC VOTING!!

[Greeby]

23. A 61 year old man in Ohio took your message to heart as I recall

A true patriot :patriot:

[lonestarnot]

2. Ok. I say gas the people that aren't paying attention. LOL

[madokie]

3. I do that quite often but she just tells me I stink

[lonestarnot]

4. LOL!

:rofl:

[patrice]

5. First priority - Election Reform. Second = War.

Right: Paper trail, public counting - if necessary & for which there would be a National Holiday so the Public can go see its vote counted when there are problems with the count.

Paper ballot/voting receipts with pins.

[checkmate1947]

6. The key word is

Representative, if the elected officials don't listen to the
people, it stops being representative, and it also stops being
a Democracy, when was the last time anyone in power actually
listened to the majority??? 

[Voltaire]

9. Then that government would need to be overthrown wouldn't it?

There, I said it. Time to stop pussyfooting around folks.

[madokie]

11. Theres no time to make nice anymore.

besides I don't have a stomach for it any longer.

[checkmate1947]

13. I am too old and too tried

to make nice anymore!!!

[madokie]

15. No kidding, you could say I am set in my ways :-)

got my heels dug in and ready to fight the good fight.

[checkmate1947]

14. you don't have to overthrow Governments

you change leadership, and adminstrations, Democracy is the
government, it needs to stay and be defended

[patrice]

17. Defend it by becoming a Democracy ourselves.

Paper ballots would be best, but I will settle for paper-trail and public auditing.

[Voltaire]

19. This GOVERNMENT is structurally destroyed

It serves only the capitalist corporations and not the people it is supposed to represent. You could change administrations each and every day but if you did not change how the government functions it would make not one damned bit of difference. Republican or Democrat, until the corporations can be made to heel, all that we do here is one mental masturbation exercise.

Unless, like I said before, when does the overthrow party start?

[madokie]

10. Oh yes it is a must that we have public financing of our campaigns

add that to the list.

[Change has come]

28. Welcome to DU checkmate1947

:patriot:

[WiseButAngrySara]

12. Take back the MEDIA first! A free press is essential to a

democracy! That is why it is currently owned by war profiteers. Demand a free, public news station that is not cabled, and not owned by anyone. How long do you think that this free press of the 'internets' is going to last under this administration? Seriously, how long do you think sites like DU will continue?

[madokie]

16. and that is correct but without the afore mentioned honest voting

there is no chance of having a free press. imo

[WiseButAngrySara]

20. Ah, yes, BUT (heh-heh) if the press is only going to feed people

pablum and does not represent objectivity in reporting on potential leaders, then what good would 'honest' voting machines do? People would think they are voting honestly, but in actuality they'd be voting for the propagandized person-of-choice, promoted by the M$S. I think it's a chicken-egg question, not which came first, but they are both needed.

[madokie]

21. it seems as if the press is pushing these neocons but it doesn't

seem to be working so well. *co's numbers are in the gutter and the repukes in the house and senate aren't fairing any better. At this point we have the internet and we do seem to be making a difference, enough of a difference to have them worried enough to be illegally spying on our internet use and emails as well as our phone calls. There is no way we can do anything about the press until we have a majority, imo. We can continue to shame the reporters but that is having little but ever so slight effect, they all need to keep their jobs you know. Anyways that is just my take and I want to read as many different views as I can for my own mind making.
peace
:hi:
I just know we have to do something and real soon.

[WiseButAngrySara]

24. I agree with all you've said! Is there online petition of sorts that

supports the abolishment of voting machines, or demands a paper trail accountability, or specifies that there should be absolutely NO PRIVATE (read RNC) controlled voting machines for our public elections? If not, we need to start one and post it everywhere!

Peace and :hi: back at ya!

[madokie]

25. Seeing as that is way out of my league but I would be in support of any

effort concerning this. The one real fact we know in the '06 elections is they are going to cheat lie and steal like we've never seen the likes of and we better be ready to counter it this time. Maybe we need to start a drive to aquire all the money and info that is possible in preparation for just such. We already know or at least I think I do that they are in a possition that is not conducive to handing over power in the Senate or House let alone the WH. Cornered rats comes to mind.
Anyways lets be thinking, and to have a great weekend as it just may be one of the last one's where it is even possible.
:hippie:
I agree with everything you have written and not only in this post today.

[WiseButAngrySara]

26. I'll see if I can check it out. You have a great weekend yourself, and

likewise, I love your posts! "Cornered Rats", indeed! I just read a link posted by kpete that I'll find for you to read, as it alludes to this very problem, and the discussion that it generated is good so far!


Here's the link. It addresses the issue of why B*Co doesn't want to set a timetable...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1500456

Edited to add link.

[madokie]

27. Much appreciated be reading now

[Stevepol]

18. If the vote is counted by partisans in secrecy w/o audit, THAT MEANS

YOU DON'T HAVE A DEMOCRACY. Plain and simple.

A 5th grader could understand that.

[madokie]

22. that is my sentiments exactly, first things first.

[Ezra the Prankster]

29. A lesson from a banana republic

I lived in Ecuador for a while, and it was an election year down there. Just to prove they weren't a corrupt banana republic, they made it ILLEGAL for anyone not to vote. They got 100% voter turnout every single election, and everyone felt like voting wasn't just their right but their duty to their country. They also had 17 political parties, so there was never any shortage of choices of candidates.