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Ohio's Republican Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell has publicly
labeled as "a complete idiot" an Election Protection attorney he is
attempting to have sanctioned. Blackwell made the derogatory personal
attack outside a banquet-laden conference in Columbus being sponsored
by Diebold, ES&S, Triad and other voting machine vendors.
Blackwell told the 56th annual winter conference of the Ohio Association of Election Officials that the 2004 vote in Ohio was the "gold standard" for national balloting. "We were shocked when people flew in and said the election could be stolen," he told an audience of several hundred election officials from around the state. "The election was not perfect, but it was perfectly inspiring."
The four-day conference held January 25-8 a Columbus's Hyatt Regency Hotel features banquets, luncheons and parties (including one entitled "A Night in the Caribbean") sponsored by the nation's leading voting machine manufacturers, including ES&S, Diebold, Triad, Hart InterCivic and other names now widely associated with questions about the accuracy of the vote counts in the 2000, 2002 and 2004 elections.
Blackwell told the 56th annual winter conference of the Ohio Association of Election Officials that the 2004 vote in Ohio was the "gold standard" for national balloting. "We were shocked when people flew in and said the election could be stolen," he told an audience of several hundred election officials from around the state. "The election was not perfect, but it was perfectly inspiring."
The four-day conference held January 25-8 a Columbus's Hyatt Regency Hotel features banquets, luncheons and parties (including one entitled "A Night in the Caribbean") sponsored by the nation's leading voting machine manufacturers, including ES&S, Diebold, Triad, Hart InterCivic and other names now widely associated with questions about the accuracy of the vote counts in the 2000, 2002 and 2004 elections.
Robert J. Fitrakis isn't the first person to accuse Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro of "political payback" and he probably won't be the last. Political payback appears to be the Petro's -- and the Ohio Republican Party's -- way of doing business.
Fitrakis made his "political payback" accusation on January 18 after Petro asked the Republican-dominated Ohio Supreme Court to sanction Fitrakis and three other lawyers who challenged the state's presidential election results in the Ohio Supreme Court on behalf of Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, the suit's principal target as Ohio's chief elections official.
Jefferson County Prosecutor Stephen M. Stern accused Petro of the same thing when he was state auditor in a October 19, 1997, story in The Columbus Dispatch headlined, "Probe seen as political payback."
The story said Stern wasn't surprised when a special investigator from the state auditor's office showed up at his office earlier that year.
Fitrakis made his "political payback" accusation on January 18 after Petro asked the Republican-dominated Ohio Supreme Court to sanction Fitrakis and three other lawyers who challenged the state's presidential election results in the Ohio Supreme Court on behalf of Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, the suit's principal target as Ohio's chief elections official.
Jefferson County Prosecutor Stephen M. Stern accused Petro of the same thing when he was state auditor in a October 19, 1997, story in The Columbus Dispatch headlined, "Probe seen as political payback."
The story said Stern wasn't surprised when a special investigator from the state auditor's office showed up at his office earlier that year.
AUSTIN, Texas -- I wouldn't say it's the most earth-shaking issue around, but I'm fascinated by this fight the administration is picking with the media over "private accounts" versus "personal accounts."
Here's the state of play: Everybody went along in cheerful harmony describing the president's Social Security plan as "partial privatization," since it would allow younger workers to put a third or more of their payroll taxes into private accounts. President Bush called them "private accounts," everyone in the administration called them "private accounts," and Republicans, Democrats and the media all called them "private accounts."
Then, one day, some focus group showed that people, particularly older people, react negatively to any connection between Social Security and the word private. For some reason, people like the sound of "personal accounts" better than they do "private accounts."
Here's the state of play: Everybody went along in cheerful harmony describing the president's Social Security plan as "partial privatization," since it would allow younger workers to put a third or more of their payroll taxes into private accounts. President Bush called them "private accounts," everyone in the administration called them "private accounts," and Republicans, Democrats and the media all called them "private accounts."
Then, one day, some focus group showed that people, particularly older people, react negatively to any connection between Social Security and the word private. For some reason, people like the sound of "personal accounts" better than they do "private accounts."
Dear Mr. President: For the past 2-1/2 months I've been part of a collective effort to prove that your election on Nov. 2 was fraudulent, and indeed that your election in 2000 also. I'm
not one of your supporters, needless to say. I stood among the protestors on Pennsylvania Avenue as your limousine sped by at about 30 m.p.h. on Jan. 20, holding a sign aloft that read, "NOV. 2---WORSE THAN WATERGATE."
Imagine my surprise, then, to receive (on Jan. 24) an invitation to your inauguration. Included in the envelope was a solicitation for "Inaugural Collectibles," including a "Presidential Coaster Set, a "Lead Crystal Ice Bucket & Champagne Flute Set," and an "Inauguration Key Chain."
Since this generous invite arrived four days after-the-fact, and because you don't brook dissent very well, I know it can't be that you wanted my company on your big day. So from the choices provided below, please select the reason that comes closest to explaining why this invitation has been sent to me.
Imagine my surprise, then, to receive (on Jan. 24) an invitation to your inauguration. Included in the envelope was a solicitation for "Inaugural Collectibles," including a "Presidential Coaster Set, a "Lead Crystal Ice Bucket & Champagne Flute Set," and an "Inauguration Key Chain."
Since this generous invite arrived four days after-the-fact, and because you don't brook dissent very well, I know it can't be that you wanted my company on your big day. So from the choices provided below, please select the reason that comes closest to explaining why this invitation has been sent to me.
When the Multinational Monitor judges gather to pick the 10 worst corporations of the year, one of their instructions is: name no companies that appeared on the previous year's list (barring extraordinary circumstances).
For the 2004 list, that means no Bayer (even though in 2004 the company pushed for import of genetically modified rice into the European Union, polluted water in a South African town with the carcinogen hexavalent chromium, and was hit with evidence that its pain medication Aleve (naproxen) increases the risk of heart attack, among other egregious acts), no Boeing (despite new evidence that the tanker plane scandal costing U.S. taxpayers tens of billions of dollars is! even worse than it appeared), no Clear Channel (even though the radio behemoth in 2004 stooped to new lows with a "Breast Christmas Ever" contest that promised to pay for breast implants for a dozen contest "winners"), and no Halliburton (embroiled in a whole new set of contracting fraud and bribery charges in 2004). But at least the no-repeat rule helps limit the field a bit.
And there remained plenty of worthy candidates.
For the 2004 list, that means no Bayer (even though in 2004 the company pushed for import of genetically modified rice into the European Union, polluted water in a South African town with the carcinogen hexavalent chromium, and was hit with evidence that its pain medication Aleve (naproxen) increases the risk of heart attack, among other egregious acts), no Boeing (despite new evidence that the tanker plane scandal costing U.S. taxpayers tens of billions of dollars is! even worse than it appeared), no Clear Channel (even though the radio behemoth in 2004 stooped to new lows with a "Breast Christmas Ever" contest that promised to pay for breast implants for a dozen contest "winners"), and no Halliburton (embroiled in a whole new set of contracting fraud and bribery charges in 2004). But at least the no-repeat rule helps limit the field a bit.
And there remained plenty of worthy candidates.
"Agitation: discussion meant to arouse or increase dissatisfaction with things as they are and produce changes; work of an agitator." Webster's New World Dictionary
Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), an outgrowth of the Kucinich for President campaign, just concluded a large, successful national conference in Washington, D.C. Over 500 spirited, determined activists from all over the country came to the University of the District of Columbia for 48 hours of speeches, panels (too many!), workshops and informal person-to-person networking. The panels, the heart of the conference, were focused on issues like Iraq, Israel/Palestine, voting rights/electoral reform, defending social security, universal health care, progressive media, racism, veterans issues and progressive spirituality.
There were no panels or workshops having to do with endorsing candidates. There wasn't even organized public discussion about the internal struggle going on within the Democratic National Committee to determine who will replace Terry McAuliffe as DNC chair, although the vast majority of the Democrats present, I'm sure, are hoping Howard Dean wins that battle.
Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), an outgrowth of the Kucinich for President campaign, just concluded a large, successful national conference in Washington, D.C. Over 500 spirited, determined activists from all over the country came to the University of the District of Columbia for 48 hours of speeches, panels (too many!), workshops and informal person-to-person networking. The panels, the heart of the conference, were focused on issues like Iraq, Israel/Palestine, voting rights/electoral reform, defending social security, universal health care, progressive media, racism, veterans issues and progressive spirituality.
There were no panels or workshops having to do with endorsing candidates. There wasn't even organized public discussion about the internal struggle going on within the Democratic National Committee to determine who will replace Terry McAuliffe as DNC chair, although the vast majority of the Democrats present, I'm sure, are hoping Howard Dean wins that battle.
Friends,
Two issues cry out to me for emphasis in the court of public opinion.
First, the "bipartisan" nature of the Boards of Election (BOEs) is nominal
at best. The SoS has the power to issue directives and votes the
tie-breaker at the county level. It was Blackwell's directive that required
voters must be in the right precinct for example. In any case where a BOE
vote is split evenly on party lines Blackwell's vote breaks the tie.
Finally all BOE members serve at the pleasure of the SoS. The sham of
bipartisanship needs to be continually exposed.
Second, whether there were (let's call them) over-zealous actions by the
contest attorneys that stretched the rules of civil procedure, the total
absence of care for democratic processes is evident in the the Secretary's
motion itself which acknowledges "long lines, shortages of machines, failing
to receive notice of the proper voting precinct, or casting or provisional
ballots" (pp. 6-7). The team of Blackwell, Petro and Moyers apparently care
little for the protection of voters' rights.
--John
This is the news report you did NOT see last night on CNN, FOX, NBC, CBS, or hear on NPR or read in the NY Times, Washington Post, LA Times, Columbus Dispatch, The Raleigh News and Observer or the Asheville Citizen-Times.
On Wednesday, January 5th I made a last minute decision to ride with three friends, Michael, Patty, and Sonnie, from the Asheville NC area to Washington DC to participate in a protest march the following day at the Capitol to coincide with the certification of the Electoral College vote by a joint session of Congress. I can't logically explain what compelled me in this direction except that there is a powerful inner force, similar in nature, I'm sure, to what made thousands drive to Devils Tower, Wyoming in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." I had to go.
On Wednesday, January 5th I made a last minute decision to ride with three friends, Michael, Patty, and Sonnie, from the Asheville NC area to Washington DC to participate in a protest march the following day at the Capitol to coincide with the certification of the Electoral College vote by a joint session of Congress. I can't logically explain what compelled me in this direction except that there is a powerful inner force, similar in nature, I'm sure, to what made thousands drive to Devils Tower, Wyoming in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." I had to go.
After disclosure of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's effort to set a new and spectacularly unaccountable version of the CIA in the Pentagon, the sprouting forest of secret intelligence operations set up in the wake of 9/11 is at last coming under some scrutiny. Here's a sinister one in the academic field that until this week escaped scrutiny.
Dr. David Price, of St. Martins College, in Olympia, Wash., is an anthropologist long interested in the intersections of his discipline with the world of intelligence and national security, both the CIA and the FBI. Now he's turned the spotlight on a new test program, operating without detection or protest, that is secretly placing CIA agents in American university classrooms. With time these students who cannot admit to their true intentions will inevitably pollute and discredit the universities in which they are now enrolled.
Dr. David Price, of St. Martins College, in Olympia, Wash., is an anthropologist long interested in the intersections of his discipline with the world of intelligence and national security, both the CIA and the FBI. Now he's turned the spotlight on a new test program, operating without detection or protest, that is secretly placing CIA agents in American university classrooms. With time these students who cannot admit to their true intentions will inevitably pollute and discredit the universities in which they are now enrolled.