Paper Ballots

Since I moved to Oregon, I vote not only with a paper ballot - but by mail. Yes it takes away some of the fun of "election day" - but we talk politics for weeks as we pour over the ballots in our homes.

And yes, paper ballots and mail voting can also have problems - but you don't hear about problems with Oregon voting like you hear in other states which have those damnable new and hackable machines.

So MoveOn is asking us to sign a petition to get Congress to move quickly on this issue!

This Sunday's cover story in The New York Times Magazine makes plain the threat:
The winner of the 2008 presidential election could be decided by flawed, insecure, and hackable electronic voting machines.

Congress is poised to consider a new emergency paper ballots bill next week—but we'll have to convince them to act right away.

I signed the petition urging local, state, and federal officials to require a paper trail for our votes.
Please join with me and others by signing the petition and HERE IS THE LINK

From New Hampshire

On January 4th I lamented that the "news" stations were anointing winners and losers by deciding who was and who not was a "viable" candidate: link here.

Until now not many repugs, or anyone, got upset by this....

Now watch angry Ron Paul supporters trail and yell at Sean Hannity [Paul was not invited to the faux noise forum]



Video from Brave New Films [the true Rudy people]

mr 9/11

More great footage about guiliani - the truth - not his spin on all events [from Brave New Films]

Primaries 2008

I don't have a real favorite this year nd honestly - wold be fine with whoever wins the Democratic nomination.

Each nominee has some very good points and each has something that bothers me - but at least I feel I could get behind the ultimate winner.

Given this - I am enjoying watching the processes at work on both sides but more so enjoying the repug side.

Isn't it fun watching them try to out gun, out migrant workers, out Guantanamo, out war, out flip-flop, out conservative and out religious each other. Watching the repug debates is good theater - bad politics - but good theater. The larger repug community is very unhappy with Huckabee winning Iowa - so much so that a top repug would not even mention Huckabee's name : - ). [ahhhhhh...you repugs finally got what you asked for in the last two cycles - so remember - be careful what you wish for because you just might get it]

The Dems are arguing over what change means - that's okay - it's not a sexy argument and doesn't engage me like the repug arguments.

Tomorrow is New Hampshire's day and then the candidates have to run around several states before February -

As a political junkie, I can't wait to see what new high comedy arises after New Hampshire.. for people like me, this is a great season. And I get the football play offs at the same time!

Happy 2008

We are now "officially" into the primary voting season.

Yes - we will still get non stop coverage of all primary candidates but those numbers will decrease over time.

Now that Iowa caucusing is over and done - well except for the spinmeisters and cable noise incessantly analyzing the fallout - we look ahead to New Hampshire and on?

Living in a late primary state - we vote in May - it is a bit discouraging to feel that some parts of the country will have little impact on the presidential primaries...unless it' s still pretty much a tie and then we late states will be seen as prime targets for all the media go-round.

After this election, we need a sane discussion on how to do presidential primaries. Not this craziness we are having with several states moving theirs up into January to be on record as first or second - because they are the ones who want to have the biggest impact.

Not that I have anything against Iowa or New Hampshire - but why these two states are the ones to give the press a reason to dub the "winners" and "losers" I don't know. I'd rather the voting population take back that choice. Why should the media be the ones who get to say who is "viable" - as that is based solely on money raised - not votes. And of course those with the most money get the most media attention and so the cycle of media control over our elections continues.

I recall when the League of Women votes ran the debates. Think of it! A non-partisan entity asking real questions of ALL candidates. How have we reached a position where the media outlet running a debate even gets to tell candidates they can't come because they are not viable and then does not ask questions of those candidates who ARE there?

The whole debate scenario needs a fix along with fixing the primary mess.