"Unless this point in the legislation has been changed, the bill [as marked up in committee] now stipulates that the e-voting software be available only to 'qualified' individuals, who must sign strict non-disclosure agreements."
(This was an extraordinary change, because the early version of the bill had ordered that such software must be readily available to everyone. See my vlog on this.)
And here is Mulder's staggering reply:"That's not what the bill said when introduced. Therefore, you can take up your concerns with Microsoft and others in the proprietary software industry. During Committee proceedings they lobbied very heavily against the language that was in the bill as introduced and none of you lobbied in favor of the language that was in the bill as introduced, and thus, the software industry won. It's very simple, really."
In other words, companies like Microsoft, Diebold and ES&S had problems with the early version of Holt's bill; and Holt himself not only listened to them, but obliged them, so that his "election reform" bill would now make our system even more undemocratic than it is already. Of this development Holt's office made no public mention, as if those private companies' dictation of the law was no big deal.
And this, Holt's counsel says, is not Holt's problem. In fact, it's our fault, for not having "lobbied very heavily" for our position (which would have been a little hard, since Holt's people have consistently refused to talk or listen to the bill's opponents).
In any case, if we don't like it, we can somehow "take up [our] concerns" with Microsoft et al.--and do so without Rush Holt's help.
It seems to me that this is a good reason not to back HR 811 as it's been rewritten by Microsoft, Diebold, ES&S and other entities in "the proprietary software industry." It's also a good reason to demand to know if Avante International has had any exchanges with the congressman about his bill.
And it might also be a good idea to bear in mind, and make the point, that Congress' purpose is to represent the people, not the likes of Microsoft and Diebold, nor, for that matter, either party, nor any other entities resistant to democracy.
MCM
From a friend re: Monday's meeting with Rush Holt about impeachment:The meeting today (Monday) with Rush Holt went badly. He agreed they did all these wrong bad awful things. But said nothing could be done about it. That it couldn't be proved, that it was a non-starter. Told us the people needed to be educated. We told him current polls, he did not believe it. Said they were doing hearings to educate. Denied it was Congresses job to do this. Denied that it was a party line. Linda as very calm and praised his leadership. We said not one word about the controversy over the voting - but that was clearly there. He said he got a flood on the blogs after our forum. I was very confrontational and gave back every argument and documented with the latest polls. We all disagreed with his analysis, he even told us to get other friends. He said we were in a bubble, No one he knows thinks the way we do.
From another friend:
On 7/10/07, roses4joanne wrote:
Good Morning you bunch of uneducated, ignorant, dumba _ _ Americans!
I know you are thinking what a strange way to greet my wonderful fellow progressives...right ? Let me tell you of my adventures yesterday and you will understand.
The members of the Central Impeach group had asked me to join them in their presentation to Rush Holt requesting his support of HR 333 for the impeachment of Vice President Cheney. And I want to say "Thank You to Mary Ellen and Linda for the invitation !"
