I've been encouraging folks to leave feedback at the Governor's website . (You can choose SB360 from the dropdown list of subjects you'd like to offer input about) and let him know whether you think he should sign this dangerous bill or not.
What the measure was originally written to do was one thing. It was originally meant only to free up money for the development of new, publicly-owned e-voting systems that would still need to be tested at both the federal and state level before use in CA. That 4-page bill modifying just 3 sections of the CA Election Code was not a problem. What passed, however, was 39 pages with additions, modifications and repeals to more than 70 sections of the code.
From my reporting, it seems that many of the supporters of the bill don't even understand what all was in this terrible, ill-considered piece of legislation that passed, after all, with little, if any debate.
JB: That's a disturbing observation in its own right. So, where does this leave us, Brad? Other than thinking that we've been preaching to the choir for many a long year with very little to show for it.
BF: I reject the notion that we've either been preaching to the choir (I haven't! I've been preaching to EVERYBODY inside AND outside the church!) or that "there is "very little to show for it." In my experience, the people get it, if not the elected officials. They understand the need to be able to oversee our own elections, independent of elected officials and partisan operatives. That's why I'm hoping folks -- lots of them! -- might go to Governor Brown's website and politely ask him to VETO SB 360.
Our elections, at least our right to vote in them and to have that vote counted, counted accurately and counted transparently, are the last elements of our system of self-governance that we, the people, seem to have left. If we continue to give that up as well, there is no chance of turning this nation around. We've gotta keep fighting if we want representative democracy and self-governance. Nobody said it would be easy. But giving up is not an option. Not for me, anyway.
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