Beware Smoke and Mirrors

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For OpEdNews: Posted by Joan Brunwasser - Writer

BEWARE SMOKE AND MIRRORS
Posted by: peacemom528 on Sep 26, 2008 6:11 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]

This candidate (Palin) may seem like a joke but the joke may be on us if the Republicans don't care who's running because they have no intention of allowing the voters to decide our leadership regardless!

While we're all paying attention to the McPain train wreck, there are systematic efforts being launched or continued in Democratic districts around the county to suppress, intimidate, or disable the voting process. Paperless and other computerized voting machines are proven insecure and I'll bet there will be fewer machines than needed in Democratic districts in Ohio, Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, Colorado, and Nevada- ensuring long lines and short tempers at the polls.

The attempts to throw valid Democratic voters off the rolls in each of the battleground states is also already underway, too, with challenges being prepared against voters who face foreclosure in Ohio, people with names similar to felons (or just black-sounding) in Florida, and those without "proper ID" (even if there is no ID requirement).

We have a bunch of power-drunk criminals in the White House who are not going to go easily from "untouchability" to vulnerability. I, for one, don't trust the electoral process to work after the last two Presidential elections- certainly not without serious oversight and a healthy dose of skepticism on the part of the American electorate! Do you seriously think Cheney has any intention of ending his reign as shadow dictator? Or that Karl Rove is no longer the primary architect of Republican dirty trick politics? Keep your eyes on the ball, people!

What citizens can and should do:

Especially if you live in any of the swing states, please consider being a poll worker or watcher! Check out your local election board's website for information on how.

Go early and DO NOT leave the polls if the lines are long. Call in sick to work, don't go to class, arrange for child care- do whatever it takes! Bring a snack, a book, and 3-5 friends with you to the polls and make sure you record your vote in some way.

If you are suspicious about conduct at the polls, document the incident(s), have the local election board's number handy and call them. Also have numbers for local voting rights organization and your chapter of the ACLU.

Be prepared to protest the result if it does not reflect our will as a people. We must not allow our democracy to be subverted again!

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