I wish all of you, so deeply involved in Electoral Reform, could have hitched a ride in my frontal lobes this past week.
For years I've traded comments and assessments with my peers in the ER movement about the "relative state of mind" of the average American voter, regarding "election fraud" and "voting reform".
This past week I had the opportunity to stand directly in front of those "average American voters", some 200 plus of them over three nights. And they told me me, via questions and answers, precisely what their "relative state of mind" was.
What an astonishing experience! And all it took was the opportunity, a willingness to listen, and the answers I wondered about for years unfolded before my very eyes.
Since our Election Reform community began to form (some two, four, six, or eight years ago, depending on one's own estimate), we who intuitively knew that electoral skullduggery was, indeed, a fact, have wondered what was necessary to convince our fellow Americans that we were correct.
We’ve all have gathered information; crunched numbers; tracked legislation, lobbyists and money; formulated hypotheses; and debated endlessly among ourselves how to grow our numbers to a majority. How to find that Holy Grail of wisdom to allow us to succinctly tell our fellow citizens what we discovered, way back when, and have them believe us.
We did that all in order to have them, when sufficiently educated, to join us in a huge upheaval to restore Election Integrity, thus preserving our democracy. To that end, we have worked diligently to bring them all to an understanding of what we had discovered, way back when.
How clever of us!
Working years, so that we might someday say to them, "Aha! You see? The election of 2000 was burgled! Will you join us now, and demand reform, to restore our democracy? Now that you know what really happened?"
And how arrogant!
We became fixed upon the “fixing” of past elections, knowing ourselves that it had happened, yet being unable to totally convince our fellow citizens.
So we prepared, and gathered information, gathered information and prepared, all in the hope that one day we could say , "Aha. Here is the ironclad proof that 2004 was indeed stolen (choose any particular race or races)! Will you join us now in the effort at reform, now that you know?"
And we always thought convincing was our entire goal, so that we could get Election Reform. Yes, Election Reform..., however it was achieved.
Yet, because we saw the thefts when others could not, we’ve believed "we must prove this in order to convince the others that change is needed!" And we never, ever rethought what was needed to bring about Election Reform.
How bloody narrowminded of us! We dwelt on the past, on our own transformative experiences, fixed on our failure to persuade others of fraud in 2000; 2002; 2004.
Phil ~ Great job! Being a relative newbie (since 04), I've often thought we haven't won a thing since my involvement. But, I've had to revise that lately when I talk to people outside the movement.
Our message has been received. We did reach most folks; they get that our elections are vulnerable to fraud.
I wish you success with the HCPB initiative - that is when I can begin to see a basis for confidence in reported results.
Leaders in my state have been talking about a similar initiative for as long as I've been involved, but I have yet to see or sign a petition. Hopefully, your efforts will motivate them into action.
Thanks for fighting the good fight!
peace,
Rady
by
Rady Ananda (95 articles, 244 quicklinks, 19 diaries, 689 comments)
on Wednesday, March 7, 2007 at 4:02:48 PM
I actually hold a PhD in the Obvious which I think qualifies me to endorse what you're saying. There is one huge group and a few fragments. The huge group is the public. They know that skepticism is a requirement when evaluating governments conducting elections. They also know that total distrust is appropriate for vendors who take over those government function. One of the two fragments consists of "experts" telling us how the vote works and the other the "elected." We just need to wake up and recognize that we are the people, of them and about them. The case for voting without hindrance, voting on hand counted paper ballots (by citizens), and public financing only for elections is made. We just need to get the vast majority, of all stripes, ready to take back their nation through peaceful and relentless advocacy. Excellent post, you degree is in the mail.
by
Michael Collins (89 articles, 13 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 328 comments)
on Thursday, March 8, 2007 at 10:35:15 PM
