They’re mad and they want to do something. It’s just plain easier not to have to recount votes. At all levels, our governments depend on private corporations and have handed over far too much of the elections to them.
Earnhardt spoke of the morass in Ohio in 2004, where Bush supposedly won by 120,000 votes. But 175,000 votes went uncounted and 66,000 were lost to faulty machines. All of this and more attributable to paperless voting.
Where far more people showed up to vote and proved their commitment by waiting for hours in the rain, at least in the poorer districts, and where (in this country) three million people were told they couldn’t vote, what’s the message? They want to do something.
He said that at his Web site, www.uncountedthefilm.org, there are suggestions as to how most effectively to intervene into this mess and dig ourselves out of it.
The film tries to show how people have taken action and how these actions have made a huge difference, Earnhardt said, invoking Mary Ann’s resolve not too long ago to report each week on successful grassroots efforts.
In 2006, the people saw that they needed to do something and accomplished a Democratic majority in Congress. Are they satisfied with their accomplishment? Will be be able to know for sure in 2008? The party in control holds sway and engineers the corruption, he said, referring as an example to southern Democrats’ past practice of ballot-box stuffing.
The attitude that “my vote doesn’t count” still afflicts countless voters—certainly part of the one hundred million citizens who stay away from the polls think this way. With his wife Earnhardt went door to door on election day to goad dispirited citizens to vote. “They” want you to stay home, they will protest. Don’t let “them” keep you from you constitutional rights!
The problems in 2000 were far more obvious than those in 2004, he continued. What will happen in 2008? Some predict intimidation tactics, which were so effective in 2004. And a large percentage of the public will still be voting on paperless machines (but see below).
In 2006, despite more media vigilance, hindsight reveals that the election was at least as disastrous as in 2004—as revealed by exit polls among other evidence.
“In 2006, the Democrats didn’t win; the people won.”
They will come out again if they are convinced that they have to. Earnhardt invoked some hope by the example of Maryland’s Republican governor, Robert Ehrlich, who in 2006 took his state to paper voting, proving how easily this can be accomplished in a short amount of time.
“We must lock our machines the way we lock our doors” to remain secure, he said.
We must bring in people who need to be educated and stimulated by his film.
How to get it into theaters? Small, independent theaters are happy to cooperate and also far more affordable than large ones. He screened it first in Nashville to a sold-out audience on a Monday night.
We must work with many groups to get the word out; sponsor events that bring together politicians, the people, and the media. Add panel discussions to allow the people to ask questions and discuss issues after the film is shown. “The political leaders are the ones who need to be educated,” and they are so mired in so many issues that getting their attention is difficult. Election integrity is not even among the top ten issues of concern to the American people, he said.
We must educate friends and family; “see it and share it.” There are guidelines at Earnhardt’s Web site www.uncountedthemovie.com.
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