Republicans Block Bill Allowing Vote Recounts

Voting rights activists who hoped the federal government would help local governments pay for paper trails and audits for electronic voting machines have gone from elation to frustration as they watched Republicans who supported such a proposal in committee vote against bringing it to the House floor.

The result: The elections in November will likely be marred by the same accusations of fraud and error involving voting machines that arose in the aftermath of the 2004 presidential race.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[JackNasty]

No other supposedly democratic nation besides the USA has outsourced its vote counting to privately owned corporations with no means of auditing or recounting the votes cast on their proprietary software and computers.

We need paper ballots.

[BrighterStar]

This sounds more like a federalism issue than anything to do with recounts. Just because something may be a good idea does not mean that it should be done by the federal government.

[MadJeffersonian]

As Yogi Berra said, "It's like déjà vu all over again."

[Bobleblah1]

I hope that everyone understands that this is the absolute only way that John McCain will ever win an election. Republicans have stolen two presidential elections with electronic vote fraud and theft.
Even more important than this nomination process is Democrats being prepared to raise Hell, in the
face of any vote theft by voting machines controlled by republican operatives.and businesses.

Start talking about it now, and do not let the story go away. Be prepared to fight if need be.
In the court room or the streets, whatever it takes to let Republicans know that this time we wont ever stop.
we wont ever say that we would rather have things calm and civilized than claim victory in an election that we know we have won. The stakes are too high, and we are done losing. Gore was a pussy and most likely fully aware of the Coup which stole the election from him, The same is true about Kerry. This time, this is our battle.
Either this is a Democracy or its not, and Democrats better start getting ready to raise Hell.

BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. PREPARE YOURSELF MENTALLY FOR THIS BATTLE, AND KNOW THAT FAILURE OR LOSING IS NOT AN OPTION. NOT THIS TIME.

GET READY.

[Gary47]

Amen. It's way past time for us to win. The other side is vicious, manipulative, scheming and will stop at nothing to win. Let's stop playing nice guys and go out there and kick butt.

[Moxo]

Republican mythology is that they are steadfast supporters of democracy,. Sadly, that is one of their most powerful myths, that time and time agian is disproved by their own actions against democracy.

Bin Laden showed professional courtesy by waiting for a Republican White House and Congress to be in charge of America, before he made his move against us.

[TekBoss]

Anyone, Democrat, Republican, whatever, who would deny the right of any citizen to have their vote counted (or re-counted 100 times if need be) is more Anti-American than Bin Laden himself. And, they slap the face of every veteran who has ever served this great nation.

The absolute, single most important right we have in this country is the right to vote. It is what has made America great, and it is the ONLY thing standing between us and fascism.

WHY is it only the GOP that ever wants to prevent paper trails and re-counts? WHAT is the GOP so worried about? WHEN will the GOP start to love America and trust Americans?

[Lemeritus]

Wow... it's only been a week since I was consumed by a 240 page report that no one will ever read, and yet, in that period of time, the Republicans have:

- Blocked the new G.I. Bill (makes leaving the military too attractive)
- Blocked an equal pay for women bill (women don't need money; they need education and training -- but not if they're in the military -- so pony up those cookbooks and helpful hints from Heloise)
- Blocked (from even reaching the House floor) a bill that might prevent them from gaming the voting process

Gosh! And I thought *I* was busy!

[FlowerGirl]

Seems like we are headed the say of the Pakistan of Zia and Musharraf. Shall we celebrate?

[NoFactsJustTruth]

Republicants have been staying alive for decade now through 'fixed' elections, and will continue to do so as long as they possibly can.

[protagonia]

Though there are fake Democrats who are dishonest, they in no way match the criminality that appears to be inherent in the DNA of a Neo Conservative. They are the party for crooked, ignorant and brutally mean people.

The party of natural liars. Profoundly un-American.

[Kynn]

The Republicans could at least PRETEND they weren't in favor of rigged elections. They could silently gut the bill in committee or something. But, guess that'd be too subtle for 'em.

[RoloTomassi]

Like so many things wrong with this country & it's government, this will not change until we change enough to make them FEAR US.

And that's one helluva big step, considering that most of us are mired in apathy; even what I'm doing right now is apathetic, as it is like a virtual political involvement game. We can raise all kinds of hell and pontificate and state our opinions, and in the end feel as though we've contributed something to the process, but that's just bunk. Like so many other media-driven traps for potential activists, what seems like a new advantage in freedom of speech and political access is actually a means of social and political activism containment.

Remember The Doobie Brothers? Their song "Takin' it to the streets" pretty much sums it up:

Take this message to my brother
You will find him everywhere
Wherever people live together
Tied in povertys despair
You, telling me the things youre gonna do for me
I aint blind and I dont like what I think I see

Takin it to the streets
****
It's the only thing that works, and it costs more than most of us are willing to give.

[LivingStardust]

Love the nick. Just watched L.A. Confidential last night. "The guy who gets away with it" is a great nom de guerre for slugging it out with the Neocons.

[lisakaz2]

Of course they did. And I'm sure HRC agrees. More Robert Mugabe school of "democracy".

[DGregory]

omg... not this time, not again.

[Syco]

yes again.
WE DON"T HAVE DEMOCRACY