Greetings from
The Publisher . . .
Informed Voters' Guide in
“Transitional” Times
So many people these days call these times “transitional”—a time of change and growing awareness in humanity—of the world and of us. I was thinking about that on my way back from the 17th Annual Bioneers Conference held in Marin County at the Civic Center in October. About 3000 people attended, and thousands more in 16 cities linked in via satellite.
It was quite a conference. Full of things to get excited about and full of things that require our attention, if we are to be fully healthy, self-determining, and aware of our world and how it affects us. In other words, aware of our opportunities. “Here's what isn't working, and here are possible solutions.”
It occurred to me that the expression “it was the best of times and the worst of times” really applies to now—applies to times of transition. We have the vision and hope of what might be; and know that there is a way to go before a world of health, prosperity, peace, justice and equality is common in our world.
In a time of transition wouldn't it be the most obvious that the ideal and the actual are separated? The hope is that we transition to the ideal.
Spending many of my elementary school years in Arlington, VA, next to the nation's capital, we visited many of the historical places so many students just get to read about or see in pictures. It was impossible for me to live there and not connect with and be inspired by the spiritual roots of our nation. American history was no small part of our education—it literally surrounded us.
I talked to Michael Toms about it one time after discovering that he lived across the street from my junior high school. We lived on the same street, but were in different school systems. He and his partner, Justine Willis Toms, founded New Dimensions Radio (newdimensions.org) and interview many of the same people we have in The Light Connection —and many others. Michael had a similar experience of living in Arlington. The ideals of our nation are inspiring and were well taught in Arlington schools.
The dreams of our Founding Fathers were especially inspiring for me. I took them to heart. The focus was also on the ideals, and missed was the bitterness and political infighting that has often also been with us/US.
Today that is tough to escape. There seems to be this strange and common idea that presenting the extremes on an issue somehow equals balanced reporting. It simply presents opposing partisan viewpoints and has replaced investigative reports that dig in and present facts and analysis.
What was clear from my early schooling was that while there were differing views, there was also the goal to unite and have the people determine their fate. As a nation, we have a mission statement and goal. It's the preamble to the Constitution.
“We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
And it was for posterity—for all future generations—not the short term.
The idea of equality was critical. Equal opportunity. One (wo)man, one vote. We were moving away from the king and a “special” ruling class. Through the years as we have grown and redefined that “ruling class.” It has changed to include more people. Equality was not about providing for people, it was that the freedom to choose and self-determine for ourselves was to be ensured. We could, unhindered until we hindered others, make a life for ourselves—not be given one or forced down certain paths. An equal playing field allowed us to make our lives without “special people” stopping us from building our dream or our form of happiness.
There was also an equality—separate functions—for the different branches of the government, the legislature, the executive and the judicial—that balanced power.
Watching the government today, it's sad for me. So many of our ideals are under attack. Not by terrorists, but by those who have taken oaths to uphold the Constitution. We have representatives (not leaders, as Thom Hartmann is fond of saying) who are “of the people” while running for office, and then elevate themselves to “The Honorable” when in power.
They are people who pass laws that don't apply to them or, in the case of singing statements, interpret laws they way they want. Listen to Keith Olbermann, anchor of Countdown on MSNBC at www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/ . His commentary is titled “The Beginning of the End of America.” There he gives an analysis of the recent law allowing the president to decide who is a terrorist.
Habeas Corpus ensures that an attorney can represent us, know what crime we are charged with, and be given a speedy trial. Now that's been changed. Olbermann's analysis is very emotional for those who embrace the ideals this country was founded on.
Having that right is one of the distinctive characteristics that defined us as a nation that directed its government—not the other way around.
Having the right to vote and have it counted is another. This next election more of us will vote electronically and 65% of us have concerns about the machine's accuracy. Even if the percentage were just 20% wouldn't that be too many? Observers testing these machines found 20% of the machines failed. Stories about this and stories questioning the accuracy of these machines are available at:
www.wanttoknow.info/electionsinformation . Articles that have appeared in the Wall Street Journal , The New York Times , USA Today , The Washington Post , MSNBC News and CNN News have questioned the reliability of e-voting.
To be an informed voter, read about the history—how two brothers own the largest two e-voting companies, and one of them promised in a public speech to deliver the vote for Republicans.
While disturbing, it is also the best reason to vote. The vote should reflect the polls, and there are many out there who want to make sure it does.
One site is www.videothevote.org . Started by Ian Inaba, someone I talked to at Bioneers, he compiled videos of how blacks, who traditionally vote Democratic, were being systematically being shut out at the polls. In Ohio a list of machines and how they were divided among polling places showed a definite pattern. His movie, Blackout America , is emotional and revealing. I won't soon forget one woman in particular who waited in line in vain to vote. She was angry and shouting. Then her demeanor shifted and tears streamed down her face. “It's just not right,” she said.
It's not. We need to make sure everyone who wants to can vote—or accept that we don't have a democractic republic. There can't be a doubt. There can't be that separation.
In the Ukraine in 2004, polls showed that an overwhelming majority of people wanted a new government. When the votes were counted the old regime had won. People didn't accept that count and went into the streets for weeks. They wore orange armbands to show how they had voted. Their numbers were overwhelming an eventually a new election, without machines, was held and the second vote reversed the first election.
The Bush Administration supported having a new election in the Ukraine based on exit poll information.
In Germany, after all, the voting results are announced on election night based on the exit polls. They vote on paper ballots and they are hand counted, which takes several days. In two generations, the exit polls have never been more than a tenth of a percent off.
Running ahead of the polls is a new phenomena thus far unexplained.
To make sure the machines do reflect the vote accurately here, one group is encouraging people to show their vote similar to the Ukrainians. If you vote “red state” or Republican, wear a red dot. Wear a blue dot if you voted for the Democrats. This way there will be no doubt if the polls and results differ widely.
Go to www.myspace.com/committed2 freedom or Google visual exit poll to find out more.
In this country, California Senator Barbara Boxer headed a list of politicians, computer scientists, investigative journalists and organizations wrote an open letter to U.S. election officials voicing their concern about system malfunctions and the lack of a paper trail.
Inform yourself futher by going to: vote-smart.org , velvetrevolution.us , and votetrustusa.org .
The information about this is overwhelming on the Web, but only touched on in the press. One exception is Republican Lou Dobbs, on CNN. He is very vocal and concerned about unreliable machines and the lack of a paper trail. This is not a partisan issue. In fact the Democratic leadership has stayed away from it. As citizens, we can't afford to do that.
Again, it looks like the best and worst of times. We should be aware of what could happen and resolve that it is time also to settle the issue so we can all be confident in our voting process.
Have in a Great month,
Steve
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