Killing our democracy quickly, and quietly....

The rethugs have all of their pieces to the puzzle nearly in place, and when they finish our democracy will be dead. House Bill 3 just passed in the Ohio House of Representatives, and is set to pass in the Senate. The bill actually makes it illegal to challenge a presidential vote count, or any federal election result. It also exempts electronic voting machines from public scrutiny. Similar bills are being written in Indiana and Georgia. How long will it be before this bill pops up in every rethuglican held House and Senate all over the country?

The rethugs know that they can't hold onto power forever under the current rules, so they are doing what they always do, they are changing the rules to the game to suit them. This time though, it isn't just about them changing the rules, it's about them killing off our democracy for our foreseeable future. They don't seem to want to let go of the power that they have become accustomed to, and it now appears they are willing to wreck the democracy of our nation to maintain it.
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With new legislation, Ohio Republicans plan holiday burial for American Democracy
By Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
Online Journal Guest Writers
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2005/1607
snip-
House Bill 3 has already passed the Ohio House of Representatives and is about to be approved by the Republican-dominated Senate, probably before the holiday recess. Republicans dominate the Ohio legislature thanks to a heavily gerrymandered crazy quilt of rigged districts, and to a moribund Ohio Democratic Party.

HB3's most publicized provision will require positive identification before casting a vote. But it also opens voter registration activists to partisan prosecution, exempts electronic voting machines from public scrutiny, quintuples the cost of citizen-requested statewide recounts and makes it illegal to challenge a presidential vote count or, indeed, any federal election result in Ohio. When added to the recently passed HB1, which allows campaign financing to be dominated by the wealthy and by corporations, and along with a Rovian wish list of GOP attacks on the ballot box, democracy in Ohio could be all but over.

The GOP is ramming similar bills through state legislatures around the US, starting with Georgia and Indiana. The ID requirements in particular have provoked widespread opposition from newspapers such as the New York Times. The Times, among others, argues that the ID requirements and the costs associated with them, constitute an unconstitutional discriminatory poll tax.
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Fixing the Game
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/05/opinion/05mon1.html
snip-
The rules of American democracy say every president may install his own team of like-minded people in the government - even at a place like the Justice Department, which is at its root a law-enforcement agency and not a campaign branch office. But the Bush administration seems to be losing sight of the fact that the rules also say the majority party of the moment may not use its powers to strip citizens of their rights, politicize the judicial system or rig the election process to keep itself in office.
snip-
Mr. Bush and his team don't understand that they merely hold the current majority in a system designed to bring periodic changes in the governing party and to protect the rights and values of the minority party. The idea that the winners should trash the system to make sure the democratic process ended with them was discredited back around the time of the Bolsheviks.

I couldn't agree more, Bush the Anti-Christ has murdered US democracy. It will become more and more surreal as time passes and we see what this evil crew of scum do to hang onto power. I wonder what buildings Marvin Bush's Securacon company is roping the floors off on now?

Now would be a great time for you shrewd Americans who DON'T have your heads in the sand to move to Canada!

:hi:

A new law that makes sure people can't look inside the magical machines that count our vote, makes sure elected officials can't be challenged? Crazy. welcome to DU!

ignorant...or complicit.

At this point, I say complicit.

How could they not know what's going on?

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

:mad: :grr:

:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

:sarcasm:

And given who's in power, I think it's a very reasonable thing to be concerned about. If we can't get our own shit straight, how are we going to be a "help" another nation? What a mess we have here.

I need another 4-5 years to become proficient in a trade that's in demand everywhere and I'm gone. The dems are a joke at best and in on the scheme at worst. I don't see people demanding their country back.

We had planned on Mexico, specifically Cozumel or Cancun, but with the hurricanes they way they are, we adopted a "wait see" attitude. We own a electrical/remodeling/heat/AC business, and we can do that just about anywhere too. My hubby's dream though was sell the biz, and buy a bar/restaurant in Mexico, but with the hurricanes the way they are, it's looking less promising.

On a personal note, I think you have a hell of a plan. Don't let anyone talk you out of it, unless you want to be talked out of it. Many people on this board look down on those of us that want to leave, I'm not sure why, but it sure happens. Do what makes you happy.

My personal goal is New Zealand -not overpopulated, not strip-malled into oblivion, universal health care, and a high standard of living. Plus they speak English, although I do enjoy speaking Spanish.

I know what you mean about those who thumb their collective noses at those of us who speak of relocating. But if the Democratic party cannot even have a cohesive strategy for Iraq, they'll never have an effective strategy on anything. I'm turning 30 next year and have no family besides my parents - who are encouraging me to emigrate. My BS degree isn't worth a whole lot so I'm going to stay until reaching journeyman level in a trade that is internationally in demand - and make my fortune elsewhere.

Thanks again for the encouragement and I hope you and yours find happiness wherever you wind up. I know what you mean about the hurricanes - I moved from California to the Florida panhandle and can't wait to get out of here. Baja California may not be a bad bet - lots of nature preserves including a UNESCO whale habitat andlots of organic farming and eco tourism.

Edit for :hug:

go in the Senate before the holiday break. I'm assuming it's going to fly though, because Georgia and Indiana are already following suit with similar legislation.

O.M.G. Well, a lot of folks I know say Canada sounds better and better w/each passing day.

Sad. Never would have dreamed in a zillion years this would happen here. Just plain sad.

repuke held House and Senate in the country will soon follow suit. If that happens, we are in real trouble.

I almost didn't see this thread either. Apparently this isn't remotely as critical an issue these days...

This in my opinion, is a much bigger deal than the "War on Christmas." I really think most people have their heart in the right place, they just get easily distracted. This is one of the biggest threats to our democracy I've seen while being a member on this board, yet people don't seem to care.

It's up to us to keep this kicked and out there.

the little red button.

this nut could blow-up the whole world -- there's nowhere to run.

How about making some noise for what you believe in?
Have you heard of Rush Holt's HR 550, the most comprehensive piece of election reform legislation written, now bi-partisan sponsorship and 159 co-sponsors.
Combining the call for voter-verified paper audit records with mandated, unannounced, random audit of election results, and linking prohibition of undisclosed software and internet connection with accessibility measures, H.R. 550, if passed, would force the Diebolt, ES&S, Sequoia e-voting and vote-counting junkware out of the market.
Stop agonizing and sign Rush Holt's petition and write to your Rep if he/she is not on the H.R.550 co-sponsor list. Thanks.

http://www.rushholt.com/petition.html

If H.R. 550 is not good enough for you, find something else to fight for, but don't give up. This is the place to hold the line for democracy, not Canada, not Mexico.

Isn't that just fucking lovely?

Congress, then we have a chance of changing things back. With a Democratic Congress, these laws can be superseded by a federal law. Grassroots politics is more important than ever. We can run or we can fight. I'm for fighting. No way am I ready to surrender, retreat or lay down and die. These bastards are going too far and the will be their undoing.

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