A few months ago in New York State, during the hectic closing days of the legislative session, Microsoft along with other software vendors/lobbyists tried to sneak through provisions to destroy some of the strictest, hardest won, voting security legislation in the country by attaching those provisions to another bill which was simply about a minor change in the primary. Fortunately, activists were vigilant and raised an alarm. Thousands of New Yorkers called their legislators in the next two days and the vendors’ effort was defeated. Citizens can win if they speak out.
Now we have a far bigger challenge. Microsoft and other software companies are trying to get another bill passed that would protect their rights over the rights of the public. It is up to We the People to say “No” … say it loud and clear till OUR VOICES – not the corporations’ – are heard and heeded.
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There are more problems with ‘Microsoft 811’ than just the assault on the public’s right to know. See http://www.votersunite.org/info/hr811Report.pdf . Right now it must be stopped, and then we must demand that Congress pass a “stripped down” bill focused on the most vital steps to better secure election 2008. We MUST BAN DREs and provide states funding to replace them with systems that use paper ballots, marked by hand or by accessible ballot-marking devices, and counted by hand or by automatic tabulator. And any time we use computers to tabulate votes, we must have statistically significant hand-count audits to check the accuracy of the machines then continually improve the entire system. with citizen involvement.
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People “say” Congress will never ban DREs. But where’s the proof? Congress’ reason for being is to serve “We the People.” It is up to all of us to act. So, call your Representative and engage at least ten other people to call or fax. Call until you are have been heard. Tell Representatives to vote NO on H.R. 811 and to insist on a real election reform bill that bans DREs and restores to our elections the requirement of true separate and independent checks and balances which can be open to the American people. Only our vote should be secret.
Abraham Lincoln said, “Elections belong to the people. It is their decision.”
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