Article: UNCOUNTED: The New Math of American Elections

Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections The December 12, 2007 episode of the ever popular Voice of the Voters radio broadcast airing on Philadelphia’s Renaissance Radio Station WNJC1360, and on the webWWW.WNJC1360.COM, was an eye opener! Program host and nationally recognized voting integrity champion Mary Ann Gould spent a very entertaining and informative twenty-five minutes in conversation with Emmy Award winning film maker/director/writer, David Earnhardt. Mr. Earnhardt’s latest creation documentary film “UNCOUNTED: The New Math of American Elections”, is both entertainment and civic service. Born from Earnhardt’s realization that voting integrity as a core issue is noticeably missing from mass Medias agenda, his creative effort has personalized the issue and is gaining much national attention. Mr Earnhardt believes in his heart that Americans are like a “sleeping bear waking up” to the harsh and ugly reality of election irregularities. He demonstrates the validity of that belief by revealing in his film the many voting discrepancies that have taken place nationwide. From the computer programmer who was directed to develop software the will “flip” votes, to examples of election officials who were intimidated and locked from their offices for voicing concerns about “E“ voting security flaws, Earnhardts film paints a frightening and maddening picture of America’s present voting integrity dilemma. Listening to Earnhardt speak reveals a man motivated by a realization that fundamental core issues are being overlooked in America. “Americans want to be able to rely on their vote, and innocently believe the integrity of the vote” said Earnhardt. Unfortunately, that naïve perception of the American condition is at the crux of the voting integrity crisis. He said that “most Americans are unaware that touch screens do not have paper as part of the process“, he followed with,” when people see that their vote doesn’t count, it makes them mad’! Well let’s hope so! But it is encouraging to hear from someone that has had interactions with many voters across the country that Americans still have a fire in their bellies. From afar, it often seems that the fire has been extinguished in the average Americans soul, or is at the very least in a dormant low flame state. However, I would now like to think that this remarkable movie will ignite that mad as a motivated hornet potential in all Americans hearts and souls. Our seeming inability to see the lone tree because of the density of the forest may indeed explain why American’s don’t get it as it relates to voting integrity. There is a lot to keep track of in Americas modern democracy, and if you lack a clear understanding of its fundamental operational precepts, you are then working without the tools to be an effective participant. If you have lived your life ignorant to the fundamental need for transparency within a democracy, it would then follow that a severely flawed or even opaque manner of voting would be of little concern. You cannot sense the wrongness, because you have no idea to even look for it! The number of inflamed gullets that are brought about by UNCOUNTED will be revealed over time as it is screened all across America. Earnhardt ended the second half of the program with the very good news that when emerging from the theater after having just watched UNCOUNTED, that audience members “felt like they wanted to do something”! Just as the broadcast from last weeks Voice of the Voters demonstrated the power of one and the power of many, this weeks program validated that reality when David Earhardt closed with the statement, “The film shows how the actions of individual people make a difference”. We all know that such is true, but the power of one film upon the knowledge of many can also not be under estimated or appreciated. To learn more about UNCOUNTED, go to WWW.UNCOUNTEDTHEMOVIE.COM . Prior to Mary Ann’s interview with David Earnhardt, Voice of the Voters guest host Lori Rosilowski spent twenty-five minutes knee deep in a discussion about the nature, status and influence of the fourth estate. Her guest was editor, writer, and reporter for the Tribune Media Services, Mr. Bob Koehler. Lori started the conversation by making mention of Mr. Koehler’s well received article from 2004, “The Silent Scream of Numbers” ( http://www.commonwonders.com/archives/col290.htm ), from which Koehler provided a quote from Jonathan Simon who noted that, “When the autopsy of our democracy is performed, it is my belief that media silence will be given as the primary cause of death”. The opening set the stage for the entire interview. Lori established the boundaries for the discussion by pointing out that most people have come to accept that there are four branches within American Government: The Executive; The Legislative; The Judiciary; and the Fourth Estate (media). Rosilowski asked how the average American can access what Koehler calls that Iron Triangle, or that relationship which exists between mainstream media elements, editor, reporter, and source. Koehler pointed out that the internet has greatly leveled the playing field as it relates to us versus them. The average American accessing the internet can be of great influence by conveying thoughts that attract the eyes of mainstream researchers. All mainstream reporters search the internet continuously for good opinion and enlightened understanding on virtually all issues. It is through this pathway that relationships can be established between us common folk and the play for pay media. Bob Khoeler noted that “this country is one big bar room brawl of a discussion”, and because of such vast and varied information and opinion are now accessible to us all, making a shared interaction with mainstream media well within the reach of a thoughtful commoner. Koehler ended the dialogue with a quote from a past Green Party Presidential Candidate, “We’re not trying to create democracy, we’re trying to save it”! If the numbers don’t lie, (left unmolested numbers have no choice but to reveal the truth) then Koehler’s thinking and position places him dead center in the middle of the voting integrity choir. Glad he’s on the team! To learn more about Bob Koehler, go to, WWW.COMMONWONDERS.COM This article and others by the author are available along with Pod casts of previous Voice of the Voters broadcasts on, WWW.VOICEOFTHEVOTERS.COM