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The DNC 2004 Election Report: An indictment of incompetence - Bob Fitrakis

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tommcintyre Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 07:19 AM
Original message
The DNC 2004 Election Report: An indictment of incompetence - Bob Fitrakis
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2005/1335
The DNC 2004 Election Report: An indictment of incompetence
by Steven Rosenfeld and Bob Fitrakis
June 25, 2005

The Democratic National Committee's investigation into Ohio's 2004 presidential election irregularities is the perfect postscript to the party's 'election protection' efforts last fall: it is a shocking indictment of a party caught completely off-guard in its most heated presidential campaign in years, and a party still doesn't fully understand what happened and how to avoid a repeat in the future.

The report primarily documents Jim Crow voter suppression tactics targeting Democratic African-Americans voters were rampant in Ohio’s cities during the 2004 presidential election. It cites and spends most of its time analyzing the most visible problems: from shortages of voting machines in minority precincts, to unreasonable obstacles to voter registration, to disproportionate use of provisional ballots on Election Day among new voters and Democratic constituencies, to inadequate poll worker training and election administration, to poor post-Election Day record keeping.

But the DNC reports says those factors do not mean John Kerry won the election, nor does it mean that the new electronic voting machines are unreliable – even though some of the precincts with the highest percentages of reported problems were outfitted with the new electronic voting machines, known as DREs. The DNC asked for access to the new electronic voting machines and their software, but was denied by local election officials and the private manufacturers. The report leaves the matter there.

It is statements like this one, on page 189, and a failure to follow-through that make the report more than a disappointment to election protection workers, voter rights advocates and those grassroots activists who worked for John Kerry’s campaign. Speaking of the new electronic voting machines, the DNC report states, that “many of the county boards (of elections) do not actually control the electronic records created during the tallying process.” When the Fairfield County Board of Elections was asked for election results, they merely forwarded data from a private vendor. <bolding and underlining mine>
<more>
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babsbunny Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 07:23 AM
Response to Original message
1. Thank God for Bob!
What a powerful Man! Looks like the Dems are week on this problem too. We have to wake them up and make them realize that without voter reform, nothing else matters!
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tommcintyre Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 07:24 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. Ain't it the truth! n/t
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LightningFlash Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 07:25 AM
Response to Original message
3. Watch what it was originally....
Originally it was a total whitewash. It took absolute outrage to even get the report to identify these key areas and push for something. The democrats in name only on Ohio's BOE whitewashed it. Today, its only half way there. At least Bob it isn't a total whitewash.

I told Howard Dean to contact you, and I think every one of you should do the same.

http://www.democrats.org Contact DNC, democraticparty@democrats.org
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tommcintyre Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 05:29 PM
Response to Reply #3
10. It WOULD be a good start, but unfortunately, this all they have in mind
Unless they are pressured, under threat of losing significant support, I don't think they will ever acknowledge even the POSSIBILITY that Kerry was the victor; and Bush only sits in the oval office today - due to fraud.

And the best way to apply that pressure is to spread the word on how the DNC has "sold us out"; and, though the pocketbook - i. E. withhold contributions.
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the other one Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 07:33 AM
Response to Original message
4. The Election 2004 Warren Commission.
Pay no attention to that grassy knoll.
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tommcintyre Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 08:02 PM
Response to Reply #4
11. It really does get one to thinking, doesn't it?
Or not. ;)
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Goldeneye Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 08:07 AM
Response to Original message
5. What's worse is now the GOP
can use our own words against us when we try to get election reform.
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LightningFlash Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 08:16 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. This report needs to be edited severely....
And it really needs to get rid of all the democrats in name only right away. Howard Dean you can see through this crap, get some spine and demand a supplement addendum report.
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tommcintyre Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 03:19 PM
Response to Reply #5
9. This came out a few days before the 2nd Carter/Baker Election Ref Hearing
This will NOT help to promote the discussion of even the MERE POSSIBILITY of election fraud, will it? The first hearing on April 18th, they blocked this with just the "guess" by Mitofsky of the "reluctant Bush responder" (rBr)!

:mad:
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autorank Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 08:37 AM
Response to Original message
7. This is the essential other 1/2 of what the DNC should have done
We won and they won't claim it. That's why the people don't trust us. Our leaders are chicken shits!
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paineinthearse Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 08:55 AM
Response to Original message
8. 2 great treasures out of the Motor City
An independent newspaper (The Free Press) and one of the most honest, straightforward and hard working Representatives, John Conyers.
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LiberalAndProud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jun-25-05 08:08 PM
Response to Original message
12. How do you keep this a non-partisan issue?
Would you care that voting machines were rigged if your candidate won? Nothing can be proven because all evidence has been withheld.
Can't make the allegation that the election was fraudulent with charges that can't be proven.

Is every vote counted? I think not.
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