I've been doing a lot of emailing, and just spammed my entire liberal and independent acquaintanceship with the following, which I'm providing in case you'd like to use it. It's aimed at a different audience than some of the other (excellent) forms I've found on this site and includes a very SHORT form of letter or e-mail PLUS addresses for some key officials and media. My e-mail starts next.
Hi, there. This message contains a new form for a letter or e-mail that you can use, plus some new info.
As you may be aware, there have been numerous documented reports of problems affecting the recent elections. For now, we can't be certain whether there was significant, systematic tampering that actually changed who won; but unfortunately that possibility cannot be ruled out. However, thousands of dedicated, reputable academics, lawyers, and other good folks all over the country are working very hard to assemble and analyze the evidence.
We don't know what the results of an official investigation might be, but it is painfully clear that such an investigation is needed.
If you have speakers on your computer, you can see the first t.v. news on this matter at:
http://homepage.mac.com/duffyb/nobush/iMovieTheater270.... . It does a pretty good job of covering some of the many known problems or discrepancies as of yesterday (Nov. 9).
Another great starting point for info is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_U.S._Election_controv... I think it's best for us to take the lead on this matter. If Kerry had demanded a recount, esp. before the evidence was developed, there would have been a firestorm. Public figures who press for investigation may be attacked like we've never seen before. Their credibility will be undermined; their careers may be destroyed.
But if there's a continuing outcry by enough of us, an official investigation will be commenced. Later, Kerry and others can get involved without looking like mere muckrakers.
Meanwhile, it's critical that we keep up our energy and determination, and keep the ball rolling.
I think for now, the best thing we can do is to e-mail or contact both our governmental representatives (both federal and state) and the key media outlets. Many of these folks are already being flooded with e-mails and letters--probably the main reason that hints at the problems have finally begun to surface in the media. We've got to keep up the pressure.
Here is a form letter you can use (feel free to revise), and below is contact info for some people to e-mail or send it to. Even if you've never written such folks before, I urge you to do so now, and to continue to do so until our concerns about election integrity have been satisfied.
I will also include below in this message some addresses to webpages with additional info.
And IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION about any kind of problem in connection with the election, please report it to vri@dnc.org (this is per a request from Kerry's brother, Cameron Kerry) and at
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.c... (the latter is Bev Harris's site, the woman who spearheaded most folks' awareness of the problems with paperless machines).
PLEASE pass this on to everyone you think might help, and thanks!
FORM LETTER:
Dear _______________:
I am writing to urge you to call for investigation of possible tampering with the tabulations of votes in the recent election and other reported problems. (Information on these problems can be found at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_U.S._Election_controv... .)
Like most of us, I would be vastly relieved if I could be confident that no significant tampering or obstruction occurred.
But the problems and discrepancies appear so serious, that I believe thorough investigation and analysis are necessary (and as soon as possible), both in order to restore public confidence and to assure the future integrity of our election process.
Sincerely,
___________________
PEOPLE TO E-MAIL OR CONTACT:
MEDIA:
Here's a site where you can find contact info for your local and other print media:
http://www.mapinc.org/media.htm The Atlantic Monthly
letters@theatlantic.com
Website:
http://www.theatlantic.com /
Feedback:
http://www.theatlantic.com/letters/fdbk.htm Address: 77 North Washington Street, Boston, MA 02114
The Economist
letters@economist.com
Website:
http://www.economist.com /
111 West 57th Street, New York NY 10019 (US office)
Fax: (212) 541 9378
Harper's Magazine
letters@harpers.org
Website:
http://www.harpers.org /
666 Broadway, New York, New York, 10012
Fax: (212) 228-5889
The New York Times - nytnews@nytimes.com, public@nytimes.com
The New Yorker - themail@newyorker.com
The Nation -
http://www.thenation.com/contact/lett Los Angeles Times -
http://www.latimes.com/services/site/la-comment-oped,0,... USA Today - editor@usatoday.com
National Public Radio - drehm@wamu.org, tavis@npr.org, ombudsman@npr.org
BBC News -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/help/3281777.stm SOME GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS:
To confirm who your current State representatives in Texas are, go to:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us Senator Thomas Daschle: FX: 202-224-6603, 509 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510-4103
Senator John Kerry:
http://kerry.senate.gov/bandwidth/contact/email.html Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (one of the signers of the Judiciary Committee's letters to the GAO requesting an official investigation):
http://www.house.gov/conyers/letstalk.htm WEBPAGES WITH ADDITIONAL INFO:
Here is a (second) letter from members of the House Judiciary Committee to the General Accounting Office requesting an official investigation:
http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/gaoinvestvote2... Here's a great place to start looking at the info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_U.S._Election_controv... The following charts can be found on this site, which contains lots of helpful info and links:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph... Truth:
Fiction:
Here are some more interesting tables:
http://ustogether.org/Florida_Election.htmThe following article can be found at
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1106-30.htm :
Evidence Mounts That The Vote May Have Been Hacked, by Thom Hartmann
"When I spoke with Jeff Fisher this morning (Saturday, November 06, 2004), the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 16th District said he was waiting for the FBI to show up. Fisher has evidence, he says, not only that the Florida election was hacked, but of who hacked it and how. And not just this year, he said, but that these same people had previously hacked the Democratic primary race in 2002 so that Jeb Bush would not have to run against Janet Reno, who presented a real threat to Jeb, but instead against Bill McBride, who Jeb beat." Etc.