"A key action in the controversy over possible electoral fraud in the U.S. is about to happen -- and you can have your voice heard in it, if you wish. Rep John Conyers, who has held extensive House Judiciary Committee hearings on voting irregularities, is organizing a challenge to Ohio's Electoral College votes -- which will happen on January 6 when the Senate and House come together to open and count the electoral votes from all states. Serious irregularities were found in Ohio and important Ohio election officials did not cooperate with research by Conyers and others. Rep Conyers needs support from other Representatives and at least one Senator in order for his challenge to be effective. The information is below, and you can find out your Representative's and Senators' names and contact information from http://www.vote-smart.org (upper left corner of the home page) - or you can use the quick method given in the P.S. below my note.
"As most of you know, I do not consider this a partisan issue. Although normally I consider voting a minimalist form of democracy (compared to all the dialogue and deliberation that is possible and desperately needed), it IS a bedrock fundamental of modern democracies and, when it seriously breaks down -- as it seems to have done in a number of places two months ago -- it needs to be investigated and corrected with all possible speed. Having it openly discussed and the real situation clarified is at least as important (in my eyes) as which candidate ultimately wins the election. Whether or not this airing of the truth occurs has profound implications for future elections in the U.S.
Coheartedly,
Tom
P.S. - QUICK: For a fast email note to your representative(s), here's a one click page that looks up your senators and house representative and sends your personal message to them and the minority House Judiciary Committee, all at once. http://www.thepen.us/contest.html
P.P.S. - BACKGROUND: If you want more background information about this controversy, you can read an interview with Rep. Conyers at
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/12/21/conyers/print.html
and his statement of unanswered questions at
http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/ conyers electionstmt121304.pdf
For observed irregularities with the recently-completed Ohio recount, see
http://www.votecobb.org/recount/ohio_reports/index.php
There are also a number of articles at http://www.thepen.us/contest.html if you click the line that says "Click here for arguments" - which includes a defense of Ohio's electoral process by the Ohio Secretary of State, so you can make up your own mind.
from
Tom Atlee * The Co-Intelligence Institute * PO Box 493 * Eugene, OR 97440
http://www.co-intelligence.org * http://www.democracyinnovations.org Read THE TAO OF DEMOCRACY * http://www.taoofdemocracy.com
