Reform   Ohio   Now

Vote YES on Issues 2, 3, 4, & 5

Ohio has always been a great state, but times are tough. Ohio leads the country in job losses, and young people are leaving in droves. Our capitol is racked by numerous scandals, and elected officials still pander to big donors and ignore working people.

But now there's something we can do about it.

Vote YES on Issues 2, 3, 4, & 5 on November 8 - real, common-sense reforms to take our state back from the politicians who have failed us:

• Issue 2: Makes it easier to vote by allowing all Ohioans to vote by mail
• Issue 3: Helps stop the influence of big money in elections by greatly reducing campaign contributions.
• Issue 4: Stops the politicians from drawing their own legislative districts and puts an Independent Commission in charge of this process.
• Issue 5: Places a bi-partisan Board of Supervisors in charge of Ohio's elections, instead of a partisan official who backs candidates and takes sides in elections.

You Can Help Fix Ohio

Sign our pledge of support for Issues 2, 3, 4 & 5

I support Issues 2-5 on the 2005 Ohio ballot. It's time to hold politicians accountable and take back Ohio from the politicians who have failed by:

- Making it easier to vote by allowing all Ohioans to vote by mail.

- Helping stop the influence of big money in elections by greatly reducing campaign contributions.

- Stopping the politicians from drawing their own legislative districts and putting an Independent Commission in charge of this process.

- Placing a bi-partisan Board of Supervisors in charge of Ohio's elections, instead of a partisan official who backs candidates and takes sides in elections.



http://www.reformohionow.org/

  Support Voter Reform

I am deeply concerned about the need for transparent, independently auditable, non-privatized, non-vendor-controlled elections and urge you to support legislation that:

(1) establishes a requirement for a voter verified paper ballot created for every vote cast;
(2) establishes a mandatory uniform national standard that states that the voter verified paper ballot -- the only record verified by the voter rather than the voting machine -- is the vote of record in the case of any inconsistency with electronic records;
(3) provides Federal funding to pay for implementation of voter verified paper balloting;
(4) requires a percentage of mandatory random audits in every state, and in each county, for every Federal election;
(5) prohibits use of undisclosed software, wireless communication devices, and internet connections in voting machines;
(6) is required to be fully implemented by 2006; and
(7) protects the accessibility mandates of the Help America Vote Act.

Ensuring full access to the electoral system does not require turning complete control of the vote count over to privately-owned, privately-controlled voting machine vendors.

A bill introduced by Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act (H.R. 550) meets all of the above requirements and has strong bipartisan support. Please show your commitment to transparent, independently auditable, non-privatized, non-vendor-controlled elections today by co-sponsoring HR 550 and ensuring that it becomes law this year.

Catch.com has a story concerning Robert Pape who has done an in depth study of Terrorism and the underlying reason for suicide bombings and written a book entitled "Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism".   As many of us in the reality based community have understood well before 9-11, and Pape's study underscores, there is one predominate cause that drives the terrorists :: Militay Occupation of their homeland.   This priciple was laid out in Bin Laden's fatwah very clearly.   Foreign Military in Saudi Arabia was his main reasoning, pure and simple.   Pape highlights the fact that the suicide bomber mechinism was not created in Arabia or Palestine.   The concept was first empowered by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka who were a Marxist group, a completely secular group that draws from the Hindu families of the Tamil regions of the country..   As stated in one of the articles, Professor Pape is in high demand in Washington D.C. talk circuits.   This highly relevant information is the last thing we are going to hear from the Bush Administration because it does not fit in with their propoganda machine and validates why the "Insurgency" will continue to kill as long as we occupy Iraq.   These articles are very interesting for those of us based in reality and not endoctrinated into the NeoCon warmongering.

Wikipedia :: Robert A. Pape :: Dying To Win
AntiWar.com :: Poisonous Misinterpretations
Daniel Drexner.com :: The logic of suicide terrorism
American Conservative :: The Logic of Suicide Terrorism

---

From a post at NewsHog ::

Why Does Congress Not Want The Poor To Vote?

This news is very disturbing.   It boggles my mind that such a prohibition could be adopted.   It's just another example of the Culture of Corruption that is the Bush Administration.   What really makes me wonder is why so many Democrats voted for this bill.   This development is outrageous and should be fought with all our efforts.   Please contact your lawmakers (See This Post and Say No To Bush) and ask your representatives why they voted for this...   - fc

From The New Standard ::

The Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005, which passed the House of Representatives yesterday by a vote of 331-90, contains a provision that establishes a national fund for developing affordable housing, by skimming 5 percent off the profits of the government-sponsored home-finance companies Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

The funding would be a boon to the nonprofit housing sector - worth up to an estimated $1 billion within two years - but it comes with strings attached: nonprofit organizations would not be able to tap into the fund if they have recently engaged in activities that encourage people to vote.

---

From one of my daily reads in the blogosphere, The Sideshow comes their "Under the Radar" type post called Political Landscape.   The Sidwshow is a blog in the UK that keeps close tabs on what is happening here in the states and I highly recommend it to all.   It links to a victory in Georgia that does away with a requirement for photo ID Cards in order to vote.   - fc

From the Washington Post ::

In a case that some have called a showdown over voting rights, a U.S. appeals court yesterday upheld an injunction barring the state of Georgia from enforcing a law requiring citizens to get government-issued photo identification in order to vote.

The ruling allows thousands of Georgians who do not have government-issued identification, such as driver's licenses and passports, to vote in the Nov. 8 municipal elections without obtaining a special digital identification card, which costs $20 for five years. In prior elections, Georgians could use any one of 17 types of identification that show the person's name and address, including a driver's license, utility bill, bank statement or a paycheck, to gain access to a voting booth.

Last week, when issuing the injunction, U.S. District Judge Harold L. Murphy likened the law to a Jim Crow-era poll tax that required residents, most of them black, to pay back taxes before voting. He said the law appeared to violate the Constitution for that reason. In the 2004 election, about 150,000 Georgians voted without producing government-issued identification.

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Honor The Fallen Campaign

At Operation Truth...

2000 American Troops have now been killed in Iraq, but for over two years, our newspapers have failed to adequately honor the sacrifice of America 's servicemembers. Putting the names of the fallen on page A14 is an insult to America 's Troops and to the families of the fallen, and is yet another example of poor media coverage of the war.

For several months, Operation Truth has listed the names of our fallen servicemembers on its first page and we ask that our nation's newpapers do the same. Help us accomplish this critical first step in honoring our fallen servicemembers.

There are 1333 events planned nationwide as is reflected on the MoveOn Civic Action page.   If you cannot attend a meeting, there are other things you can do.   More information and things you can do to help are located at
Operation Truth :: Honor The Fallen
Endorsed by

"Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation is dedicated to addressing the consequences of war. As an international humanitarian organization founded by veterans, we strive to honor the memory of any war's fallen soldiers as much as its innocent civilians through our programs of advocacy and service to victims of conflict. We proudly stand with all who are participating in 'Honor the Fallen' so those who have lost their lives in Iraq will not be forgotten."

- Bill Belding, President/CEO, Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation

"With American soldiers and Iraqi civilians still dying on a daily basis in Iraq, it's long past time our country has a serious debate on how to succeed in Iraq. That won't happen until the human cost becomes front page news."

- Charles Sheehan-Miles, Executive Director, Veterans for Common Sense

"Many of our brave servicemen and women have made the ultimate sacrifice for this war. The least we can do is make sure they are honored in the way they deserve to be, on the front page of all newspapers, both for them and their families."

- Jim Dean, Chair, Democracy for America

"We can't turn our faces away, just because acknowledging these deaths and asking why is painful. American military men and women live the reality of the Iraq war every day; American media should not hide it in the back pages."

- Matt Holland, Coordinator, True Majority Action

"Mainstream media has obediently regurgitated White House and Pentagon spin for too long on the Iraq War. Big media are treating government officials with kid gloves in exchange for access and lucrative policy favors, all the while slashing newsroom budgets to boost their bottom line. It's time for the media to show the real costs of this war and hold government accountable."

- Josh Silver, Executive Director, Free Press

This week, the number of American soldiers lost while serving in Iraq reached over 2000. While thousands of families have made the ultimate sacrifice, thousands more send their children and loved ones off to a war that seems to have no end in sight.

Today, Wednesday, October 26, 2005 at 6:30 p.m. we will gather at vigils to remember and honor our fallen soldiers and ask, "How many more?"

Thousands of us will solemnly gather together and acknowledge the sacrifices made by over 2000 American men and women in Iraq and their families and speak out against the war.

MoveOn.org CivicAction

Wage Peace Campaign

At American Friends Service Committee...

There are currently 441 events planned in 49 states and counting...

On Wednesday, October 26, people will gather in communities across the U.S. to mark the death of the 2,000th reported U.S. military death in Iraq and to say that the country's pro-peace majority wants Congress to stop the deaths by stopping the dollars that are funding the war.

More about the event >

Sign the Letter to Congress

Not One More Death... Not One More Dollar Letter

To the members of the U.S. Congress:

U.S. military personnel continue to die in Iraq. More than 100,000 Iraqis have died since the U.S. invasion. More than $200 billion has been spent to fund this war.

Please end the war now by using the power given to you under the Constitution: stop the funding, close all military bases in Iraq, and bring the troops home. It is time to end the destruction, and rebuild war-torn Iraq and hurricane-ravaged communities in the U.S.

WHIG Inquiry

At AfterDowningStreet.org...

Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich Press Release

Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) today introduced a Resolution of Inquiry to demand the White House turn over all white papers, minutes, notes, emails or other communications kept by the White House Iraq Group (WHIG).

"This group, comprised of the President and Vice President's top aides, was critical in selling the Administration's case for war," stated Kucinich. "We now know that the Administration hyped intelligence and misled the American public and Congress in their effort to 'sell' the war. After over 1,900 American troops have been killed in Iraq, it is long past time for this Congress to ask serious questions about WHIG and its role in the lead up to the war."

A Resolution of Inquiry is a rare House procedure used to obtain documents from the Executive Branch. Under House rules, Kucinich's resolution is referred to committee, and action must be taken in committee within 14 legislative days.

"For two-and-a-half years Congress has sat on the sidelines neglecting its oversight responsibility when it has come to Iraq," continued Kucinich. "We owe it to the American people to hold this Administration accountable and to find out the truth."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 20, 2005
11:40 AM
CONTACT: Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich
Doug Gordon (202) 225-5871(o); (202) 494-5141(c)

Stop the Pentagon's Illegal Database

Just when you thought you had opted-out...

The Big Brothers at the Pentagon want our youth's information in order to more effectively target them for use in Bush's wars!

In a desperate attempt to more aggressively target prospective recruits, the Pentagon is contracting with private companies to create a massive military recruiting database full of extensive personal information on more than 30 million young Americans, between the ages of 16 and 25. This invasive initiative is not only an alarming violation of all citizens' privacy, but it conflicts with the federal Privacy Act and it's also an ILLEGAL use of tax-payers' money!

Send a letter to your Representative today urging him or her to stop the Illegal Pentagon database and protect student prvacy today!

Dear Honorable,

I am writing in opposition to the Pentagon's creation of the Joint Advertising and Market Research Studies (JAMRS) Recruiting Database. It creates a single central facility within the DOD to compile, process and distribute files on individuals that would contain the personal information of 30 million U.S. residents who are 16-25 years of age. This project is one of many invasive Pentagon ploys to intensify military recruiting efforts of youth, as the quagmire in Iraq drags on and recruiting quotas have been missed month after month.

This database further violates the Privacy Act, which was passed by Congress to reduce the government's collection of personal information on Americans. The goal of the JAMRS Database is to increase military recruitment and retention, by not only tracking extensive personal data on millions of youth, but by further proposing market research studies such as tracking polls of young adults' and their mothers' attitudes towards military service. The DOD has reported that it plans to include in this database Social Security Numbers, race, and educational information; and entrust this information to BeNow, a commercial direct marketing company. Benow, recently acquired by the credit reporting company Equifax, does not even have a privacy policy and there exists no protocol by which youth and their families can "opt-out" of this enormous database.

For these reasons, and because of the potential for abuse and the threat to the personal privacy rights of a generation of American youth, I urge you to sponsor legislation that will immediately end this alarming and illegal project.

I look forward to hearing your response to this matter.

GAO Confirms Security Flaws in Voting Machines

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report today I requested with other Members Of Congress. In sum, the GAO found that "some of [the] concerns about electronic voting machines have been realized and have caused problems with recent elections, resulting in the loss and miscount of votes." GAO found that these concerns "merit the focused attention of federal state and local authorities responsible for election administration."

What does this mean? Much has been made about this issue during the 2004 Ohio election debacle here and elsewhere, however, this is the first time Congress' investigatory arm has weighed in on the problems with our voting machines. The GAO studied the work of others and ultimately put their stamp of approval on it. That lends important credibility to the cause of election reform generally, and more specifically to requiring that every machine have a voter verified paper ballot that is used in election days audits and, if discrepancies are found in those audits, becomes the official record for the election.

There have been discussions and debates about whether this or that election was "hacked." I would like to suggest putting that discussion aside for the moment (or longer -- I understand some such discussions can result in a ban from this blog community). In this context, we should focus on what we all agree on, and what the GAO found: these machines have substantial problems. To me, in addition to being an issue that goes to the heart of our democracy, this is a consumer protection issue. There are certainly voting machine manufacturers who produce a good product. But by and large, when it comes to a voting machine, the average voter is getting a lemon -- the Ford Pinto of voting technology. We must demand better.

More specifics about what GAO found: Serious problems were identified regarding the security control system, access controls, hardware controls, and the voter-verified paper audit trail system. Among the security shortcomings identified by GAO:

1. Some electronic voting systems did not encrypt cast ballots or system audit logs, thus making it possible to alter them without detection.

2. It is easy to alter a file defining how a ballot appears, making it possible for someone to vote for one candidate and actually be recorded as voting for an entirely different candidate.

3. Falsifying election results without leaving any evidence of such an action by using altered memory cards.

4. Access to the voting network was easily compromised because not all digital recording electronic voting systems (DREs) had supervisory functions password-protected, so access to one machine provided access to the whole network.

5. Supervisory across to the voting network was also compromised by repeated use of the same user IDs combined with easily guessed passwords.

6. The locks protecting access to the system were easily picked and keys were simple to copy.

7. One DRE model was shown to have been networked in such a rudimentary fashion that a power failure on one machine would cause the entire network to fail.

8. GAO identified further problems with the security protocols and background screening practices for vendor personnel.

The suggestions made by GAO to ensure the security of machines barely scratch the surface of the problems what is needed to improve the national voting systems standards. Their report divulges that, despite the many official assurances that the problems of the past elections were isolated and few, the election system is indeed riddled with problems and flaws.

The bottom line is until we make a serious commitment to address the significant security and controls concerns we have regarding our voting machines, American citizens have no reason to have complete confidence in our democracy.

Niger Uranium Forgery Mystery Solved?
by Justin Raimondo

These are the links in Justin Raimondo's Article.   These links are presented as reference only.   - fc

Google Search :: Rove & Libby I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby :: rightweb Karl Rove :: Anti-War.com leak :: Anti-War.com infamous 16 words White House News Release :: 16 words enormous fraud War Party's propaganda campaign Niger :: photo of country Niger :: Economy - Uranium French consortium :: Uranium Wilson sent to Niger by CIA Wilson went public IAEA brutally and publicly debunk Niger claim Italian journalist Burba story about docs Panorama :: Magazine Burba writes for Niger documents :: Cryptome yellowcake acquisition :: Slate yellowcake talking points for Iraq War IAEA put off for proof of docs validity docs were forgeries :: Wikipedia forgeries particularly crude :: MSNBC Official admits :: We fell for it. Investigation launched :: Washington Times Novak's column :: TownHall.com following the trail of the forgers Fitzgerald finally gets copy of Italian Report Alan Wolf :: CIA's European Div Clarridge :: CIA Rome Div Wolf - Clarridge - Ledeen & Chalabi Ledeen :: Iran-Contra scandal Ledeen set up meetings with Iranians Manucher Ghorbanifar :: Wikipedia Ledeen :: National Review Ledeen :: NeoCon Fascism Machiavelli's amoralism Ledeen :: radical neoconservative ideologue Ledeen :: Carthage must be destroyed Ledeen :: Creative Destruction Ledeen :: Faster, please! :: Google Search Ledeen met in Rome with Ghorbanifar - 2001 Pentagon's Larry Franklin :: Rome meeting 2001 Office of Net Assessment's Harold Rhode - 2001 meeting Office of Net Assessment :: Pentagon think tank :: Wikipedia Another Ghorbanifar Meeting in Rome :: SISMI :: Italian Military Intel and Sec Service :: Wikipedia SISMI Chief :: Nicolo Pollari Antonio Martino :: Italian Official :: NeoCon favorite Franklin spying for Israel :: WaPo Franklin Indictment

Franklin leaked classified info to AIPAC:: AIPAC Official :: Steve Rosen AIPAC Official :: Keith Weissman Franklin just trying to get AIPAC's assistance in moving a more pro-Israel agenda Rhode :: NeoCon ideologue Franklin & Rhode helped set up DOD's OSP Office of Special Plans :: Google Search OSP stove-piped info :: New Yorker false intelligence :: Judy Miller Ahmed Chalabi :: American Prospect Iraqi National Congress :: Chalabi & Iran Rhode & Franklin & Chalabi :: Richard Sale Fitzgerald & Paul McNulty (AIPAC) are the same investigation Fitzgerald & Cheney's other leaks Others implicate Ledeen Former CIA Official Vince Cannistraro Former CIA Official Larry Johnson Johnson points to SISME's involvement Clarridge :: first head of the Counterterrorism Center :: Google Search Bill Casey's Counterterrorism Center :: Wikipedia Casey, Clarridge - Ledeen :: Sourcewatch Clarridge pardoned in Iran-Contra by G H W Bush Clarridge book :: A Spy for All Seasons Clarridge purportedly the author of "Psychological Operations in Guerilla Warfare Clarridge purported wrote how-to for the Contras Contras directed violence at noncombatants Clarridge's idea of mining Nicaragua's harbors World Court condemns Mining of harvors Clarridge nixed for NSC Clarridge free lancing in Iraq Clarridge investigates sale of Weapons to Saddam Clarridge went to work for Dax Resources Dax Resources special ops, technical countermeasures Bush officials push case against Saddam President Bush Outlines Iraqi Threat Cheney's bogus nuclear weapon Aluminum Tube Story Debunked Seymour Hersh points out Tenet's Lies CIA didn't see actual docs president's 2003 speech Fitzgerald Never Rests :: WaPo How Ahmed Chalabi conned the neocons :: Salon Chalabi :: Heroes in error Chalabi gives Iran U.S. secrets? Valerie Plame :: Wikipedia Iraqi National Congress :: Google Search The spies who pushed for war Inquiry into Tehran's role in starting conflict Selective Intelligence :: Seymour Hersh Neoconservatives Conquered Washington The Pentagon Muzzles the CIA Pentagon Office Home to Neo-Con Network

Wage Peace Campaign :: AFSC
Minimum Wage Issue :: EPI
States Election Reform :: Common Cause
Abramoff Investigation :: CREW

TraitorGate Related Links

White House Iraqi Group - Roster of Players :: Think Progress
The So-called "Lies" of Joe Wilson :: Booman Tribune
Forged Niger Documents :: Cryptome

FIGHTING DEMS: BACK FROM THE FRONT LINES AND HEADED TO CONGRESS

Every Tuesday night on The Majority Report.

The Majority Report and Dailykos.com have teamed up to profile Democratic military vets who've decided to take another step in public service and run for Congress.

Each Tuesday night on The Majority Report over the coming months, The Majority Report's Sam Seder and Markos Moulitsas of DailyKos.com will be introducing and checking in with soldiers who've had enough of Republican Washington and have decided to fight back.

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