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20 Amazing Facts About
Voting in the USA
by Angry Girl
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This list is like that Lincoln/Kennedy comparison
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NOTE: This was originally written in 2004, the first time I voted and when I first discovered what a joke U.S. elections are. Some of the data are outdated but much of it is still true. But don't take my word for it: Do your own research and discover the truth for yourself. If you dare....
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Done and done. Did about two hours yesterday, with links a cow orker was giving me on Florida 2004. What I discovered was that the claims were bullshit. And when I went over them with him, he quickly agreed. Very obviously bullshit.
Here I'll do the first five of yours.
1. 80% of all votes in America are counted by only two companies: Diebold and ES&S.
Not easily verified, but the factoid is wrong anyway; it may be referring to
electronic voting counting, which was used in about a quarter of precints in 2004. So maybe 80% of 25%.
Do note that the factoid doesn't really have much to do with whether fraud is occurring. That's the nature of hushed controversies; there are little factoids, but not, say, arrests and convictions. The latter require actual proof rather than a collection of trivial "fishy details". Let's go on:
2. There is no federal agency with regulatory authority or oversight of the U.S. voting machine industry.
True, but totally irrelevant; elections, per the Constitution, are run by the states. This is the sort of factoid that is most annoying; if the federal election were run by the feds, the factoid would become "Only one agency regulates voting for the entire country" and it would be supposed to be troubling and sinister. Yawn.
Do note that the factoid doesn't really have anything to do with whether fraud is occurring.
3. The vice-president of Diebold and the president of ES&S are brothers.
False since late 2004.
Do note that the factoid doesn't really have anything to do with whether fraud is occurring.
4. The chairman and CEO of Diebold is a major Bush campaign organizer and donor who wrote in 2003 that he was "committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year."
True and proof of nothing.
"After a public outcry, Odell announced in May [2004] that he was getting out of politics. " -- The CBS story that was linked as proof. This is the first sentence after they point out the gaffe -- did the list author not read it? (Of course she did.) "Deliver the votes" is common terminology in politics and is exactly what a state organizer would say.
Do note that the factoid doesn't really have anything to do with whether fraud is occurring.
5. Republican Senator Chuck Hagel used to be chairman of ES&S. He became Senator based on votes counted by ES&S machines
85% of the machines were ES&S. But on 0% of the electronic ones, since they were not in use at that time in Nebraska.
Do note that the factoid doesn't really have anything to do with whether fraud is occurring.