Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 15:39:43 -0500
From: Yoshie Furuhashi furuhashi.1@osu.edu
Subject: Call On The Ohio Democratic And Green Parties To Demand
A Recount!
To: rad-green@lists.econ.utah.edu
John Kerry and the Democratic Party elite abjectly conceded
and want you to stand down
in the interest of getting on with the bipartisan program
of making Iraq safe for foreign investors
and making the rich richer and the poor poorer in America --
but we shouldn't.
If we cannot stand up for the most basic of democratic rights --
voting rights, especially of Black, Latino, and other working-class
voters -- we are not capable of winning anything better,
such as the end to the Iraq War and establishment of single-payer
universal health care.
Bob Fitrakis, the editor of the Free Press, writes:
"[U]nofficial results showed Bush with 136,483 more votes than Kerry,
although 155,428 provisional ballots,
92,672 'spoiled' ballots,
additional overseas ballots,
and some remaining absentee ballots remained uncounted.
The day after his concession, Kerry drew 3,893 votes
closer to Bush when a computerized voting machine 'glitch'
was discovered in an Ohio precinct.
A machine in ward 1B
in the predominantly Republican Gahanna, Ohio,
recorded 4,258 votes for George W. Bush
"when only 638 people cast votes"
at the New Life Church polling site"
("None Dare Call It Voter Suppression and Fraud,"
November 7, 2004,
http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2004/983 and
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Nov2004/Fitrakis1108.htm).
Most importantly, "[s]poiled ballots will only be counted
if someone with standing, such as five Kerry electors
or the Ohio Democratic Party, demands and legally qualifies
for a recount" (Fitrakis,
http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2004/983 and
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Nov2004/Fitrakis1108.htm).
Call upon the Ohio Democratic Party, Kerry electors,
the Ohio Green Party, and David Cobb electors to demand a recount.
Make them fight for voting rights!
Make them do it, even if you think (as I do)
that Kerry would be no better than Bush on big issues
like the Iraq War and single-payer universal health care. Why?
Because if the recount throws Ohio to Kerry,
it makes the next President a man who won the electoral
college but did not win the popular vote,
which will weaken the executive branch
by denying it the illusion of popular consent and legitimacy;
and even if the recount doesn't change the outcome,
your demand will send the Democrats and Republicans a messagethat you
won't obey their order to keep quiet
about the reign of plutocrats who continue to assign crappy voting
machines to Black, Latino, and other working-class precincts
that make more of working-class votes spoil
than votes of the rich white voters.
The Ohio Democratic Party Contact Information:
Dennis White, Chair
dennis@ohiodems.org
614-221-6563 x128 (voice)
Dan Trevas, Communications Director
dan@ohiodems.org
614-221-6563 x129 (voice)
Hanna Greer, Executive Director
hanna@ohiodems.org
614-221-6563 x100 (voice)
Address: 271 E. State St. Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 614-221-6563 (voice)
614-221-0721 (fax)
<http://www.ohiodems.org>
The Democratic National Committee Contact Information:
<http://democrats.org/contact/>
The Green Party of Ohio Contact Information:
<http://www.ohiogreens.org/contactlist.html>
The Green Party of the United States Contact Information:
<http://www.gp.org/>
Cobb/LaMarche '04 Contact Information:
<http://www.votecobb.org/contact>
Cf. Greg Palast, "An Election Spoiled Rotten," November 2, 2004:
<http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1102-28.htm>
"CNN Just Changed Their Ohio Exit Poll Page":
<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&ad
dress=132x1293911>
Thom Hartmann, "The Ultimate Felony Against Democracy," November 4,
2004: <http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1104-38.htm>
Greg Palast, "Kerry Won," November 4, 2004:
<http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1104-36.htm>
Saturday, November 13, 2004, 1-4 PM
Public Hearing on Election Irregularities and Voter Suppression
We are calling on anyone who experienced or observed
election irregularities or voter suppression this election season
to come to give testimony at a public hearing before public officials,
community representatives and the media.
Your stories will be documented, recorded and put into a report
and formal complaint to the Board of Elections.
If you have any information about election irregularities
please participate.
New Faith Baptist Church, 955 Oak St., Columbus, Ohio, 43205.
Contact: call 253-2571 or email truth@freepress.org for more
information.
Sponsored by Citizen's Alliance for Secure Elections, the CICJ,
League of Pissed Off Voters, Election Protection Coalition, Common
Cause, WVKO Radio.