I am afraid to vote Tuesday

[NoBushSpokenHere]

I am afraid because I am not sure I can resist the temptation to body slam the Diebold tabulator to the floor. Closing my eyes to try to envision being in control I see myself grabbing the flimsy equipment and hurling it out the window. Every day for the past week, I have told myself to resist the temptation. Instead of waning, the urge is growing. My fantasies vacillate from knocking one over into the other, watching the domino affect and smiling from ear to ear.

Perhaps I should call my attorney Monday to ask just what would the penalty be? Would I be facing federal time if I cannot resist my urge? Would it be considered premeditated because I have had this thought for the past week or so? Or would it be like the fraud of 2004, “We stated in an Affidavit, we saw you slam the equipment to the floor, but there is no proof?” I think we all know the answer to that.

We have all been faced with temptations in the past, most of us can overcome the overwhelming urges to do something wrong. So far, I have led my life decent and ethically. Will Tuesday be the day I don’t?

I haven’t ever intentionally harmed another person’s property let alone government property. I honestly believe my value system will kick in at the last minute and stop me from living out my fantasy. I just hope I don’t accidentally trip and knock the SOB’s down!

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. LOL! Resist! Or not!

:evilgrin:

[deadparrot]

2. If you hesitate, they win.

:hi:

Good luck. Hope your candidate wins. :)

[niyad]

3. don't know about you, but our elections were held LAST tuesday

[skids]

5. Most are this Tuesday.

A few were last Tuesday, but the majority are coming up soon.

[sandnsea]

4. If you slammed the equipment to the floor

Would that be proof you were trying to steal the election? Hmmm.

I do understand where this election anxiety is coming from though. I had not thought about the elections on Tuesday because the only one we have is about a water treatment plant and we don't have a hodge-podge system or precincts or lines, etc. Of course people are more upset right now, that's quite understandable. I wish I had put it together sooner.

[NoBushSpokenHere]

6. Yes, the election anxiety is increasing due to the year

anniversary of the theft and the dread of facing the vote eating machines! I swear if mine flips my votes...... hmmmm wonder if I could plead self defense? Temporary insanity?

[EFerrari]

9. I'm tempted to go into my polling place and loudly ask

(in the person of a muddled middle aged lady) how on earth I'm supposed to vote on this machine? I want to do a Mr. Magoo!

"But, how do I know if my choices get counted?"

"What? I'm supposed to TRUST YOU? WHAT?!"

[sandnsea]

26. We should have an education event

It's probably too late now, but we should have used the election Tuesday as an opportunity to educate people about the machines and other voting problems. Is it too late to try to get some fliers ready to download so people can do that?

[EFerrari]

37. Probably is for this round. It's all about GOTV now.

But, let's keep the idea in our back pocket.

[texpatriot2004]

25. I remember this same anxiety when voting last year due to 2000

election. I was so angry waiting in line I could hardly contain myself.

:argh:

[JDPriestly]

7. What state are you in?

[NoBushSpokenHere]

11. Ohio - one of the Blue States that was spray painted Red last year n/t

[JDPriestly]

12. How do you think the Tuesday election will go?

What do the polls say?

[NoBushSpokenHere]

15. Haven't seen any polls - Election reform issues on the ballot

Republican Party and associated groups have been spending mega dollars to tell people if they vote for election reform (Issues 2-5)they will contributed to the ruination of the state. I haven't seen the first article of literature distributed in the past few weeks to explain why to vote YES on these issues. Yes, I am guilty of not campaigning for the cause. I have spread the word, though, for concerned people to vote for these issues.

My prediction: The election reform will be defeated due to the Republicans spending more money. Not alot of other items on the ballots. I also predict a very low voter turn out.

[KerryOn]

17. Also Ohio....

I the elections are rigged, then how will we ever be able to pass the Election reform issues 2 through 5?

Sounds kind of pointless.

[NoBushSpokenHere]

19. Exactly KerryOn, Exactly n/t

[i miss america]

8. I say we wait until after the election & then dump them into Boston Harbor

[EFerrari]

10. We have a harbor here, too. And I'm in. n/t

[ToolTex]

13. I early voted yesterday. It was all I could do not to loudly discuss

the Texas amendment banning gay marriage. I knew I'd get arrested, but it was still an almost uncontrollable urge.

[EFerrari]

18. Hey, maybe we have a THING going here.

:hi:

[ToolTex]

32. Oh, I think it's been going on for a long time. :=)

It's the smile.

[EFerrari]

38. Well, when I go to my polling place and do a Magoo

I will smile.

lol!

[applegrove]

14. To late to "prevote"? Just hold your nose and do it. Speculating will

not win the election. Only excercising your right will. Don't touch that machine in any aggressive way. They will have diminished you if you let them get under your skin and behave in anger.

Walk in with a smile on your face. And vote. And encourage all others in line - with the same fears - to be the adults. Someone has to. Bush sure as **** isn't.

[NoBushSpokenHere]

16. I think I could prevote Monday

provided I may be out of the state Tuesday. Very good possibility of that too, and I don't want to miss my chance to cast my ballot. I will sue if I can prove it isn't counted. It is my understanding there is a better chance of proving it in a prevote. I will be notified late Sunday if I am scheduled to be away Tuesday. So, will know then, and will proudly cast my votes and take my anger out in a lawsuit instead of poor behavior.

[applegrove]

20. Sometimes you just have to take your anger out on the pavement

by exercises. Or my hitting your knees. Crying too. Now there is something that helps you feel stronger.

Sometimes there is no way to share the anger with the persons who deserve it.

P.S. I'm from Canada and we do not sue. Not part of our culture. A no-no. And quite frankly I do not know what getting money out of some wrong will accomplish to making you heal - unless the act cause you or yours such harm that you have life-long costs to cope with.

Just walk away Rene. Take that energy and put it into politics, exercises, your passions. Watch it make you stronger and more adult... if the anger is at all bearable. Which I think it is.

A life well lived - whatever that means to you - is the best and only revenge.

And get used to it. It looks like these creeps will not be anywhere but in your face for the next few years. So - really - try and cope. And if you have trouble coping, get some help.

Sorry for you.

[NoBushSpokenHere]

22. LOL

My post was a tongue-in-cheek post. I am angry, but not angry enough to risk incarceration. My suit wouldn't be for money. My suit would be to prove the elections are invalid. I will kick the post I made the other day regarding marching in DC for Election Reform and for what happened last year. I have been to the pavement a few times this past year. I do wonder if Democrats all across the country barred the doors on election morning in a strike against the machines, what would happen then? And, that is all I will do but wonder because I doubt we could find that many people willing to take a risk for the cause.

Rene? Uh-oh maybe your post was in reference to someone else?

[applegrove]

23. Just walk away Rene is a song. I am totally oblivious to what the lyrics

mean other than that one line in the chorus.

I'm not one for believing that diebold stole votes. Sorry. I just think it is speculation and there is no proof. Proof of many other ways of elections being stolen. Hearts & minds, targeting black felons in Florida, too few machines in Dem ridings, and on and on. Oh - the Supreme Court too. So I am with ya in hoping for transparency in elections.

Very upsetting for all those reasons. But - I am not American so can take a step back and breath. Very hard when it is something you love. Try not to go beyond speculating unless you have proof. And if and when there is proof - then you can take action and try and find a way replace the machines and the like. You are not alone. The moment Dems get back in power - statewise, congresswise, it will be looked into - all the issues. Remember that. There are a whole bunch of people just like you. And that matters. Be it that they have a slightly different take - they know that this Bush WH & the neocons are no good.


It could be worse. You could "know" and "be alone". You are not at either point. Count your lucky starts. You can step back and say - the machines have to go for many reasons. They don't do the job even if votes were not stolen. They create mistrust and anger and that is unacceptable in a democracy.

Soldier on!!

[elehhhhna]

29. It's "Don't walk away, Rene". So...

smack the machine afterall.

edit oopsie I'm wronmg It's "Just ..."


nevermind.

[alfredo]

21. At least you get to vote. RWE and some business friendly judges

are preventing us from voting on whether we can buy the water company or not. So this Tuesday, you will be wanting smash the machine, we will be out in the streets protesting the loss of our voting rights.

If you are in Lexington Ky this tuesday, come to Phoenix Park on the corner of main and Limestone at 5 PM.

[NoBushSpokenHere]

24. Why are they prohibiting a vote on the issue? n/t

[alfredo]

28. They will lose. We had enough signatures on the petition to

win. We needed 18 thousand to get it on the ballot, we got 26 thousand. We also had a very good organization. We were even endorsed by a former Republican Senator, The local newspaper, Ky's top historian, and a giant in the horse industry (WT Young).

The Ky Supreme court said that we cannot have a vote "off season" even though there was votes in the past that were off season and there was no problem. RWE is also challenging the concept of a referendum, even though several have already been held. A civil rights for gays referendum was held and lost. No challenge to the legitimacy of that referendum was brought before the courts. But now a big republican contributor is being challenged and the governor and the Republicans on the Supreme court are kissing their ass.

[chat_noir]

27. Arnold's secret agenda - he doesn't want you Californians to vote

THE GOVERNOR DOESN'T want you to vote. That's the not-so-secret agenda behind the Nov. 8 special election. The lower the turnout in places like San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland, the better for Arnold Schwarzenegger's agenda – which, as we pointed out in our Oct. 12 endorsement issue, amounts to a political power grab of astronomical proportions.

Here's the play: According to the Los Angeles Times, the California GOP has hired Gary Marx, a Bush administration ally and Christian-right political operative, to organize the hard-core GOP base and get those folks to the polls. The governor is focusing on getting out the faithful, and his campaign staffers are working hard on GOP turnout. Much of this is happening under the radar, and the Schwarzenegger people are doing very little to counter the idea that this entire statewide election is an expensive waste.

The goal: Keep the urban Democratic turnout low. If people think the election is a scam, maybe they'll stay home – and if enough of them do that, Schwarzenegger wins.

If turnout is decent, on the other hand, the governor's entire agenda is in real trouble. A poll released Oct. 27 by the Public Policy Institute of California shows the governor's key ballot measures – which include limits on state spending, a new reapportionment process, and strict limits on political spending by unions – to be failing or too close to call.

The impact of this election is huge: If the measures pass, the governor will have unprecedented power to make sweeping budget cuts, on his own, without legislative input or approval. The job of drawing lines for legislative and congressional districts will be handed over to a panel that could be controlled by Republicans. And labor unions, the only real financial force opposing big-business interests in the state, could lose their ability to raise and spend money.

http://www.sfbg.com/40/05/news_ed_elec.html

[Toots]

30. Well you won't face any federal time

There is no such thing as a federal election. All elections are state or municiple even though federal positions are voted on they are done so at the state level.Throw the damn machines out the door and tell them you will only use paper ballots that can be hand counted... You do have that right...

[philb]

31. Virginia had touch screen switching in 2004; and lots of other problems

Fairfax County (Touch screen switching from Kerry to Bush, touch screen default to blank on presidential race, machine problems/long lines, intimidation, registration problems, voter suppression, malfeasance)

Halifax County
Broken machines/long lines/voters not allowed to vote

Prince William
Machine problems/misfeasance/suppression

Richmond
Improper purging of vote roles/registration problem with DMV registrations

Statewide( Student vote problems)

http://www.flcv.com/virginia.html

But so did most states: (in an election documented to be stolen)
http://www.flcv.com/ussumall.html
http://www.flcv.com/summary.html

[stlsaxman]

33. Take Tuesday off and print handbills asking the voters to contact their

legislators if they have ANY concerns or questions about security issues surrounding Deibold electronic voting machines.

Find friends that will do the same at their local polls.

[Lochloosa]

34. Absentee Ballots! I will never vote on a touch screen again!

:argh:

[meganmonkey]

35. Holy sh*t - now THAT would be civil disobedience worthy of

the legacy of dear Ms. Rosa Parks!!!

Could you imagine if we got thousands of people across the country to do that?

How about Nov. 2006?

}(

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

36. Just scream at it real loud......

...it will blow the ears out of the guy wearing headphones monitoring it back at the White House.

[hunter]

39. I'll pretend to vote, they'll pretend to count the vote...

God Bless America!

:patriot: