Why Democrats Don't Count: Lessons from the Un-Gore of Mexico

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

by Greg Palast

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0714-20.htm

<snip>

But Lopez Obrador 2006 is made out of very different stuff than the scarecrow candidates who, oddly, call themselves "Democrats."

For six years now, I've had this crazy fantasy in my head. In it, an election is stolen and the guy who's declared the loser stands up in front of the White House and says three magic words: "Count the votes."

This past Saturday, my dream came true. Unfortunately, it was in Spanish -- but I'll take what I can get. There was Andreas Manuel Lopez Obrador, presidential challenger, standing in the "Zocalo" -- the square in front of Mexico's White House, telling the ruling clique inside, "Count the votes!"

Most important, his simple demand was echoed by half a million pissed-off, activated voters chanting with him, "Vota por vota!" -- vote by vote...

[blm]

1. I bet Obrador has a party behind him that believes in machine fraud, while

in 2004 Kerry had a party apparatus that did not believe in machine fraud and would not stand for another recount scenario.

Big difference.

Why doesn't Palast examine why Terry MacAuliffe and Bill Clinton let the party infrastructure in crucial states like OHio deteriorate to the point of collapse since 1997, and not bother for FOUR YEARS to counter the vote suppression and purged voter rolls and rigged machines that the GOPs spent their four years working on?

Because Gore and Kerry both won, while the party infrastructure since 1997 was never set up to counter the RNC structure that prevented them from taking office.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

4. You raise a valid question and I think Palast's piece may be...

...a bit unfair to Gore. I do think by '04 the Kerry camp should have had a detailed contingency in place for a stolen election. The signs were all there and it was sure to take place in Ohio and Florida. Perhaps it is too much to expect if the party isn't willing to acknowledge the reality of election theft though. I sure hope Dem leadership wakes up on this issue soon.

[blm]

7. It wasn't up to the nominee to spend 4 years countering GOPs attack on

Dem votes and voters. It was the job of the DNC. Look what Dean has been working on to rebuild the party infrastructure in states and to counter the vote suppression. He'll be lucky to even counter HALF of it by November, but at least he's trying.

Terry MacAuliffe did NOTHING to counter the aggressive actions of the RNC from 2001 thru 2004, and ANY nominee was going to be facing Nov 2004 with the exact same infrastructure and DNC legal and election team that was set up.

Kerry's job as the nominee for the last 6 months before the election was to draft positions, campaign and win the debates. Terry MacAuliffe's job for FOUR YEARS was to counter the GOP's moves against our voters and strengthen the party infrastructure STATE BY STATE - especially crucial states like Florida and Ohio.

[Name removed]

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[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. I'm sure republicans would LOVE any reason for Dems to stay home

don't you agree?

[blm]

9. And stepping up their efforts to discourage voter turnout.

They'll use ANYTHING to spin it to their advantage.

[AlGore-08.com]

3. Umm... Gore spent over a month demanding that the votes be counted

He fought all the way to the Supreme Court to have the votes counted.

Nothing like a little historical revisionism from the same type of morans who brought you "it doesn't matter who's President, so don't bother to vote" back in 2000...

[CK_John]

5. Asking for a count means nothing. Don't hold you're breath. n/t

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

6. Asking might not mean much...

...but a million people in the street DEMANDING a fair, thorough, and verifiable count could. Especially if it's made clear that nothing less will be accepted. The burden of proof rightly rests with the state, not those questioning the result. If the State can't or won't meet this burden, we, the people, should declare the results null and void. The State works for the people, not the other way around, and we need to remind them of this fact. Massive, well organized, extended (not just a weekend) demonstrations would be the way to do this. The message kept very simple, UNVERIFIABLE ELECTION RESULTS WILL NOT STAND, NO EXCEPTIONS.

[Totally Committed]

10. When I first read this article the other day,

I thought it was outstanding, and should be required reading for ALL Democrats. I still believe that.

Thanks for re-posting it for the weekend crowd!

TC

[blm]

11. Should be required reading for the DNC and Dem election board members

of every county in the country - How to avoid being blamed when you don't do your job for four years - just blame the nominee.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

12. Having thought more about it...

...since reading your comments, I agree that the party rather than the nominee should shoulder the responsiblilty/blame for inaction on the election fraud/theft front. Thank you for your insights.

[blm]

13. Well, that's why Dean is going to need us pushing that theme repeatedly

before November.

I think he wants to do more, but there is another wing of the party that isn't as interested in winning in November as the rest of us and they keep ignoring the election and machine fraud.