The Voting Process 8-Years Later -- Why Is It STILL Broken?

[quantass]

I'm sorry but i have to vent...

I don't get it. It's been 8 years since Bush appeared on the scene and stoled the election, then 4 years later did it again. And here we are 8 years later with breaking down machines, votes being flipped, and mass voter purging. After all these years I'm beginning to think the democratic party are co-conspirators in all of this; why else would one sit back and let it happen 3 times in a row.

Seriously, is it that difficult to produce an accurately working voting machine? I'm a software engineer and am awe-struck over the "bugs" these apps have. Why cant the source code be open-source; it cant be more than 20 lines of code? Why can't the source code be peer-reviewed on a bipartisan stage, especially when the software maker is a proud Republican supporter? Why no paper trail? Why no online verification service to corroborate a paper copy? Why no minimal security measures (which I'm sure is the least of the problems)? All these things should have been pushed for and obtained years ago, but nothing. At the very least why not go back to paper for all states and work out the electronic kinks in private-beta behind closed doors.

I have no direct stake in the U.S. Elections (besides short-selling John McCain on Intrade) but its really getting annoying seeing such a simple problem with such enormous consequences be ignored time and again. Surprisingly, i don't blame the republicans for openly taking advantage of the system. I blame the democrats for sitting by and letting it play itself out once again like the movie Ground Hog Day.

Someone please tell me the meaningful proactive strategies democrats have employed to stop these ongoing acts of fraud and disenfranchising. How will the next 13 days not be a replica of 2004?

I do want to commend Jennifer Brunner and the Obama Campaign for their recent prompt counter-measures. Apologies for the rant but I'm getting mad as hell and just cant take it any more.

[riqster]

1. Our Elections were privatized is the short answer

...the government abdicated its responsibilities, selling the process to the private sector.

[Kokonoe]

2. We are divided,

As soon as we make sense, we are divided again.

[ProSense]

3. Because a lot of people don't take it seriously.

Rachel Maddow's show yesterday was surreal: RFK Jr. talking about vote suppression and then Rachel implying that Kerry lost because of windsurfing.

It's easier to continue the RW meme that Dems lose because of silly shit than deal with the notion that Republicans have been/are committing election fraud.

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. Because the people who want it broken have been in charge?

It's not really that complicated.

[renate]

6. yup. It's a miracle 2006 happened.

And it only happened because they didn't cheat quite enough--they didn't realize how pissed off people were.

[uponit7771]

5. AMEN!! There is NO WAY the fault rate on THIS TYPE of code base should be THIS HIGH!!

To me it's STUPID to walk into this election thinking for a second that the Bush admin wont steal it!!!

I'm sick of NOT hearing from either McKlan or Obama on this issue!!!