Verified Voting: Call To Action
Hello Everyone!

In this update:

1. Action Call on Verified Voting
2. Message From Jim Dean & Get a DFA Sticker
3. New DFA Meetup in Ballston!
4. Greg Palast Exposes Iraq War
5. Mainstream Churches under attack
6. Boxer Calls For Boycott
7. Anniversary Protest on Start of War to Bring Troops Home Now

1. Action Call on Verified Voting

News comes this week that real progress is being made on the issue of securing our right to vote by using Optically Scanned Paper Ballots instead of all-electronic Touch Screen voting machines called DRE's. According to Bo Lipari of New York Verified Voting ( http://www.nyvv.com )
the NYS Assembly has come over to the use of PB/OS machines, that is, optically scanned paper ballots, which are fraud resistant.

At the same time, there is a big scandal breaking in Maryland over Diebold voting machines; all the machines there have been locked down for investigation because of their very high failure rate, among other problems:
DIEBOLD

This means the spotlight is on the NYS State Senate, which is still holding out for DRE's, or touch screen voting machines. For a detailed, scientific view, check out the pdf file at the bottom of this posting from the American Physical Society, the national organization of physicists. This is probably the most prestigious scientific organization in the country. It will give you all the details you need.

What can we do? Contact our Senators. Use your own words. Tell them you only want paper ballots that can be recounted and scanners that are locally operated. Emphasize that is the only fiscally responsible solution; DRE's are incredibly expensive.

1. Calling by phone is best. That has the most impact. 2. Handwriting a letter is next best. 3. Writing a letter to the editor is also excellent. 4. Or use email, but this has the lowest response rate.

The addresses for our area are:
Senator Betty Little: 518-743-0968, 21 Bay Street Glens Falls, New York 12801
Senator Joe Bruno: (518)-583-100, 368 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward: 518-792-4546, 21 Bay Street, Suite 206 Glens Falls, NY 12801
Assemblyman Roy McDonald: 518-747-7098, 383 Broadway - Rm. 202, Fort Edward, NY 12828
Assemblyman James Tedisco: 518-370-2812, 12 Jay Street, Schenectady, NY 12305

Remember, if the Senate and the Assembly can't agree; that's fine; we can keep on using our reliable lever action machines for a few more years while this is worked out.

And here's another background story on why this matters so critically; apparently Teresa Kerry now also thinks there was real fraud in Ohio. http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0310-32.htm

2. Jim Dean Message & Get a DFA Sticker

Our new DFA Chairman, Jim Dean sent out a special message for the 1st Anniversary of DFA; check it out and get a free DFA sticker as well!
http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/006107.html

3. New DFA Meetup in Ballston!

We want to welcome a new DFA Meetup to our area and Democracy For the Southern Adirondack/Tricounty Area! The Ballston Town Chair Patrick Southworth has set up a new meetup for Ballston Spa. This means there are now three meetups in DF-SA/TCA with more to come. So there is now no excuse for our DFA supporters in western Saratoga County not to make it to a meetup. For more info or to sign up go to:
http://dfa.meetup.com/904/
To sign up for the Saratoga Meetup with Pat Friesen:
http://dfa.meetup.com/874/
Glens Falls is http://dfa.meetup.com/38

Welcome Patrick!

4. Greg Palast Exposes Iraq War

Many of us will remember BBC reporter Greg Palast first broke the story of election fraud in Florida in 2000. On the BBC's Newsnight program today he breaks a major story on the origins of the Iraq War, and the feud between the big oil companies and the administration's neocon extremists. He has new evidence the war was planned from the minute Bush got into office and the goal was Iraq's oil: Palast

5. Mainstream Churches under attack

Members of our mainstream churches should know there is a scary and well funded plot by radical right forces to try and hijack America's biggest denominations and bend them to the radical right's political agenda. This is an appalling story. It seems there is no tactic too low for them and what's worse, they never seem to sleep:
Churches


6. Boxer Calls For Boycott

Our Senate Democrats got beat on oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Wednesday. Senator Barbara Boxer is now calling for a nationwide boycott of any oil company that bids on the oil leases. This is the kid of action we can all pledge too. Boxer Boycott


7. Join Anniversary Protest on Start of War

Join a call on the 2nd Anniversary of the War to support our troops by bringing them home now. There will be a Community Walk Sunday March 20th in Saratoga Springs, NY. Speakers start at noon in front of the 
Post Office on Broadway. A contingency meeting place will be High Rock Park. The walk begins at 1 pm. These Regional Protests Are Happening Across the U.S. & Worldwide. Contact March20Project@gmail.com for information. 
 Sponsored by the March 20th Project.
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:32 AM