No wonder there's so much tiptoeing around. The 2 articles that I've seen about absentee voting left gaping holes.
July 18, 2008 Akron Beacon Journal http://www.ohio.com/news/ap?articleID=617534&c=y failed to report about the financial choices for the election officials in all of Ohio's 88 counties regarding Combined Mailing of Notice of Election and Application for Absentee Voting.
August 8, 2008 WCPO.COM
http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=b767279e-4b18-4b14-a981-5a6 c95d1bb26
failed to report about the financial choices for the election officials in all of Ohio's 88 counties regarding Combined Mailing of Notice of Election and Application for Absentee Voting. Read More »
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/163/77605.html?1218918865
Black Box Voting » Ohio » (OH) Hamilton County » (OH) 8/08 - Hamilton: Pick your poison: long lines, delays, or chain of custody problems Read More »
A sequel that's even better than the original.
Watch It:
http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/upload/publications/election/Bring_ID_CARD.pdf
Even the most well-recognized among us
need to bring ID to the polls.
Bring I.D.
When You Vote
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner
MANY FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION WILL BE ACCEPTED, THEY ARE:
Early and Absentee Voting
Election Day Voting
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner
I N S T I T U T E
VOTING RIGHTS
The last four digits of voter's social security
number; or driver's license number; or
A copy of a current and valid photo
identification, (i.e. Ohio driver's license, state
ID card, government ID). Photo identification must
show name and address; or
A copy of a current utility bill (including cell
phone bill), bank statement, paycheck, government
check, or other government document that
shows the voter's name and current address
(including from a public college or university).
NOTE: Ohio law provides you cannot use as proof of identification a
notice that the board of elections mailed to you. Voters who do
not provide one of these documents will still be able to vote by
provisional ballot.
Questions?
Please call your local county board of elections office or visit
us at: WWW.SOS.STATE.OH.US or call us: 877.VOTE.VRI
A current and valid photo identification
(i.e. Ohio driver's license, state ID card,
government ID). Photo identification must show
name and address (does not need to be current
address for driver's license or state id card); or
A military identification that shows the voter's
name. (Does not need to show address); or
A copy of a current utility bill (including
cell phone bill), bank statement, paycheck,
government check, or other government
document that shows the voter's name and
current address (including from a public
college or university).
SOS 2212 (08/08)
"WHEN YOU VOTE BRING I.D." is encountering a critical obstruction in distributing this to the public. The fly in the ointment involves:
OHIO SOS ADVISORY 2008 - 12 DATED JULY 23, 2008.
Corrections to the "When You Vote Bring ID" hasn't been incorporated into the publication. The corrections that need to be made concern Amended House Bill 562 .
The Hamilton County, Ohio BOE (namely Sally Krisel, the Director of the Hamilton County Ohio BOE and Diane Goldsmith, Voter Registration Department Administrator) said they couldn't give out incorrect "When You Vote Bring I.D." brochures. They handed me the above Advisory. I pointed out the Advisory doesn't forbid distribution although the Advisory states "In a forthcoming directive, your office will receive more detailed information about military identification cards and other acceptable forms of identification." They were consulting with eachother back and forth. Diane Goldsmith directed another employee to: blot out with a black marker part of the 5th item on page 2 of the above brochure so that it read:
"A MILITARY IDENTIFICATION THAT SHOWS THE VOTER'S NAME OR"
5th item of page 2 of the publication "When You Vote Bring ID"
The employee performed Diane Goldsmith's instructions and I was permitted to leave the Hamilton County Ohio BOE with 50 of the hard shiny brochures as per above which the employee had to personally change.
However, as of the time of this email, the problem hasn't been attended to for the online brochures neither in the printable form of the brochures nor in the shiny hard brochures. The order form is still accessible.
The brochure itself is coded SOS 2212 (03/08). That code is located on the 2nd page lower left of the publication "When You Vote Bring ID" directly above the logo of the VOTING RIGHTS INSTITUTE."
I now understand why I ordered 50 hard shiny copies of "When You Vote Bring ID" on or about August 4, 2008 and they never arrived.
On Monday, August 11, 2008 I received in the U.S. mail a PUBLICATION NOTICE without a date and without a signature. I paraphrase this item on the letterhead of Jennifer Brunner, Ohio Secretary of State:
Please note we were unable to fill your entire request of the following publication(s):
Voting Rights Institute Bring ID Cards
Due to the Following reasons:
Publication being revised/updated
Exact quote for the following: "Your mailing information will remain in our database and your request(s) will be mailed to you when this publication becomes available. The publication you are requesting may be available to download as a PDF document from the Secretary of State's Web site at www.sos.state.oh.us.
If you have any question regarding this notice or need additional assistance with publications printed by the Secretary of State's office please call our publications request line at 614 - 466 - 3613 or send an email to Prequest@sos.state.oh.us."
but is apparently having trouble kicking volleyball.
It's early August and even Barack is on vacation- load up this Google Calendar of Olympic TV listings to catch your favorite events.
The Community Financial Services Association's campaign to overturn House Bill 545 went live with a new website yesterday. Their website, Ohioans4financialfreedom, displays how out of touch they are with real Ohioans.
First, they say: "Protect 6,000 good-paying jobs that could be lost."
This is not accurate. House Bill 545 says absolutely nothing about closing any businesses or preventing the dispersion of payday loans. House Bill 545 simply caps interest rates and fees at 28% APR, protecting Ohio's consumers from predatory 391% APR interest. Payday lending stores have already started applying for licenses to continue operating under the new law from the Ohio Department of Commerce. If any stores close, it's because they choose to, not because they have to.
Second, they say: "Protect your financial freedom and private financial choices."
Payday lenders target low-income neighborhoods where it is easier for them to encourage people to walk through the door. Neon signs with "Get cash in minutes!" and "Easy cash quick," etc. Once a borrower is trapped in a cycle of payday loans, it becomes necessary for the consumer to keep taking out loans. This is not a choice! Usurious payday loans at 391% are bad for Ohioans and bad for the Ohio economy. Usury is not freedom!
Third, they say: "Protect your right to privacy about your personal finances."
This is a nice catch phrase that appeals to just about everyone! House Bill 545 includes a provision calling for the creation of a database that will let lenders know how many loans a person has taken out at a given time. This allows lenders to lend according to borrowers ability to repay - something neither predatory mortgage lenders nor payday lenders seem to care about.
And finally, once again, the industry uses their lame argument for why their referendum should be on the ballot: "Ohioans have a right to repeal bad laws."
Well, it bears repeating that House Bill 545 is one of the best consumer protection laws in the country and will help hundreds of thousands of Ohioans escape the debt trap. Ohioans do have a right to overturn bad laws, but this referendum effort is not being mounted by Ohioans, but by industry lobbyists and attorneys flown in on their corporate jets. Where are the citizens working on this referendum? Where are the consumers calling for 391% interest? They are nowhere to be found. Instead, the industry lobby CFSA is the sole donor to the effort to repeal House Bill 545. This is right in line with what they are doing in other states like Arizona where they've spent $8.7 million to overturn a consumer law and in Virginia where they succeeded in buying higher interest rates for a low, low price of $20 million.
The Ohio government should be PROTECTING consumers from predatory business practices that rely on borrowers getting trapped in a cycle of debt! Payday lending is bad for Ohio!
Today on Meet the Bloggers at 1pm ET, Rachel Maddow will lead a substantive, issues-based discussion on the critical issue of Afghanistan. We will hear different progressive points of view from hosts Cenk Uygur and David Dayen, and featured bloggers Roberto Lovato, Baratunde Thurston, and Liliana Segura. But we will NOT accept the viewpoint that the only solution to the situation in Afghanistan is a military one.
As the saying goes, if your only tool is a hammer, all problems appear to be nails.
At this early stage, there is a vital need to hear and explore the complexity of Afghanistan; the history of occupations in the country; and the nature of terrorism versus tribal battles. I am pleased that we at Brave New Foundation are able to highlight and explore these issues in a way that is not being done, and with voices that are smart, articulate, and passionate. Join us at 1pm ET, and submit your comments to our guests.
Yours,
Robert Greenwald, Leighton Woodhouse, Paris Marron
and the Brave New team
Welcome to the Low Road Express.
John McCain used to stand for “straight talk.” Not anymore.
These days John McCain doesn’t seem to stand for anything but negative attacks and false charges against Barack Obama. This isn’t the John McCain we used to know.
In 2001, Michael L. Connell of GovTech Solutions, L.L.C., a notoriously partisan GOP operative and Bush family confidant, was selected to re-organize the Capitol Hill IT network. Under the guise of selecting a female-owned IT company (Connells wife Heather is listed as the owner), former Congressman and convicted felon Bob Ney reportedly arranged for Connell to be the man behind the firewall for the U.S. House of Representatives. Connells role and activities need to be investigated by putting Connell under oath and examining how arguably one of the countrys most zealously partisan IT specialists managed to land the contract and be allowed access to this electronic communication system.
Initially, Connells forays into partisan politics had very public ups and downs. Connell got his big break in 1987 as a staff member for former CIA Director and Vice President George H.W. Bushs successful campaign for president. He programmed and developed an advanced delegate tracking system for Republican National Convention in 1988. With no presidential campaign in 1990, Connell emerged in partisan politics, this time in a well-publicized scandal. On November 11, 1990, Senator Dan Coats (R-IN) fired Connell for his role in a push polling scheme that Coats denounced as clearly unethical. Next, Connell resurfaced as a congressional staffer and mouthpiece as U.S. Rep. Martin R. Hokes (R-OH) Communication Director in 1993-4. Read More »
Whether you are a new online organizer or a seasoned professional with traditional field experience, the Organizers Summit will focus on how to use new technology and the internet to make all aspects of traditional field and communications more efficient and effective for organizational staff.
Event: NOI Organizers Summit in Columbus, OH
Date/Location: July 28 at The Ohio State University's Fawcett Center
Cost: $125 per person (includes two meals, and training materials)
Register at: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1095/t/6780/content.jsp?content_KEY=4184
The training will feature two tracks for attendees: field/data and organizing/communications. Sessions and workshops at the Organizers Summit will focus on developing skills in the following areas:
- Introduction to Online Organizing, Communications, and New Media
- Advances in Field Technology and Technique
- Testing and Evaluation: How, When, and Why
- Recognizing "Moments" for Strategic Online Organizing
- Effective Email Writing and Campaign Design
- Working with Blogs and Bloggers
- Online Fundraising, Marketing, and Advertising
- Organizing Through Social Networks
- Integrating Video Into Your Online Strategy
- And much more!
NOI is working with a wide array of state-based partners across the country to organize this training, along with nine other trainings in other regions of the country. This is an amazing opportunity to share some of the lessons, strategies and techniques being used by organizations on the forefront of online organizing and political technology all over the country and to build your network.
Find registration information and more details about the Organizers Summit at http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1095/t/6780/content.jsp?content_KEY=4184
We look forward to seeing you there!
AP:
Robinson is now 106 - that's 35 years older than McCain - and she began using the Internet at 98.
Blogs have been buzzing recently over McCain's admission that when it comes to the Internet, "I'm an illiterate who has to rely on his wife for any assistance he can get."...
"About 3/4ths of white, college-educated men age over 65 use the Internet," says Susannah Fox, director of the project. "John McCain is an outlier when you compare him to his peers,"
With our national security and economic growth so closely tied to computing, it's hard to imagine governing without having even the most basic grasp on the internet.
NEW YORK — If Sen. John McCain is really serious about becoming a Web-savvy citizen, perhaps Kathryn Robinson can help.Robinson is now 106 — that's 35 years older than McCain — and she began using the Internet at 98, at the Barclay Friends home in West Chester, Pa., where she lives. "I started to learn because I wanted to e-mail my family," she says — in an e-mail message, naturally.
Blogs have been buzzing recently over McCain's admission that when it comes to the Internet, "I'm an illiterate who has to rely on his wife for any assistance he can get."
And the 71-year-old presumptive Republican nominee, asked about his Web use last week by the New York Times, said that aides "go on for me. I will have that down fairly soon, getting on myself."
How unusual is it for a 71-year-old American to be unplugged?
Civilrights.org is hosting an educational event in DC tomorrow trying to get the powers-to-be up-to-speed on the upcoming Digital TV switch.
In that spirit, here is a guide to the big switch early next year (no, not that one).
Two important points:
- If you watch TV via cable or satellite, you don't need to do anything.
- Digital TV (DTV) has nothing to do with High Def TV (HDTV). You don't need to run out and buy a new plasma whatever.
Narrator: "He passed a law to move people from welfare to work, slashed the rolls by 80 percent. Passed tax cuts for workers, health care for kids. As president, he'll end tax breaks for companies that export jobs, reward those that create jobs in America."
Watch it:
Step 1 - Click on Voter Registration Instruction Manual for Designated Agencies: High Resolution (pdf)
OR:
Click on Voter Registration Instruction Manual for Designated Agencies: Low Resolution (pdf)
Step 2 - Access Sec1:29 (34 of 46)
Step 3 - Read (D) "A board of elections shall not be required to distribute a copy of a brochure under division (B) of this section to any of the following officials or employees are requesting more than two voter registration forms at one time in the course of the official's or emplloyee's normal duties:
(1) An election official;
(2) A county treasurer
(3) A deputy registrar of motor vehicles;
(4) An employee of a designated agency;
(5) An employee of a public high school;
(6) An employee of a public vocational school;
(7) An employee of a public library
(8) An employee of the office of a county treasurer;
(9) An employee of the bureau of motor vehicles;
(10) An employee of a deputy registrar of motor vehicles;
(11) An employee of an election official.
I need to say at this point I am definitely NOT open to conversation addressing the relative merits of this law and rationalizations of why this law is okay. It is not okay. The following is "off the table for me":
1. If people really want the info, they'll get it.
2. Anybody can just print it off from the web.
3. Nobody reads these things.
4. Our taxes shouldn't be used to pay for this.
5. Single mothers/fathers and married mothers/fathers on welfare know everything there is to know about benefits. They can just as easily get this information if they cared.
I've been hearing the above opinions frequently in many different contexts. The above 5 statements have been made by normal middle class individuals who lead genuinely self - sacrificing lives to help others.
Obviously, I'm not an attorney. I wish for a magical filing of an emergency temporary (effective AT THE VERY LEAST until all formal results of the November 2008 Presidential Election are made public) injunction in a Federal District Court to shut this withholding of the paper copy of the 2008 Ohio Voter Information Guide DOWN.
Don't dismiss what Obama and his people just accomplished. They came from nowhere to beat the biggest brand name in Democratic politics, despite starting at a huge disadvantage in name recognition, fundraising and polling numbers.
Here's some insight on how they used technology, the internet and social networking to accomplish it.
Watch it:
And it’s not just about elections. It’s going to be about governance too.
See Also:
Obama's Organization, and the Future of American Politics
John McCain's speech last night was widely panned on both the left and the right.
The only exception seemd to be Harold Ford who called it powerful, compelling.
Newsweek certainly didn't agree with Harold.
Nor did any others that I can find:
Put McCain's speech against Obama's - and this was a wipe-out. Not a victory. A wipe-out. Rhetorically, they are simply not in the same league. And if the contrast tonight between McCain and Obama holds for the rest of the campaign, McCain is facing a defeat of historic proportions.
One more thing: with McCain's and Clinton's speeches, you could not forget the politics of it. With Obama, you forgot about that at times. You actually lifted your eyes a little and believed a little and hoped a little.
Yes, he can. And anyone who under-estimates that will regret it.
The Jed Report created a video mashup such that one can directly compare the two speeches.
Watch It:
Worst. Speech. Ever.
6/3/08, 9:25 pm EST
Good God, John McCain gives bad podium.
It’s like watching the out-takes from an Andy Rooney kvetch.
UPDATE:
The cruel reviews are coming in even from Fox:
MORT KONDRACKE: Well, John McCain had better start working on his speechmaking and learn how to use a teleprompter. I mean, the gap, the rhetorical gap between this speech and...Oratorical gap between this speech and John McCain’s was vast. John McCain sounded old. This sounded fresh and new and exciting and visionary. And he was enlisting the country to join him in a great cause. This is our moment, all of that.
McCain's Speech [Amy Holmes]
McCain's speech was creaky, ungracious, and unnecessary. I never understand why politicians don't take the opportunity, when so easily presented, to simply be gracious and hold their fire. Watching McCain, I couldn't help but think of the astonishing contrast Barack's triumphant speech to a massive and adoring crowd will be. It was not a comparison McCain should have invited.
It would have been more statesmanlike ‹ precisely the profile McCain is attempting to craft ‹ to acknowledge this historic moment in American politics. A major party is on the cusp of selecting an African American to be their nominee for President of the United States. It's a tribute to America that we've come this far. It would have been magnanimous to leave it at that, and wait until tomorrow to declare with enthusiasm and relish, "It's on!"
Read More Media Reviews here on Daily Kos
I predict all hell will break loose. Chaos will ensue. In some circles, cutting off free rabbit-ears TV will be seen as the equivalent of snipping Grandma's IV line. Coach potatoes will get off their butts to protest (maybe). Our new President will be blamed for snatching Wheel of Fortune from the homes of the elderly. Unlike the Y2K non-crisis, The End of Analog will be a bigger cultural conflict than floppys vs. disks, Betamax vs. VCR and Apple vs. PC combined, and a whole lot more abrupt.
But I'm not worried. Along with my Homeland Security duct tape, I've done the sensible thing and acquired a digital-to-analog converter box for my one non-cable enabled TV. It's the size of a book and it costs $25 at Radio Shack with a $40 discount coupon issued by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
You can get up to two $40 coupons at dtv2009.gov, but you will need to give up your address and phone number. The coupons are plastic cards (for security reasons, I suppose), which makes them seem like FEMA debit cards. The whole experience of marching into Radio Shack with my guvment-approved ID card (twice -- they were sold out of boxes the day before) gave me an appreciation for the Government Cheese recipients of the 80s.
What's to become of the broadcast frequencies which will be freed up because of the changeover to digital? I dunno (hell, I still haven't managed to get my TV programmed properly), but a few clicks into the NTIA site suggests that our government may have some plans they don't want to share with us. The Office of Spectrum Management, for example, is charged with "developing plans for the peacetime and wartime use of the spectrum." Taking away mom's "stories" for the War on Terror?
(For a cool piece of government-issued Mondrian art, see the U.S. Frequency Allocation chart.)
If necessary, I could get our cable supplier to install another connection or buy a new TV with a digital tuner ($350+!), but I'm too cheap. The converter box program isn't vital for me, but I imagine the loss of free TV -- however poor the signal is -- will be devastating to many low income people.
When my technical adviser gets home from college, he'll probably be able to help me find that elusive Setup Wizard and get my TV working digitally. But if not, I'm going to hold onto my guvment-subsidized box. When the Cheesy Entertainment Meltdown of February 18, 2009 comes -- when the cries come up from the masses: Brother, can you spare a digital converter box? -- I'll be ready. Oh, what a fabulous philanthropist I'll be then.
New web design over at the Ohio Secretary of State site. Huge jump in terms of aesthetics, my only complaint so far is that the link I use the most is buried four pages in.
Posts
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