Posts in the category Election Reform

Lobbyists Hack Your Elections (Part II)

Ohio Election Justice Campaign — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:33:56 EDT

E-Mail Suggests Convicted Felon Bob Ney Connived with Ohio Election Officials

OEJC Calls for Investigation

The Ohio Election Justice Campaign announced today that e-mail between Ohio lobbyist and Ohio election officials suggests that convicted felon Bob Ney connived with Ohio election officials to promote the agenda of lobbyists.

E-mail disclosed pursuant to public records request by the Ohio Election Justice Campaign, which calls for an investigation into influence peddling in Ohio's elections.

Columbus, OH (PRWEB) July 7, 2008 -- An e-mail between a lobbyist for the Ohio Association of Election Officials (OAEO) and county election officials suggests that convicted felon Bob Ney connived with election officials to promote the agenda of lobbyists, the Ohio Election Justice Campaign (OEJC) announced today. The OEJC calls for an investigation into influence peddling in Ohio's elections.

The e-mail was sent by Aaron Ockerman of State Street Consultants,

Foreclosures Will Lead To Ohio Voter Challenges

Dave Harding, ProgressOhio — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:28:59 EDT

Ohio Election Officials Worry About Voters Still Registered At Houses They've Lost

Election officials worry that the state's home foreclosure problem will pose a problem this November for voters still registered at their former address, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Voters in pivotal Ohio with outdated addresses face possible pre-election challenges and trips to multiple polling places. They also are more likely to cast provisional ballots that might not be counted.

"It's a real issue," said Daniel Tokaji, an Ohio State University law professor who specializes in elections. He wonders whether foreclosures might explain the increasing percentages of provisional votes cast between 2004 and Ohio's latest election, the presidential primary in March.
. . .
Ohio's requirement that voters show identification at the polls makes it more important that they keep their registration information current, said Jeff Ortega, a spokesman for Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, Ohio's elections chief.

In 2004, the Ohio Republican Party challenged more than 31,000 newly registered voters statewide after letters it mailed out came back as undeliverable. The challenges failed, but Brunner said a new state law requiring counties to mail their own notices to all registered voters could lead to another round of pre-election challenges.

Voters - not the county - are responsible for keeping registrations current!

INDEPENDENCE DAY THOUGHTS [THE UNCENSORED VIEWS OF IRAQ WAR VETS] IVAW - PHILADELPHIA

The Mustang Major — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:59:56 EDT

Reflections on the meaning of Independence Day by Seth Manzel, IVAW
Wed, 07/02/2008 -

Independence Day means nothing significant to me. It is the one time of year that we allow children to play with pyrotechnic devices. We turn them loose with matches and low grade explosives. In Darwinian fashion some return with fewer fingers or with scars that will warn future prospective mates that the barer may not be the ideal parent due to a lack of good judgment.

INDEPENDENCE DAY THOUGHTS [THE UNCENSORED VIEWS OF IRAQ WAR VETS] IVAW - PHILADELPHIA

The Mustang Major — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:23:09 EDT

The Struggle for Independence

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) in coordination with Labor Against the War hold Independence Day observance in Philadelphia to mark the First American Revolution.

Bobby Hanafin
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired (69-94)

Destruction Of Ohio Ballots, 800 pages Missing From Federal Court Filing

Ohio Election Justice Campaign — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:32:17 EDT

Are Ohio Voters Jus' a Buncha Dumb Hayseeds? Ohio Election Justice Campaign (OEJC) Declares Need for Voter Independence

Download this press release as an Adobe PDF document.

Recent research by Ohio Election Justice Campaign reveals over 800 pages of documents on destruction of 2004 ballots in violation of court order not submitted to the court, contrary to quoted comments in minutes of meeting of Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner with numerous election officials and voting rights leaders. These records are evidence in a federal lawsuit. OEJC calls upon all patriots to commemorate our great nation's independence from King George's tyranny, including his denial of elections, to demand election justice in Ohio and across the nation.

Columbus, OH (PRWEB) July 4, 2008 -- The Ohio Election Justice Campaign announced today that its research revealed that no records from the destruction of the 2004 ballots had been submitted to the federal court with jurisdiction over the matter. (King Lincoln, et al. v. Blackwell, et al., Case 2:06-cv-00745, U.S. District Court, S.D. Ohio.) http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/klbna.php

A recent review of court records revealed that the over 800 pages documenting the destruction of the ballots in violation of federal court order were not in the possession of the court.

Over 56 of Ohio's 88 counties destroyed election records.

On July 3, the following letter was sent in response to this startling discovery:

Dear Secretary Brunner,

I am writing to bring a serious issue to your attention.

According to the Voting Rights Institute meeting minutes from August 21, 2007, your understanding was that every county sent an inventory and a letter of explanation to Columbus with the ballots and that "this information was all turned over to Judge Marbley. We have had no updates from his court as of today." Page 6, Voting Rights Institute, Advisory Council Meeting, August 21, 2007, Shaker Heights, Ohio; http://www.sos.state.oh.us/vri.aspx.

Our research has revealed that these records have not been filed with the Court, although almost a year has passed.

In addition, 15 counties have yet to submit letters of explanation.

Please bring this issue to the attention of your staff charged with this responsibility or to the Ohio Attorney General as soon as possible.

I know that many members of Ohio's voting rights leadership, including representatives from the League of Women Voters, the NAACP, People for the American Way, and Citizens' Alliance for Secure Elections, as well as members of the group I direct, not to mention numerous election officials, serve on the Voting Rights Institute Advisory Council.

They and many others were under the impression that the Court had possession of these critical documents and were waiting for the Court to do something.

Are Ohio voters dumb hayseeds or have they trusted unwisely?

Sincerely,

Paddy Shaffer, Director
Ohio Election Justice Campaign

The OEJC declares a renewed need for voter independence today, July 4, and in commemoration of this national holiday, and the republic and democracy it represents, calls upon all patriots to demand election justice in Ohio and across the nation.

# # #

If you've got Faith, you don't need federal dollars

Average Jane — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:32:26 EDT

In a review of Obama's Zanesville visit, The New York Times says: "Obama's high-profile embrace of a key theme of Bush's time in office -- the 'faith-based initiative' -- is just the latest example of him trying to show his centrist side."

If I didn't know the guy was a professor of constitutional law and actually cared about things like the rights of nonbelievers and the importance of separation of church and state, I'd be worried. But he does.

In his outreach to evangelicals, Obama needs to watch out for charity workers who proselytize, religious-based organizations that restrict health care services to the public, religious leaders who distort the abortion issue, and a holy host of other stuff. He knows that.

He also knows that it's worth the effort to extend a hand to religious folks. Even those suspicious of organized religion like I am have to admit that churches are the strongest social group in many Ohio neighborhoods. Church groups drive anti-poverty programs and are a rallying point for all types of social causes.

Unlike the online community, the faith-based community represents warm bodies with their shirt sleeves rolled up and ready to offer help.

Like the man said, "We need an all-hands-on-deck approach." (And I love the quasi-military phrasing.)

As tax-free institutions, I believe churches are obligated to give back not only to their members, but also to the community at large. This is a much broader task than just giving to the needy. ("Needy," in itself is problematic...Who decides who's needy?)

In Columbus, there are some black pastors (sorry I don't know their names) who have been working with the city on its new curfew law and mentoring young people. I applaud these men and their genuinely faith-based efforts.

In many neighborhoods, churches and synagogues can best support their communities by giving young people (especially teens) some place to gather. When I was a kid, churches sponsored Friday night "coffeehouses" and group activities for teens. Today, no church seems to want the liability.

My point is there are many worthy faith-based ventures that do not require federal funding.

Who isn't allowed to distribute the paper hard copy 2008 Ohio Voter Information Guide

Jane Schiff — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:55:22 EDT

http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/voter/AdvocacyInfo.aspx

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.

Only Political Candidates in Ohio willing to put their campaign platforms in writing are two Independents, two from the Green Party, and ironically one Republican.

The Mustang Major — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:36:20 EDT

Don't you seriously think that it is way past time for an organization with Progress in it's logo push Ohio candidates to stand on and by their views BEFORE giving them your VOTE?
Frankly, I believe that part of this is political arrogance by Democratic candidates that they or their campaign staff do not recognized PEACE groups, especially a by-state organized grassroots movement BIG MISTAKE. I would be the first to point fingers at the Republican Party, it is a given they are ARROGANT, except at least one Republican has the humility to fill out and acknowledge these most serious state and national issues.
Given, a few candidates from all parties have already stated their positions on the issues via their online campaign websites. If that be true, at the minimum respond to Voters for Peace and tell us that.
Of note, on the Ohio State page of Voters for Peace, yes WE are a presence here; ProgressOhio is listed as one of our resources. We depend on you to answer this CALL TO ACTION.

Robert L. Hanafin, Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired

Will Re-Established FEC Quorum Resolve McCain's Ohio Primary Ballot Legal Issues?

Dave Harding, ProgressOhio — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:21:09 EDT

Over the last week, this very odd circumstance has occurred where Barack Obama is universally chastised for rejecting public money in the general election, yet John McCain is not touched for accepting public money to gain ballot access and get favorable loans, then dropping out of the system without a ruling from the FEC and spending unlimited amounts in the primary.

The DNC has filed a number of lawsuits, but the Obama campaign had yet to break the silence over McCain's illegalities and gaming the public financing system.

That is until yesterday.

Why'd they wait and what happened the day before yesterday to make the timing right?

After months of squabbling over new members for the Federal Election Commission, the Senate confirmed five new officials Tuesday with little fanfare, putting the long-defunct commission back in working order.
The chamber approved by voice vote Republican Matthew S. Petersen, the most recent addition to the group; Republicans Caroline C. Hunter and Donald F. McGahn; and Democrats Cynthia L. Bauerly and Steven T. Walther.

Democrat Ellen Weintraub remains as a holdover on the commission.

That gives the FEC a much-needed quorum to deal with a backlog of work built up during the months it was short five members.

Priorities for the group include new disclosure rules for lobbyists who bundle campaign contributions, requests for matching funds, and certifying public funds for the general election, said FEC spokesman Bob Biersack.

The new commissioners will be able to start as quickly as they are sworn into office.

McCain's Ohio Primary Ballot Legal Issues

Qualifying for the presidential primary ballot in Ohio is a complex process, requiring a candidate to gather over 100 signatures in each of the state’s 18 (Congressional) districts, using separate petitions for each county within the district, which must be filed with local election boards around the state.

Additionally, the candidate must gather still more signatures statewide, all under some very complicated rules and local interpretations.

Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton went through this process, at considerable time and expense. With a filing date of January 3, this was done by these campaigns at precisely the moment McCain was desperately borrowing to keep his campaign afloat, lacking the money and resources to organize and gather the signatures necessary to legally be placed on the Ohio ballot.

But Ohio has an alternative means of getting on the ballot – you can simply present your FEC matching funds authorization to the Secretary of State, and go straight to the ballot, without petitioning.

And this is what Senator McCain did.

According to the Politico, the McCain campaign, now contend[s] "that the Secretary of State agreed to put him on the ballot simply on the basis of his "qualification" to participate in the public financing system." though he was informed by letter from the office of the Ohio Secretary of State that the Ohio statute (R.C.3513.121A) specifically refers to a candidate for the office of President who is "eligible to receive" Federal Matching Funds payments.

Senator Thompson, Mayor Giuliani, Governor Romney, Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and several other candidates were all "qualified" for the funds, but because they never entered the program as McCain did, they had to spend time and money to petition to get on the ballot.

The other candidates, who also "qualified" for the funds in terms of meeting the statutory requirements of eligibility, were not permitted direct access to the ballot.

The Ohio Primary was held on March 4, yet it is McCain's postiion that he withdrew from the Matching Funds Program almost a month before that date on February 6.

It seems an either/or question with both results being bad for McCain.

Either McCain was in the matching funds program on March 4, 2008 and remains so to this day (as the FEC itself contends) and therefore is in violation of the spending limits imposed by the program and legally cannot spend another dime on his campaign until after the Republican convention in September or until the FEC votes to allow him to withdraw. . .

or as he contends he withdrew from the matching funds program on February 6 and thereby committed Election Fraud upon the State of Ohio by the using the direct ballot access to be on the ballot in Ohio's primary.

Can McCain legally be on the ballot in Ohio in the General Election in November if he fraudulently got on the ballot for Ohio's primary in March?

Did John McCain Commit Election Fraud Upon The State of Ohio?

Updated: McCain Flip-Flops On Obama Opt -Out Of Public Financing While Breaking Campaign Finance Laws Himself

Dave Harding, ProgressOhio — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:52:46 EDT

The McCain campaign has sharply criticized Barack Obama's decision to become the first general election presidential candidate since the 1970s to opt out of the public financing system, a decision Obama can afford because of his stunning success with hundreds of thousands of low-dollar donors. As David notes at the link above, the McCain campaign said Obama's decision "undermines his call for a new type of politics."

But McCain, a longtime foe of Big Money in politics, once had a friendlier view of presidential fundraisers like Obama.

Here he is on the Fox News show "On the Record," in January 2004:

"I think it's wonderful that Howard Dean was able to use the Internet, $50, $75, $100 contributions. That's what we want it to be all about. We want average citizens to contribute small amounts of money, and that's a commitment to a campaign. So I'm for that. I think it's a great thing. I think the Internet is going to change American politics for the better."

And here he is on MSNBC's "Hardball," in June 2004:

"The Internet is generating more and more people involved in the political process with relatively small campaign contributions, $50, $75. That's wonderful. No longer can an office holder call up a CEO or a trial lawyer or a union leader and say, I need $1 million. And, by the way, your legislation is up before my committee again."

John McCain is not only 'breaking his word' as he accuses Senator Obama, he's literally breaking campaign finance law as he talks about it.

But he's so awash in his own self-righteousness that I'm not even sure this counts as hypocrisy -- at least conscious hypocrisy -- since just as is the case with the lobbyists he surrounds himself with I think his self-righteousness makes it all invisible to him.

Did John McCain Commit Election Fraud Upon The State of Ohio?

. . .
But Ohio has an alternative means of getting on the ballot – you can simply present your FEC matching funds authorization to the Secretary of State, and go straight to the ballot, without petitioning.
And this is what Senator McCain did.
According to the Politico, the McCain campaign, now contend[s] "that the Secretary of State agreed to put him on the ballot simply on the basis of his "qualification" to participate in the public financing system." though he was informed by letter from the office of the Ohio Secretary of State that the Ohio statute (R.C.3513.121A) specifically refers to a candidate for the office of President who is "eligible to receive" Federal Matching Funds payments.
Senator Thompson, Mayor Giuliani, Governor Romney, Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and several other candidates were all "qualified" for the funds, but because they never entered the program as McCain did, they had to spend time and money to petition to get on the ballot.
The other candidates, who also "qualified" for the funds in terms of meeting the statutory requirements of eligibility, were not permitted direct access to the ballot.
The Ohio Primary was held on March 4, yet it is McCain's postiion that he withdrew from the Matching Funds Program almost a month before that date on February 6.
It seems an either/or question with both results being bad for McCain.
Read The Full Story Here

Update:

Arianna Huffington: McCain's Campaign Funding Hypocrisy: Why Are the Media Looking the Other Way?

Embrace the Dull, Ohio

Average Jane — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:56:13 EDT

The biennially published Almanac of American Politics 2008 is a great library find, if only to flip through the 1,865 pages to look at photos of governors and Ohio legislators. The comprehensive description of the political climate in Ohio begins:

"Ohio was the first entirely American state, and one which ever since has seemed an epitome of American normalcy. The original 13 states started as British colonies, and the next three, Vermont, Kentucky and Tennessee, were spun from them. But Ohio sprung Athena-like from the head of Congress, as the first state formed from the Northwest Territory...."

Yes, Ohio is entrenched in normalcy. We're the flagship of mediocrity. Ohio the Ordinary.

We're right angles, real squares, although we like to think of ourselves as circular.

There was even a short-lived TV sitcom starring John Goodman called Normal, Ohio. I guess the notion of an overweight football-loving gay guy living in Ohio was a real hoot to all those bicoastal snobs.

I used to be embarrassed by Ohio's middle-of-the-roadness, but I've decided that our strength is in our blandness. If you can't be #1, be #25!

After all, the almanac goes on to call Ohio a "crucial" state in presidential politics. "No Republican has ever been elected president without carrying Ohio; no Democrat, in today's electoral arithmetic, can be sure of winning without it."

I hope Ohio can reach new heights of normality this November and put the biracial guy in the White House.

Brunner Moves In The Right Direction

NationOfGandhis — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:45:42 EDT

by Bob Fitrakis

Ohio Secretary of State recently released a report that seeks to safeguard Ohio's 2008 presidential election. A tall task after the open theft of the 2004 election by her predecessor.

The Brunner report as usual is a mixed bag. She's responding to the Everest Study of electronic voting machines which showed the Ohio election system vulnerable to fraud and error. She was in a showdown with the Republican-controlled Statehouse who refused to give her the
$64 million she wanted primarily for precinct-based Optiscan machines.
In the game of chicken, Brunner was afraid to decertify the machines because she feared the Republicans wouldn't give her the money to replace them.

Why Independents Must Run for Office

User from Struthers, OH — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 10:48:29 EDT

Why Independents Must Run for Office

June 15, 2008

From Ralph Nader's presidential web-site, 2008:

I was at my Princeton reunion the other day, and a young alumnus came up to me - he was very kind - and he said "You know, I really like what you're doing - I like what you did - but please don't run."

I said "Do you realize what you are saying?"

And he said "Yes, I said please don't run."

I said "You're telling me not to use my First Amendment rights of speech, assembly, and petition inside the electoral arena. You're telling me to shut up. Are you aware of what you're saying?"

He said "I understand, I understand, I like what you're doing, but please don't run."

So I went through and I said "Well, would you tell those voters instead of trying to determine which one was worse between the Democrats and the Whigs, the two major parties in the 19th century, and instead cut out and voted for the Liberty Party, which was the anti-slavery party - would you say to those candidates, 'Don't run'?"

And he sort of paused.

And I said "How about the people who refused to go least-worst between the Republicans and Democrats on women's suffrage? Would you tell those candidates 'don't run'? What do you say to that?"

And he paused.

And I took it up to date and I said "Would you tell Buchanan not to run?"

And he said "I understand what you are saying, but please don't run."

And I said "You know, unwittingly, you are engaging in a politically bigoted statement. Because you can oppose, and you can support, any candidates you want. But when you are saying to someone 'don't run' you are saying to someone 'do not speak, do not petition, do not assemble inside the electoral arena.'"

Now I'm saying this because I'm sure you've had these conversations with people. Look at the word spoiler. Spoiler is a contemptuous word of political bigotry. They do not accuse George W. Bush of being the spoiler in 2000, and last I heard he got more votes than I did, vis-a-vis Al Gore. It's only the independent and third parties that are called spoilers.

And think of the hubris here - these two parties have spoiled our elections, they've spoiled our government, they've spoiled our politics - and to have the temerity to say to someone who wants to reform the process that they are spoilers - they have no sense of humor - I mean, how do you satire satire?

- Ralph Nader, New York City, May 31, 2008

Dennis Spisak-Independent Green Party Candidate for State Representative-60th district

campaign site: http://votespisak.tripod.com

McCain campaign cancels event w/TX oilman who compared rape to the weather

Jill Miller Zimon — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:36:59 EDT

Just in case people can't come up with enough reasons on their own why John McCain is not the choice for women, ABC News reports on how one Texas oilman, Clayton Williams, who is a McCain supporter slipped up:

ABC's Rick Klein reports: Sen. John McCain on Friday abruptly cancelled a Monday fundraiser that had been scheduled at the home of a Texas oilman, after ABC News contacted the campaign inquiring about a verbal blunder the Texan made during an unsuccessful 1990 campaign for governor. Clayton Williams stirred controversy during his 1990 campaign for governor of Texas with a botched attempt at humor in which he compared rape to weather. Within earshot of a reporter, Williams said: “As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it.”

McCain's campaign is on the record for nixing the event due to those comments:

McCain campaign spokesman Brian Rogers said the Monday event was being cancelled, given the offensive comments. He said he could not yet say what McCain would do with donations brought into the campaign by Williams. "These were obviously incredibly offensive remarks that the campaign was unaware of at the time this event was scheduled," Rogers said. He added that Williams apologized for the comments back in 1990, but he said that does not excuse them.

But, there's one more thing, from the ABC item:

Williams told the Midland Reporter-Telegram recently that he had already raised more than $300,000 for McCain and the fundraiser to be held at his home in Midland. Williams said that he needed to help McCain raise money to stop an Obama campaign that would enact “socialist” policies if elected to office.

Really now? Tracy Russo of Rural Votes has this suggestion:

It’s not enough that Senator McCain cancels an event because the media got wind of it. It’s not enough. Senator McCain should publicly reject and denounce this man. He should donate every single dirty dollar that this man has raised for him - all $300,000 - to an organization working to combat rape in our society - like RAINN or RVA. And he should apologize immediately and completely to his female supporters for daring to entertain the thought of keeping company with this despicable, disgusting individual. Rape isn’t something that’s funny, it’s tragic. It’s a blight on all of society. Women should be able to trust Senator McCain to recognize that, and to do the right thing.

I completely agree. Cross-posted at Writes Like She Talks and The Moderate Voice.

Foolish Virgin Democrats

Average Jane — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:30:40 EDT

Just when we thought we were safe from divisive religio-politics, here comes The Matthew 25 Network, a faith-based Democrat PAC supporting Sen. Obama's presidential bid.

Hoo-boy. Here we go again. The last time I chided religious leaders, my computer shut down twice, apparently from outside security threats. It's flattering to believe someone is paying attention. I just wish they'd leave comments.

The Carpetbagger Report says: "Called The Matthew 25 Network, the new organization, which is still in its earliest stages, is being spearheaded by Mara Vanderslice, who was director of religious outreach for the Kerry-Edwards campaign in 2004 and did similar work for several statewide Democratic candidates, including Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio....

"In case you're wondering, the name of the project comes from the 25th chapter of the Biblical book of Matthew, quoting Jesus: 'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'"

So what's the problem?

Two things:

First and foremost, Democrats and Republicans alike: What part of "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" don't you understand?

It's like the one thing our government is charged with keeping its nose out of -- religion -- and the pols can't help themselves but to take a heady whiff of this Pandora's box.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Father Michael "Mockmeister" Pfleger didn't do Obama any good. Rev. John Hagee and Hometown Anti-Hero Rod "Lock n Load" Parsley didn't do McCain or their respective congregations any good. Partnering with religious groups looks like a sin-sin proposition to me.

Besides, Christian beliefs are as diverse as political beliefs. There are plenty of pro-choice churches, for example. They just aren't as vocal as the pro-life evangelicals.

Likewise, it's a bad idea to post the Ten Commandments in public places for a lot of reasons, but mainly because we can't agree on which version is the "right" one. (I, for one, won't be coveting my neighbor's wife, but I'm not making any promises about his ass.)

The second problem with The Matthew 25 Network initiative -- and I can't believe it takes an Ohio housewife slacker like myself to point this out -- is that the first story of Matthew 25 is a sad example of spirit-crushing sexism.

From the the New International Version (the most current widely available) Bible: "The Parable of the Ten Virgins: At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise...." (Note to Bible translators: If you mean "girl," say girl. If you're talking about Jesus's mother, say virgin. Otherwise, it's confusing.)

The name is disappointing and its goal -- to gain votes for Obama -- doesn't sound very Christian-like to me. I wish Democrats would stop trying to imitate Republicans and promote Obama for the secular hero that he is.

Obama Campaign Sets Up "Anti-Smear" Website

Dave Harding, ProgressOhio — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:55:33 EDT

Time Magazine Reports:

As long as there have been rumors in politics, there has been one widely accepted way for a candidate to deal with them. Basically, it's not to. Otherwise, according to prevailing wisdom, all a candidate achieves is to elevate the rumors to a legitimate story for the media to feast on. That don't-go-there approach was Barack Obama's plan for months until, on the candidate's first full day of campaigning as his party's presumed presidential nominee, a reporter from McClatchy Newspapers who was traveling aboard his plane asked him about a particularly toxic bit of hearsay that was zooming around the Internet about his wife Michelle. Obama lost his cool. "We have seen this before. There is dirt and lies that are circulated in e-mails, and they pump them out long enough until finally you, a mainstream reporter, asks me about it," Obama said, bristling. "That gives legs to the story. If somebody has evidence that myself or Michelle or anybody has said something inappropriate, let them do it."
That night, in a conference call, Obama told his top aides it was time for a more aggressive solution to the rumors that have been popping up on the Internet about him and his family for months. And so the Obama campaign has built what might best be described as a Web-based rumor clearinghouse, located at fightthesmears.com, in which it hopes all the shady stories about Obama's faith, his family and his rumored connections with controversial figures can go to die.
Obama is enlisting his millions of supporters to help him hunt down and quash these stories, just as those supporters helped him turn his insurgent campaign into a history-making juggernaut. Says Obama adviser Anita Dunn: "We will not allow Michelle — or, for that matter, Barack—to be defined by rumors."
Read The Full Story at Time Magazine
Visit fightthesmears.com

GREAT WEBSITES TO DEBUNK RUMORS

PolitiFact.Org

Snopes.com

"HOW TO STEAL AN ELECTION" Live Insider Interview

NationOfGandhis — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:28:00 EDT

"HOW TO STEAL AN ELECTION"

A Prophecy of Things to Come and/or Already Done?

Is Art Imitating Life in Cassandra, Chanting?

An Election Insider's Nightmare! Ellen Theisen of VotersUnite.Org interviews 'Anonymous' - An "Election World Insider" Author of the shocking, must read book Cassandra, Chanting.

WEDNESDAY on "Voice of the Voters!" June 11 8:00 to 9:00 PM ET

Heard on 1360 AM Greater Philadelphia & and on the Internet www.voiceofthevoters.org OR http://wnjc.duxpond.com/ Call in 856-227-1360 questions/comments Previous interviews may be found at www.voiceofthevoters.org Experts say that the computers running our elections are "vulnerable",

June 14, Richard Hayes Phillips At Free Press/Green Education Fund Second Saturday Salon

NationOfGandhis — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:04:35 EDT

June 14
Free Press/Green Education Fund Second Saturday Salon

Join other progressives for an evening of socializing, food, drink, Bob and Harvey radio show recorded live!
and "Witness to a Crime" presentation/book signing by Richard Hayes Phillips.

6:30pm-midnight
Free Press office, 1000 E. Main St., Columbus, Ohio
parking in rear or next door at the Salvation Army
253-2571, truth@freepress.org

Below link to further info about Richard and And RFK Jr. and Mark Crispin Miller video on 2008 elections mentioning him.

http://neocon-panic-attacks.blogspot.com/2008/05/witness-to-crime-richard-hayes-phillips.html

Dr. Richard Hayes Phillips Book Tour Cleveland Area

Ohio Election Justice Campaign — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:59:42 EDT

Book Tour and Discussion:
Witness to a Crime -- A Citizen's Audit of an American Election
Author: Dr. Richard Hayes Phillips
Where: Victoria Lovegren's home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio
When: 7:00 pm, Thursday, June 12th
For directions, and to RSVP, contact Victoria at:
lovegrenv@gmail.com [37] or 216-246-4179
What do you say when your out-of-state friends ask, "What happened in
Ohio in the 2004 election?" or "How did Ohio pull it off?"
No one knows more about this subject than Dr. Richard Hayes Phillips,
the leading investigator of Ohio's 2004 election.
Dr. Phillips has recently published a book: Witness to a Crime--A
Citizen's Audit of an American Election and will be in Cleveland next week on his book tour.
Here's what Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has to say about Dr. Phillip's
book:

Q: Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? A: ProgressOhio

Bret Thompson, ProgressOhio — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:46:42 EDT

The Fair Elections Legal Network is working with ProgressOhio.org to open lines of communications with the county boards of election in Ohio's largest cities.

The goal is to start early in identifying potential problems this November by gathering information about each county plans for this November. Fair Elections will then lend their expertise in developing best practice recommendations and try to address potential legal issues before it's too late.

Also sponsoring this effort are Common Cause Ohio, the League of Women Voters of Ohio, Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans and the NAACP National Voter Fund.