Quote of the night

I get goosebumps:

"I want to thank all my friends and family, particularly my mother, who was born before women could vote, and is watching her daughter on this stage tonight."

-- Presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton, Super Tuesday night

CNN.com - Elizabeth Edwards diagnosed with breast cancer - Nov 4, 2004

CNN.com - Elizabeth Edwards diagnosed with breast cancer - Nov 4, 2004: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards, was diagnosed with breast cancer the day her husband and Sen. John Kerry conceded the presidential race."

How sad. My thoughts are with the Edwards family.

Ashcroft Expected to Resign

Sources: Ashcroft Expected to Resign "President Bush is laying the groundwork on how to achieve his second-term agenda Thursday, first by meeting with his Cabinet, then by holding a news conference where he is expected to outline plans for his next four years in office...

'I made it clear to them [the Cabinet] I was glad the election was over and reminded them that we're here for a reason,' Bush said at the meeting, his first with the Cabinet since Aug. 2. 'They understand that it's such an honor to serve America, it's a privileged to sit around this table … and do the nation's business.'"

It is an honor to serve this country. Too bad the president couldn't be bothered to serve the country between August 2nd and now. That is over three months without a cabinet meeting.

But on the plus side, various news outlets, including CNN, are reporting that Ashcroft is expected to turn in his resignation in the next couple of weeks. There is speculation he is resigning for health reasons. I don't wish ill health on him, but I do wish for a more moderate Department of Justice.

Ohio Conspiracy Theories

Our heroine, unwilling to give up her hope for Kerry's election despite his apparent concession, passes on this interesting tidbit. Look here for more info about the need for paper trails.

Current Electoral Vote Predictor 2004: "One thing that is very strange is how much the exit polls differed from the final results, especially in Ohio. Remember that Ohio uses Diebold voting machines in many areas. These machines have no paper trail. Early in the campaign, Diebold CEO Walden O'Dell, a GOP fundraiser, promised to deliver Ohio to Bush. He later regretted having said that."

Passions running high

Rocky Mountain News: Columnists: "In Sarasota, Fla., a guy was charged with actually trying to run over Katherine Harris, saying he was exercising his 'political expression.' It could be the first hit-and-run First Amendment defense.

In the same week, in West Palm Beach, a man threatened his girlfriend with a screwdriver because she wanted to leave him - and vote for John Kerry. The man, a Marine recruit, allegedly told her, 'You'll never live to see the election.' He might have had a better case if he told her she'd never live to see the end of the election."

Nail biting

Presidential election update: visit Slate for exit poll results being updated infrequently throughout the day.

I'm reconsidering my position on Colorado's amendment 36 to split our electoral votes. I had been convinced I was going to vote no because Colorado has so little electoral power now, I didn't want to see it eroded. But I believe that there needs to be electoral reform. Is it worth potentially giving up political power to make a statement about electoral reform? This view would say short term loss versus long term gain. But the idea of long term gain means that this change would affect more change in the way this country votes for president. I don't believe that this amendment will encourage any other states to similarly amend their constitutions. So that makes a win for this amendment a long term loss for political principle. Kind of like a vote for Nader, but that's another story.

Also as a consideration, should this amendment pass, it has been written to apply to this election. So my choice for president could possibly gain a victory in Colorado, although polls show that to be unlikely, and only get 5 electoral votes instead of 9. Everyone knows that every electoral vote counts this year.

So, a vote for principle or a vote to encourage future candidates to address Colorado's issues... See you in the voting booth!

My position statement

I will be voting for Kerry today. I am voting for Kerry because, as a woman, I honesty fear what rights I will lose if Bush has 4 more years. I believe in reproductive freedom and the dissemination of accurate information surrounding contraception and sexually-transmitted diseases. That will not happen under Bush's conservative agenda.

I also believe that my homosexual friends should have the right to marry their significant others, just as I do. While I realize that Bush's proposed constitutional amendment would likely never pass, I want a president in office who will support same-sex couples.

I hope you go out and exercise your voice in our democratic process today--if you haven't already!

Voting system nothing to bank on

Newsday.com - News Columnists

Columnist Ellis Henican asks why voting with electronic machines can't be as easy and reliable as using an ATM. What a great point! I am truly a child of my generation--more comfortable accessing my money through an ATM or the internet than with an actual bank teller. Why can't voting be this secure and easy? Because there are no huge companies driving innovations in secure voting methods/alternatives. Sometimes there are flaws with the capitalist system.

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Newsnight | New Florida vote scandal feared

BBC NEWS Programmes Newsnight New Florida vote scandal feared: "A secret document obtained from inside Bush campaign headquarters in Florida suggests a plan - possibly in violation of US law - to disrupt voting in the state's African-American voting districts, a BBC Newsnight investigation reveals."

Thanks to www.electoral-vote.com for the link.

Voting rights

Will you vote next Tuesday, Nov. 2? It's a right -- and a duty -- some of us take for granted. But as of 2002, 84% of polling places nationwide were not accessible to people with disabilities. Exercise your right to vote, and remember the many ways in which you can make a difference by encouraging our legislators to put the basics of everyday life in reach for Americans with disabilities.

Andrea Knudsen
Editor, Easter Seals Online Network

Why Bush Opposes Dred Scott - It's code for Roe v. Wade

Why Bush Opposes Dred Scott - It's code for Roe v. Wade. By Timothy Noah

"In the Oct. 8 debate, President Bush baffled some people by saying he wouldn't appoint anyone to the Supreme Court who would condone the Dred Scott decision...What was the meaning of this borderline-incoherent ramble? Apparently, it was an invisible high-five to the Christian right... To the Christian right, "Dred Scott" turns out to be a code word for "Roe v. Wade." Even while stating as plain as day that he would apply "no litmus test," Bush was semaphoring to hard-core abortion opponents that he would indeed apply one crucial litmus test: He would never, ever, appoint a Supreme Court justice who condoned Roe.

Bush has a history of addressing the Christian right in code... let's not forget that Bush actually believes that God told him to become president. In an age less prone to religious hysteria than our own, this would be judged impious. Even now, it's pretty frightening to a significant minority, and Bush is going to need every last vote he can get. Hence the use of code phrases and jargon... if you happen to believe that abortion should remain legal in the United States, don't even think about giving Bush your vote."

Truth in labelling

John Elway's politics

From Salon.com Politics: "The Republicans pushed back a little more this morning, releasing a letter from 24 athletes who support the president. 'The same qualities that make a great athlete make a great president,' they say. 'The determination to do what's right, regardless of the latest polls, the personal strength to bear the weight of the nation on your shoulders, and the faith that a higher power will direct the actions of good people.'

Now, we're not sure what any of that has to be do with being a great athlete, although we'll certainly concede that David Ortiz -- or whatever his name is -- didn't look at 'the latest polls' before launching a two-run shot last night. But apparently, the Bush-Cheney campaign was able to get 24 athletes, including the likes of John Elway, Karl Malone and and Mary Lou Retton -- to agree to the letter's language. "

Poor John Elway. So disappointed to see him supporting the wrong candidate, but it isn't surprising considering how wealthy he is. Oh, and we live in Colorado. Darned Republicans!

More electoral college alternatives

"Even without any changes, the system does offer some flexibility. In New York State, for example, there is a Liberal Party and a Conservative Party, and both are on the ballot at every election. The Liberal Party usually nominates the same person as the Democrats and the Conservative Party usually nominates the same person as the Republicans. As long as each party gets enough votes, it retains its status as a recognized party and gets on the ballot automatically at the next election. It has been suggested that if Ralph Nader were to choose the Kerry electors as his electors in each state he gets on the ballot, then people could express their support for him, and provide impetus to his movement, but a vote for Nader would (literally) be a vote for Kerry. This would no doubt encourage many people to vote for him knowing that such a vote would not help George Bush."

Debate news

Watch the debates tonight and appreciate my alma mater!

I was a senior at WashU in 2000 for the last presidential debate there. We watched out the window of our apartment as Gore arrived drove onto campus--the Secret Service had the ends of the machine guns were pointing out the windows of their black SUVs with tinted windows. Creepy, but cool at the same time.

Boston.com / News / Politics / debates / Photos undermine Cheney's assertion he never met Edwards: "But Democrats have unearthed photographic evidence showing otherwise."

Cheney needs fact checker

Cheney Plugs FactCheck

"Cheney got our domain name wrong -- calling us 'FactCheck.com' -- and wrongly implied that we had rebutted allegations Edwards was making about what Cheney had done as chief executive officer of Halliburton.
In fact, we did post an article pointing out that Cheney hasn't profited personally while in office from Halliburton's Iraq contracts, as falsely implied by a Kerry TV ad. But Edwards was talking about Cheney's responsibility for earlier Halliburton troubles. And in fact, Edwards was mostly right."

Meanwhile, visiting factcheck.com redirects you to GeorgeSoros.com--the site of a billionare investor and philanthropist who is touring the country encouraging people to vote against W this fall. (I'd love to know if he had that domain name before the debate last night.)

Thanks to BoingBoing for this link.

I wouldn't vote for Bush if I were you

Visit http://www.lowercasetee.com/ to order this shirt or a shirt with the title of this entry. Wish I knew a liberal family to buy these for...

P.S. This picture is from St. Peters, MO.