Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2011 10:54:05 -0400
From: Joe Kingley
Subject: More functional democracy
Dear Dr. John,
I appreciate and thank you for your post, and understand your bias. I am more ambivalent, but support your other views on this subject. However I would make a couple of comments.
Over a week ago, Gene politely moderated that ‘the subject of early voting and voter fraud had been well covered and he asked that it be concluded” (my words as I did not save that Chatlist in my inbox). Acknowledging Gene’s position as Moderator, I have since resisted returning to the subject, but have noted how the it continues to be addressed, especially by those on the left who apparently do not give a hoot about the Chatlist protocol.
If you recall my first post, I said that I would be more inclined to support continuance of early voting if the left (and the poster) first addressed the issue of voter fraud and undue influence and intimidation. This was how the original issue developed into that of voter fraud. Although I presented it as a State and National issue, the responders insisted on making it a local County issue even though the State Legislature was responsible for making any changes to the early voting rules.
You have succinctly reiterated my principle position, and I would hope that readers will now understand how the smokescreen of local politics was used to divert their attention away from the real issue – that of one-man-one-vote for legal voters only, with no undue influence or intimidation from any political party or group. I have no real objection to early voting, provided it is used for its intended purpose, and safeguards are first instituted to protect the process from manipulation and abuse.
Joe