I want to thank everyone and encourage everyone moving forward.  Thirty-eight days before an election, we pulled together this event on top of every other walk, conference, fundraiser, political action and during the midst of all that we are being bombarded with on the national scene–rush to bailout like the rush to war. Dr. Phillips was an interesting speaker. He was passionate about what he found, and I am looking forward to hearing him on Cynthia’s show today. Dr Phillips started his efforts downloading election results using a dial-up modem.His message was clear, citizen activism and honest political leaders helped dig out the truth in Ohio.

Problems that he discovered:

* Prepunched ballots

* Tampering using stickers on optical scan ballots

* Anomalies in the ballots with people voting distinctly contradictory ways on the same ballot–in favor of gay marriage and a Bush supporter

* Married couples in the same household voting in different precincts.

* Electronic votes fading away

* Uncounted provisional ballots because they were cast in the wrong precinct

* Hacking the vote in Miami County and elsewhere

* Homeland security alert in Warren County that barred reporters and others from watching the vote count

Dr Phillips Conclusions:

* The ballots need to be paper and hand counted at the precincts on election night in full public view

* The Democratic Party was an accessory to the Republican crime and is unwilling to challenge the system that sustains them as well when they are in power, making the major political parties obsolete

* The Libertarian and Green parties challenged the Ohio election

* We have an illegitimate government because our elections are unverifiable. Gerrymandered districts, and outrageously expensive campaign financing compound the problem.

At the event:

* He proposed an election day holiday or weekend voting but did not think vote by mail was the answer due to the long chain of custody issue.

A number of us worked several weekends to develop the workshops.   Cathy, Judy, Randall, and Dan worked especially hard on workshop material and getting materials printed.  Toby, Doris, Virginia, and Cynthia worked on printing and getting the word out with websites and flyers.  We had the technical expertise of Barry, Fran and Dan. John and Jim have been working hard to bring transparency to Pima County Elections and export their expertise and resources to Maricopa County.   Thank you all.

As Cathy Kladis always ends her emails.

PEACE

Keep the faith and keep up the good fight!!!
Carol

A new study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute demonstrates how the gap between America’s wealthiest families and those at the bottom and in the middle has grown since the late 1980’s.

In their analysis of U.S. Census data, the two groups found that low and middle income families gained little as others prospered since the late 1990’s. Those in the lowest fifth of incomes saw their average incomes decline by 2.5%, while those in the middle rose by just 1.3% while the most fortunate fifth of families saw their incomes rise by 9%.

Had the study included income from capital gains, the disparities would certainly have been greater. The study includes a breakdown by state that shows significant differences among western states.

After sunset, attendees lit candles, and Dennis Stout, co-leader of the Arizona chapter of Veterans for Peace, read the names of Arizona’s soldiers killed in the war, including four ASU students.

“Those are 4,000 people — not 4,000 numbers,” he said. “Each of these is a family that’s been changed forever.”

For each soldier killed, Stout said 15 are injured, with six to eight sustaining serious injuries.

Members of DFA-MC participated in this event and Toby Stahl, DFA-MC Chair, and Hal Stahl, Democratic LD11 Treasurer, are shown in the photo featured in the article in the ASU Web Devil.

At the State Democratic Election Integrity Committee meeting (EIC) on February 19^th there was a panel discussion between Karen Osborne, director of elections for Maricopa County and Dr. Tom Ryan, member of EIC on why the ballot prep system (BPS) and the bridge system of the Sequoia Election equipment is not certified.

According to Ms. Osborne it is not necessary as it is a separate system and it can be checked by the logic and accuracy test done before the election.

Dr. Ryan maintains that the Federal standards require these systems be certified. Questions following the initial presentations elicited the fact that the BPS uses an Access database and the bridge that uploads this database turns off all checks and balances.

Tune in for the next EIC meeting to learn where we go from here. The next meeting is in Phoenix at Democratic Headquarters on March 18^th at 6pm.