Warren County revisited
Editor’s note:With the attacks coming fast and furious from the mainstream corporate press and their apologists like Farhad Manjoo of salon.com, the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism/freepress.org continues to do the difficult work of counting ballot by ballot, precinct by precinct in Ohio. The more we count on the precinct level, the more Robert Kennedy, Jr.’s thesis in the Rolling Stone article is confirmed. As pollster Lou Harris informed us, once the precincts are counted in the “rural and exurbia areas” of Ohio, the more readily apparent the election theft becomes. The Free Press will have shocking information within the next few months, that is being verified ballot by ballot as I write. I’ve enclosed the latest research from Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D. from his recent trip to Warren County. Recall Warren County called a bogus Level 10 terrorist alert on Election Day and diverted the ballots to an unauthorized warehouse under the control of a Republican operative. Remind people that this is exactly the type of research that Manjoo and other apologists and deniers refuse to do.
Something smells fishy in San Diego!
Unless San Diego is a veritable “hot bed” of third party and independent candidate activism (something that I wasn’t aware of), I find it hard to understand how a full 35% of voters (6,914 out of 19,739 votes) in the Busby/Bilbray 50th Congressional District run-off election who did not vote in the primary (in the same election) would vote for Libertarian and Independent candidates.
This represents an increase in third party and independent vote of 1,143% in the Run-Off relative to these votes in the primary! From 605 (69 for Clark of the Peace and Freedom Party and 535 for King of the Libertarian Party) to 6,914. Clark was replaced by Griffith, an Independent candidate, in the Run-Off. This is more than an 11 fold increase. Where did this huge increase in “militant – I will vote third party or independent no matter what the consequences in terms of who actually gets elected” voters come from?
In contrast Busby, the Democratic candidate in the run-off received only 59% of these 19,739 voters who voted in the Run-Off but not in the primary.
This represents an increase in third party and independent vote of 1,143% in the Run-Off relative to these votes in the primary! From 605 (69 for Clark of the Peace and Freedom Party and 535 for King of the Libertarian Party) to 6,914. Clark was replaced by Griffith, an Independent candidate, in the Run-Off. This is more than an 11 fold increase. Where did this huge increase in “militant – I will vote third party or independent no matter what the consequences in terms of who actually gets elected” voters come from?
In contrast Busby, the Democratic candidate in the run-off received only 59% of these 19,739 voters who voted in the Run-Off but not in the primary.
Valley alum Palast rakes up shockers
You can take Greg Palast out of the San Fernando Valley, but you can't take the Valley out of this muckraking journalist.
The longtime Sun Valley resident has become an award-winning investigative reporter for BBC television and Britain's Guardian and Observer newspapers, as well as a New York Times bestselling author, but Palast credits his Valley upbringing with turning him into a prominent critic of President George W. Bush, Enron, globalization, the Iraq war and more. His embittered memories of growing up Valley during the McCarthy and Vietnam eras are anything but "American Graffiti"-like reveries.
"For me, the class war began in the Valley. ... We had this sense that there was a bright city over the hill. Cross Laurel Canyon and you entered the city of the winners. We were in the planet of the losers, below sea level, economically and socially. Most of my area was Chicano. We were the kids who worked at Bob's Big Boy, got your girlfriend pregnant, went to 'Nam - and, if that didn't kill you, overtime at the Chevy plant would."
The longtime Sun Valley resident has become an award-winning investigative reporter for BBC television and Britain's Guardian and Observer newspapers, as well as a New York Times bestselling author, but Palast credits his Valley upbringing with turning him into a prominent critic of President George W. Bush, Enron, globalization, the Iraq war and more. His embittered memories of growing up Valley during the McCarthy and Vietnam eras are anything but "American Graffiti"-like reveries.
"For me, the class war began in the Valley. ... We had this sense that there was a bright city over the hill. Cross Laurel Canyon and you entered the city of the winners. We were in the planet of the losers, below sea level, economically and socially. Most of my area was Chicano. We were the kids who worked at Bob's Big Boy, got your girlfriend pregnant, went to 'Nam - and, if that didn't kill you, overtime at the Chevy plant would."
Response to Salon Magazine
Dear Editor:
In his June 2, 2006 Salon article “Was the 2004 Election Stolen? No”, Farhad Manjoo claims to have “thoroughly debunked” a June 15, 2006 article in Rolling Stone by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: “Did Bush Steal the 2004 Election”.
As one of the (applied) statisticians cited in Kennedy’s article, I find that Manjoo’s “debunking” is either superficial spin that is easily refuted by adding more detail to Kennedy’s already very long piece, or simply factually erroneous. I will focus on the Manjoo points that relate to official return and exit poll data - my particular area of expertise.
In his June 2, 2006 Salon article “Was the 2004 Election Stolen? No”, Farhad Manjoo claims to have “thoroughly debunked” a June 15, 2006 article in Rolling Stone by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: “Did Bush Steal the 2004 Election”.
As one of the (applied) statisticians cited in Kennedy’s article, I find that Manjoo’s “debunking” is either superficial spin that is easily refuted by adding more detail to Kennedy’s already very long piece, or simply factually erroneous. I will focus on the Manjoo points that relate to official return and exit poll data - my particular area of expertise.
Analysis of Connally spreadsheet and other documents
Editor's note: The Free Press is releasing these articles by Ron Baiman that generally support the analysis by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the current issue of Rolling Stone. Also see Richard Hayes Phillips' Through a Glass Darkely.
Connally Spreadsheet (Excel Spreadsheet)
Was the 2004 Presidential Election Stolen?: The History, The Crime, The Cover-Up, and Conclusions (Adobe PDF)
Analysis of Connally Spreadsheet
1) Of only 14 out of 88 counties where Bush did abnormally well relative to Moyer (better than a 1.43 Bush/Moyer ratio - Column E) 9 of them (M) just happen to be the same counties where Kerry did implausibly poorly relative to Connally (R).
Connally Spreadsheet (Excel Spreadsheet)
Was the 2004 Presidential Election Stolen?: The History, The Crime, The Cover-Up, and Conclusions (Adobe PDF)
Analysis of Connally Spreadsheet
1) Of only 14 out of 88 counties where Bush did abnormally well relative to Moyer (better than a 1.43 Bush/Moyer ratio - Column E) 9 of them (M) just happen to be the same counties where Kerry did implausibly poorly relative to Connally (R).
Time for real action on oil dependence
High gasoline prices have jump-started a long overdue national conversation
on the consequences of U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
Since gas prices crossed the magic $3-a-gallon threshold a few weeks ago, we've seen a rush of proposals on Capitol Hill and in the state capitals seeking to provide relief to an angry electorate. Conspicuously absent from most of the schemes being put forward is any serious plan to address the underlying problem; increasing fuel consumption.
Most Americans realize that quick fixes are not going to solve the real problem that is driving our energy woes: what President Bush called "our national addiction to oil." Politicians have been tripping over each other to lay blame for the rise in gas prices on the weather, environmentalists, OPEC, or the oil companies. But, when it comes to real solutions, they've been oddly silent.
In the next few weeks, the President and members of Congress will have the chance to show whether they are serious about solving America's energy problems. A debate and vote is scheduled on the one proven measure that can significantly reduce our consumption of oil: fuel economy standards.
Since gas prices crossed the magic $3-a-gallon threshold a few weeks ago, we've seen a rush of proposals on Capitol Hill and in the state capitals seeking to provide relief to an angry electorate. Conspicuously absent from most of the schemes being put forward is any serious plan to address the underlying problem; increasing fuel consumption.
Most Americans realize that quick fixes are not going to solve the real problem that is driving our energy woes: what President Bush called "our national addiction to oil." Politicians have been tripping over each other to lay blame for the rise in gas prices on the weather, environmentalists, OPEC, or the oil companies. But, when it comes to real solutions, they've been oddly silent.
In the next few weeks, the President and members of Congress will have the chance to show whether they are serious about solving America's energy problems. A debate and vote is scheduled on the one proven measure that can significantly reduce our consumption of oil: fuel economy standards.
Pick a card, any card
We have alleged since shortly after the 2004 presidential election that in many counties in Ohio, thousands of votes were shifted from Kerry to Bush. Comparison of the 2004 presidential results with other contests, on a precinct by precinct basis, reveals anomalies that are simply not explainable except by alteration of the vote count. In the forefront of these is Warren County, in southwestern Ohio.
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE
Worst security flaw ever - 3 states invoke Diebold emergency procedures
Permission to reprint or excerpt granted, with link to http://www.blackboxvoting.org
- The Oakland Tribune scooped other newspapers yesterday on the story.
- Pennsylvania's Michael Shamos sequestered all Diebold touch-screens.
- California is invoking emergency procedures.
- The state of Iowa is trying to figure out a way to scrub Diebold clean.
Harri Hursti has just come out with Hursti Report II, a Black Box Voting project.
Here it is:
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/BBVtsxstudy.pdf
A second study with 12 more defects will be released Monday May 15.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS?
Back doors were found in three separate levels. They can be used one at a time or combined for a deep attack that can permanently compromise the Diebold touch-screens.
Almost nothing will work to ensure that machines that have already been delivered have not been contaminated -- the very forensic procedures that MIGHT identify tampering also wipe clean any evidence.
- The Oakland Tribune scooped other newspapers yesterday on the story.
- Pennsylvania's Michael Shamos sequestered all Diebold touch-screens.
- California is invoking emergency procedures.
- The state of Iowa is trying to figure out a way to scrub Diebold clean.
Harri Hursti has just come out with Hursti Report II, a Black Box Voting project.
Here it is:
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/BBVtsxstudy.pdf
A second study with 12 more defects will be released Monday May 15.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS?
Back doors were found in three separate levels. They can be used one at a time or combined for a deep attack that can permanently compromise the Diebold touch-screens.
Almost nothing will work to ensure that machines that have already been delivered have not been contaminated -- the very forensic procedures that MIGHT identify tampering also wipe clean any evidence.
The money pit: Diebold vs. America
Georgia was the first state in the nation to go 100 percent with electronic voting, thanks to Secretary of State Cathy Cox. This was a mantle she carried, and continues to carry, proudly. In fact, she's using it to bolster her run for governor in 2006, and indeed she is currently the Democratic front-runner.
But when you look at the facts Cathy Cox should be ashamed. She has failed the voters of Georgia. She has ensured that our elections are subject to fraud; she has knowingly allowed software that violates certification standards to be used in elections. She has wasted huge amounts of taxpayer funds on an election system that is proven to be ineffective at best, a downright scam at worst. And she has hidden or lied about these problems, not only to the voters of Georgia, but also to the state legislature.
A Trail of Amendments
In May of 2002 the state signed a contract with Diebold to provide DRE (Direct Record Electronic) voting machines for the entire state at a cost of $54 million. In July of the same year the first amendment to that contract was signed. It stated that:
But when you look at the facts Cathy Cox should be ashamed. She has failed the voters of Georgia. She has ensured that our elections are subject to fraud; she has knowingly allowed software that violates certification standards to be used in elections. She has wasted huge amounts of taxpayer funds on an election system that is proven to be ineffective at best, a downright scam at worst. And she has hidden or lied about these problems, not only to the voters of Georgia, but also to the state legislature.
A Trail of Amendments
In May of 2002 the state signed a contract with Diebold to provide DRE (Direct Record Electronic) voting machines for the entire state at a cost of $54 million. In July of the same year the first amendment to that contract was signed. It stated that:
Beyond bashing Bush: Grassroots environmentalism and the prospect for a populist resurgence
Everybody had a good laugh at Bush's EPA claiming that the long feared destruction of wetlands had miraculously slowed. And who could blame them? The obvious layman response, otherwise known as the 'huh' factor, was more than on point. Environmentalists and laypeople alike have watched as runaway development and greed have gobbled up our wetland resources along with the last remaining open space in many of our urban and suburban areas.
Call us cynical, then, when the Bush administration trumpeted what could only be a godsent decline in the destruction of wetlands--a trend which has worried opponents of rampant development for a generation. Alas, the honeymoon was indeed shortlived: Bush junta officials managed to achieve the impossible by, well...lying about it. I know, I know--most of you will be shocked. But the administration managed to slow the decline of wetlands destruction with a simple sleight-of-hand: including man-made ponds and such gifts to nature as golf course water hazards in the wetland registry. Problem solved! If they include the puddle around my bird feeder, then we'll really be in good shape.
Call us cynical, then, when the Bush administration trumpeted what could only be a godsent decline in the destruction of wetlands--a trend which has worried opponents of rampant development for a generation. Alas, the honeymoon was indeed shortlived: Bush junta officials managed to achieve the impossible by, well...lying about it. I know, I know--most of you will be shocked. But the administration managed to slow the decline of wetlands destruction with a simple sleight-of-hand: including man-made ponds and such gifts to nature as golf course water hazards in the wetland registry. Problem solved! If they include the puddle around my bird feeder, then we'll really be in good shape.