The NYT writes that, according to a senior administration official, the transition in Iraq “is not the United States and Iraq struggling for control of the steering wheel.” They continue to quote that “this is the United States wanting Iraq to be firmly with the steering wheel in hand, and the issue is, how do we get there are quickly as possible.”
This begs the question - who’s driving right now? For that matter, whose foot is on the gas?
Drop me an e-mail and I’ll send you pictures of our pet person.
Why do we, the voters choose to allow our politicians to accept campaign contributions that originate out of state? What business does a non-Kentucky resident have contributing to the campaign of a one of Kentucky’s citizens who wishes to represent her or his constituents? It has been argued that money is equivalent to speech but that doesn’t mean states have to accept outside input of any form.
What would happen if states chose to disallowed campaign contributions that originated from out of state? What if state campaigns (i.e. all campaigns except for President) could not accept donations from any person or organization not a resident of the state. Would there be loopholes? Probably. But the spirit is to keep the RNC and DNC from running around tromping over congressional battlegrounds and let the people pick their own representatives.
Money is not only a form of speech it is also a source of power. There’s something to be said to balancing the power of the people who govern and those who elect them.
Interested? Talk to your state campaign finance office or board of elections.
Keeping tabs on Voter Fraud this fall.
Glitches cited in early voting
Jefferson County Voters Continue To Raise Concerns About Voting Machines
Schneier on Security: How to Steal an Election
Question: is the average American at a higher risk of being killed by a terrorist or of his or her vote being improperly counted?
Justice Department Preparing for Election Problems
Poll watchers expected across SC to prevent voting problems
VoterStory.org Launched to Tackle Election Day Voting Problems
Primary and early e-voting problems point to gathering storm
Are Electronic Voting Systems Ready for Tuesday?
Last-minute ugliness in your church parking lot
A bit more info on the robocall scam…
There is the political side and the ethical side to campaigning and focusing on one does not justify disregarding the other. There is also blind zealotry which is deceptive at best and has no place in democratic discourse.
Electronic voting irregularities reported. How much impact?
E-voting glitch roundup: 5 states with biggest probs
HBO’s “Hacking Democracy” doc on Diebold e-vote problems
12,300 Complaints of Voting Irregularities
David Gagne recounts his encounter with the TSA at LAX. When my wife and I flew out of LAX we ran into similarly grumpy people who insisted we could only have two bags each. Unlike David we didn’t have the time to have some fun with them and received some repacking assistance form the friendly Delta staff. I wonder whether all the non-TSA workings at LAX get together at night and make fun of the TSA.