| Happy Holy-Daze!!!
The Senate just voted down the "Sequoia Voting Machine Fix" Bill by 21 to 14!!!
I was listening to the assembly all afternoon assuming they would have an early vote; but at some point it seemed that nothing was happening and I decided to switch to the Senate video.
Alas, they were actually debating the bill! I quickly turned on my little camera and set it to macro focus.....sorry, the focusing mechanism wasn't really designed for sustained video so you'll hear some grinding noise as it goes in and out of focus.......
Anyway, I don't know how much of the debate is missing, but the last 14 minutes are pretty fantastic!!!
What I find very curious is the end bit where the lady reading the results sounds disappointed and somewhat dumbstruck and she calls to Sweeney in a plaintive tone....then the numbers on the board change from 15 to 20....to 14 to 21! Looks like maybe someone (who???) changed their vote to be on the winning side! Cool!
This is only the beginning of what could turn into a disaster if we allow it. Sweeney must not be allowed to carry out his threat to press the Secretary of State to now piss away the money in service to retrofitting the old machines as if they had no other legal option.
That would be corrupt and stupid bullshit, pure and simple.
This is the time to press for the immediate purchase of the best and most secure optical scan machines available, and to get all of our electoral management people trained on how to use them so they can then train the board workers.
We will have to pass extraordinary legislation to have these "certified" in time for November 90; but it can be done.
If Sequoia doesn't like it. Tough. They had just about four years to get their act together and they failed.
This is just a battle, not the war. No doubt there will be many more "wrinkles" and hurdles to overcome; but is the governor and the legislature truly want to give up VVPB with secure technology they can do it. This isn't rocket science. 26 States are using this stuff and it's all certified.
This event represents a crack in the machine; but that's all it is. The people who lost today aren't used to losing and they won't just give up.
Now is the time for even more vigilance and more aggressive follow through. Unless we stay on this case, they'll just find some way to make this a pyrrhic victory.
However, at least for tonight, let's all go out and celebrate!!! |
