How to wake up the sleeping Americans who don't realize their rights and
freedoms are more at stake than ever. If we as an American people do not
achieve some serious election reform after this election exposed so many
potentials for corruption and irregularity in voting, those who have
considered manipulating the vote in the past will feel free to use the
system to their benefit - because we the people said we don't care.

One way is to come together. If we can find the message we all agree
upon and move in one direction, we gain power and momentum and
attention. What might that message be?

I say the message is protect our voting rights. The current voting
system does not protect our right to vote. Our voting rights are the
only method we have to protect our freedom short of taking up arms.
Let's not wait until we have only one choice left. We still have the
choice to vote. We still have the choice to tell our politicians we want
election reform. We want them to get the right to vote right.

Regardless of who is our next president, close to half the voters will
claim foul. The next president must accept that his presidency is
tarnished and apologize to the American people - dedicating his
administration to correcting the flaws in the voting process.

We must address the simple questions... If paper ballots must be used...
then in every one of those precincts:

Who is responsible for cleaning out the hole puncher?
How many ballots are the maximum before the hole puncher is cleaned?
Who answers the questions of voters who could not get the holes lined up
or who could not get the hole puncher to punch all the way through?
What are the legal answers for the voters who ask?

We must address the larger issues... this is my wish list for America...

I would like to see some of the tax dollars we pay used for voter
education in each county. Whatever system is used, computer, levers,
paper punching, magic markers - classes should be available for free to
anyone who wishes to learn how to do it. Classes that last a little
longer than five minutes. Classes that allow for questions and answers
to address potential and existing problems in the system. We can train
census workers to reach vitrually every household, then we can train
voter educators to reach every voter.

I would like to see all public and private schools mandated to provide a
few hours of voter education in the curriculum every year from grade one
through twelve. Specific voter education covering all the various
systems of casting a vote in this country and throughout the world. As
part of that curriculum, I'd like to see schools use the same voting
equiptment their county uses for once a year practice school elections.

I would like to see children taught how important and precarious the
right to vote is in human culture. That is one way to wake up parents to
the responsibility and vital importance of paying attention to politics
at least enough to know how to vote and what or whom they are voting
for.

I would like to see debates that include all candidates, debates that
are not staged media events, but are truly local town meetings. Let the
candidates stand behind bullet proof glass. Let them be there by video
only if that's the only way to protect them. But give us - we the
people - access to ask questions of all the candidates without media
moderation. Let us moderate ourselves.

I would like to see candidates called out to explain their negative ads.
Turn their negativity back on them by ignoring it and and make them
focus on their own history, experience, record, and stands on the
issues.

I would like to see a cap on campaign spending for all candidates.
Instead of giving so many millions to two, spread it out. Government
money should pay for video feeds to local town meetings once a week for
at least one year leading up to the election. Each state should have one
video town meeting where citizens can ask questions directly to the
candidate.

I would like to see laws in place that state anyone who's actively
campaigned for any politician or any relative or employee of any
politician running or office can not be in any position of media or
politican influence or decision making on the election day activities or
vote counting process.

I would like to see uniformity in the voting and vote counting process
so all citizens have an equal chance to have their vote counted.

I would like to see uniformity in election laws so county, state, and
federal laws are not in conflict with each other so much so that courts
must decide which law to follow. County, State, and Federal laws should
not impede or confuse the election process. No laws should interfere
with a fair and accurate counting of votes. No laws should be so
confusing or contradictory that they undermine our right to vote. We
must get our right to vote right.

What do you think?... what would you like to see?

ric
webbot@...
407-426-7101