November 2004
November 30, 2004
A fish story
The special year-end issue of Adbusters arrived yesterday and I urge you to go to their Web site and order a copy of the special issue. The title is "The Big Ideas 2005." We need some, that is for certain.
In the environmental section, David Nicholson-Lord writes: "Fish is a miracle food for humans. Oily fish--tuna, salmon, mackerel--are the antidote to the diseases and conditions we fear most: heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer, arthritis. They're good for us psychologically too, warding off depression and hyper activity. There's just one problem. They're no longer safe to eat." Why? Mercury poisoning of course. (Read Robert F. Kennedy's Fighting Bob Fest speech for more information.)
The refusal of the EPA to stop mercury poisoning in our lakes, streams and indeed our oceans, is mind-boggling. It reminds me of The Gods Must be Crazy.
Some good news came yesterday when Circuit Court Judge David Flanagan stopped the coal-burning Oak Creek plant in its tracks. Judge Flanagan ruled "it is improper for the commission to approve the project before all necessary environmental permits had been obtained."
Huzzah! The good guys win one. Maybe, just maybe, the Public Service Commission will break loose from the utilities if they know the courts will be watching.
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November 29, 2004
Strange moment
Wisconsin is facing a number of serious problems without any serious plans to deal with those problems. Instead of discussion and public input, our leaders are engaged in demagoguery and one-upmanship. We have a budget shortfall again and no legislative leader has any suggestions on how to raise revenues. Instead of asking for sacrifice from those who have much, they tell those with little to accept less: Cut this, privatize that, layoff employees who provide services to the citizens of this state.
If W-2 is not working out because poverty is not an easily solved problem, the response is not more help for those on the bottom but rather a call to "cut caseloads"--get people out of the program. Instead of moving toward free university education, our leaders mock those calling for a tuition freeze. Isn't it time that our government stepped up to the plate to increase funding for the university? As more and more students from poor families drop out or never start, what are we saying about our future?
It is time for some leadership. We are going broke because of cockamamie ideas like "truth in sentencing" and prisons everywhere, but legislators and the governor are frozen in place. Someone might call them "soft on crime."
The old saying, "lead, follow or get out of the way" comes to mind. The people must demand solutions if the leaders remain silent. See you at the People's Legislature in January.
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November 28, 2004
I'm confused
Senator Alan Lasee writes in the Wisconsin State Journal that the Department of Transportation did a study and found that "contracting out engineering jobs costs 18.3 percent more than keeping them in-house." I expected the next paragraph to say, "therefore, we should stop DOT from out-sourcing engineering jobs."
But, alas, not so. Governor Doyle's office did not like the results and concluded that it costs the state 17.5 percent more to do the work in-house. Thanks, Susan Goodwin. I thought Democrats were supposed to serve the people not the corporations.
A question not asked is when work is privatized, and the state has lost the talent to do the job, will the private companies lower or raise their prices? (If you have trouble with this question, contact us.)
And don't forget the outrageous decision to privatize our elections. (See the Sunday Capital Times editorial on this topic.) The governor must have been asked about this because the Elections Board is actually controlled by Democrats! (Why not rent out the east wing? It could bring in some needed revenue. Imagine the condos.)
There will be a protest rally Tuesday noon at 17 West Wilson Street where the Elections Board resides.
Could someone please get a handle on the cost of government, figure out how to serve the commonwealth, and stop selling off our services?
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November 26, 2004
Can you believe it?
They want to privatize our highways, our university, our museums and now our elections. Egad! Kevin Kennedy, executive director of the state of Wisconsin's Elections Board, signed a contract with a multi-national calling itself Accenture (it was part of Enron-tainted Arthur Anderson) to create "a total management package to run our elections." Hello? See Bill Lueders' column in Isthmus for the full, disturbing story, and then ask, What in the world is wrong with Kevin Kennedy?
No public hearings were held on the outsourcing of our elections to a company--one that is based in Bermuda to avoid taxes in this country. When I called the Elections Board on Wednesday, I was told that it is, in essence, too late to complain because the contract has been signed. Really? Is it too late to fire Kennedy, appoint a new board, and cancel the contract? I don't think so.
Call the elections Board at 608-266-8005 and demand that they cancel this contract. Believe it or not Mr. Kennedy, the citizens of Wisconsin are quite capable of managing our own elections.
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Toll booths and scoreboards
Christa Westerberg's GuestBlog "U.W., Inc." and a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report today on efforts to privatize our highways, remind me of a meeting at the Unitarian church in Milwaukee several years ago. I was involved in fighting the privatization of the Milwaukee Public Museum on behalf of the museum's employees and was asked to discuss the reasons. The largest law firm in Wisconsin, Foley & Lardner, asked if they could respond to my remarks and of course I enthusiastically agreed.
Following my presentation, the Foley lawyer took center stage and said, "We will show Mr. Garvey that we can manage the Museum, County Zoo, William Mitchell Airport, and the highways better than the public sector." The audience was aghast, but the lawyer was laying out their plans. (The former head of Foley now runs the Bradley Foundation.)
Now and then, we get a glimpse of their agenda. It begins by starving government through tax breaks and phony nonsense like TABOR to set the stage for a "friendly" takeover of our public institutons. Why would they take over? Ah, profit of course. To whom do these corporations owe a fiduciary duty? Not the public. Their loyalty is to shareholders only.
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November 25, 2004
Too good to be true
As we contemplate our gifts on this day, one we must enjoy is the American response to the presidential election in Ukraine. The United States has condemned the election "victory" of Russian-backed Yanukovych over American-backed Victor Yushchenko. Why are Secretary Powell and Senator Lugar so sure of themselves? You guessed it: The exit polls showed that their guy won! (Wouldn't you like to be a reporter at the White House to ask how they distinguish exit polls in Ukraine from those in Ohio?)
It is too much to listen to Bush administration spokespeople talk about fair elections as the Ukraine election now goes to their Supreme Court. Rumor has it Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas have offered to help the Ukraine Supremes handle this hot one.
Russia is a nuclear power. One suspects the Ukraine has nuclear weapons. Why not invade Ukraine? At a minimum send the Detroit Pistons over to push some folks around. Hey! We're number one!
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November 24, 2004
Truth in legislating
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is running a superb series on the cost of prisons in Wisconsin and, in particular, the looming cost of so-called Truth in Sentencing. (Two of our earliest Bob.com articles were written by law professor and former Corrections secretary Walter Dickey on the same topic. Dickey warned about the run-away costs of the Tommy Thompson plan to build more and more prisons.)
Prisons were Wisconsin's number one growth industry in the late '90s. The attitude of the Legislature, governor and attorney general was to exact vengeance rather than to rehabilitate prisoners. The loss of freedom should be the punishment, but that is not enough for legislators who exploit law and order for political gain. They do not seem to care what happens to those who are incarcerated. What are they like when they are released? Can they read, have they developed a skill, can they hold a job? If not they are probably coming back to prison.
Now that we are spending more on prisons and parole than we are on our university system, it is time to listen to voices of reason.
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November 23, 2004
Two doctors better than one
Madison's alternative weekly newspaper Isthmus has a must-read cover story written by Esty Dinur about our friends Gene and Linda Farley. The headline: "Health care is a right. Drs. Gene and Linda Farley are working to replace a money-driven system with one based on need."
Gene says, "We think that health care is a basic human right. Those who don't must answer the question, What would you do if you found a dying person on your doorstep? Would you leave him to die?" As to the conservative argument that everyone has health care by going to the emergency room, Linda says, "A lot of emergency rooms are so full that ambulances are told to go somewhere else."
Wisconsin would have saved $5 billion in 2004 if we had a Canadian-style health care system. But the Farley's base their views more in terms of decency and concern for fellow citizens than economics. Two beautiful people talking truth to power.
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November 22, 2004
Hello NRA
In an incredible tragedy, six people are dead and two wounded because a deer hunter opened up with an SKS 7.62 caliber semiautomatic aimed at people not deer. Now what in the hell is anyone doing with a gun like that shooting deer in the first place? But the NRA pressured President Bush to permit the ban on assault weapons to expire. Wow! I'm not directly blaming Bush, but if you had done what he did, how would you feel?
Maybe it is the deer not assault weapons. The Cap Times quoted the chair of the town of Meteor: "I worry about deer being the cause of problems, because sometimes even neighbors can have fights and arguments over a deer." That's what he said.
NRA, shame on you. Assault weapons for deer hunting? How about machine guns for rabbits?
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November 21, 2004
Fairness?
All the editorial writers are pontificating about the challenge to "their" First Amendment if anyone calls for Belling's head. (If he has one.) Of course Mark Belling has a right to make outrageous comments; of course Savage Nation is out of bounds; of course the owners of the radio and TV are, like Pontius Pilot, simply doing their job. No need for balance because balance doesn't pay. So, eliminate the Fairness Doctrine, give Sykes, Belling, and Savage a microphone and deny response time to the targets of their vicious attacks.
"Don't have to" is the response but the question then arises, Why don't you do it on your own? The corporate media gives hundreds of microphones to the rightwing whiners and a soap box to the left. Not fair you say? Go out and buy a radio station or bring back the Fairness Doctrine. Fairness may be too radical for Journal Communications, but it used to work.
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November 20, 2004
Reality sinks in
George W. is president-elect so we know what to expect over the next four years, sort of. Think about the pre-election tub-thumper-in-chief for Bush, Alan Greenspan. Before the election he was all sweetness and light. No problem making the tax cut for the wealthy permanent; the economy is doing just fine; deficits? No problem.
The election secured, the same man says the dollar is in trouble, our trade imbalance is shocking, and our economy is propped up by foreign governments. Scared yet? (Check out news from Iraq and Iran.) The NYT reported on Greenspan's speech in Frankfurt: A "falling dollar makes it more expensive for Americans to travel abroad and risks reviving inflation, sending interest rates higher" and raising prices on imported goods. Bush is prepared to tolerate a weaker dollar for the forseeable future."
Now that is comforting. Homeland Security? Not on his watch.
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November 19, 2004
Nice work if you can get it
While demanding a cut in almost every social service provided by the state and an increase in tuition, the GOP Assembly leadership has pulled a fast one on us.
The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign caught them on the way to the bank. A former staffer who was elected to the Assembly to replace Rep. Mike Powers, Brett Davis, has been hired by the retiring Assemblyman until he is sworn in January 5. The hard-core unemployable Davis will get $3,800 per month, with benefits, to do his unsupervised work. One can bet that Brett Davis will oppose any efforts to enact a living wage for the less fortunate while he makes $22 per hour doing nothing. And they condemn those on welfare? C'mon.
Give back the money, Brett.
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November 18, 2004
Here we go again
The Doyle administration is pressuring W-2 providers to cut their caseloads by 40 percent. The spokesperson for Workforce Development, Rose Lynch (her real name), said this goal is realistic because, "Our economy is getting better. We've heard from employers that they are looking for workers." Huzzah! Problem solved. The economy has recovered, gas prices are low, utility rates are a bargain and chickens have lips.
As predicted when the W-2 program was put forward to "end welfare as we know it" the simplistic slogans would not be a substitue for education, quality day care, decent housing, health care and enough money to live on. But we know the real goal was to save money in order to spend on more prisons and highways.
With another budget shortfall, the governor does not even consider increasing taxes on corporations by eliminating loopholes. Nope. They contribute money to campaigns. Cut those without a voice.
With all the talk of "values" circulating around the country, what is the moral value in abandoning the poorest among us? Relax. John Gard favors the Doyle effort to cut caseloads.
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November 17, 2004
Born again Democrats
The rush to the altar by Democratic "leaders" has stunned most of us who believe there should be a wall between church and state. Nothing divides people more than religion. Ask anyone in Iraq. But our old pal Al From has emerged from his bunker to announce that Democrats must "shake off their secular image." I'm not making this up. He thinks Dems will win if only they will oppose abortion, dump the gays and, one supposes, place the ten commandments in every court house. After all, what could be more important than winning?
Democrats ought to take a moment to figure out why the turnout did not meet expectations before dusting off the family bible. And you might join Garrison Keillor, who suggests born-agains should be denied the franchise because they can vote in heaven.
If we must choose between Al From, founder of the DLC (Democrats for the Leisure Class) and "A Prairie Home Companion"'s Keillor, it is bye bye Al.
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November 16, 2004
Doyle's dream world
You should read Josh Healey's excellent article about UW tuition and the state budget. When he and his fellow students asked the governor if he would reduce tuition in the next budget, Doyle responded, "You must be living in a dream world."
Another question we might ask of the governor is "What is your plan for the future?" We know that Tommy's vision was "large prisons connected by wide highways," but Governor Doyle has not taken the opportunity to lay out your vision. Is it to continue the back-door privatization of the Madison campus? Is it a continuation of the takeover of the DNR by developers, Wal-Mart and ethanol producers?
Maybe Josh Healey is living in a "dream world," but at least he has a dream. And it sounds like something Bob La Follette would have advocated. Josh will be asked to share his dream at the People's Legislature.
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November 15, 2004
Mistakes
Following the election I wrote in a blog that only Bristol and Vienna in Dane County went for Bush. I was wrong. the Towns of Windsor, Middleton, Medina and Dane also went for Bush (Windsor by one vote). I'll give you a Mark Belling apology: "Sorry, sort of."
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November 14, 2004
Rich has it right
The Arts & Leisure section of the Sunday NY Times is fertile ground for politicos because of columnist Frank Rich. This Sunday he points out that the so-called "morals" issue is the result of one anonymous exit pollster who claimed that 22 percent of voters who said "moral values" were their top election issue, voted for Bush. Rich points out "that the number corresponds almost exactly (23 percent) who describe themselves as born-again or evangelical Christians." In other words, so what?
Best of all, "three times as many, in the same poll, supported some form of legal status for gay couples." Thirty-five percent support civil union and 27 percent support gay marriage.
So, ask yourself, how come the corporate media and lots of Democrats are focused on so-called "moral values," loosely defined, in the face of these findings not to mention the 59 percent of Californians voting for stem cell research? I listened to Nancy Pelosi being interviewed by Lou Dobbs and she was already quoting the Bible in answer to his questions. An exasperated Dobbs looked at her and said, "Are we going to hear that sort of thing for the next four years?" Good for Lou Dobbs and good for Frank Rich. Theocrats, bite your tongue!
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November 13, 2004
And Mosul next?
The assault on Falluja is almost over. "Victory" is around the corner. With news of twenty-three American soldiers killed and 200 seriously injured, how will Bush and his pal Tony Blair describe the victory? Is this the beginning of the end of the insurgency? If so, how will they deal with the takeover of Mosul by insurgents? And, to hold Falluja, a city of 300,000 people, will the U.S. station 20,000 troops there to retain control? How many in Mosul? Baghad?
And, may we ask, how many more women and children have been killed during this assault?
Will Democrats in Congress speak up and demand an exit strategy or will our sons and daughters continue to die for an unstated policy in Iraq.
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November 12, 2004
Ideas
Like it or not, the far right has an agenda and the media to sell their agenda. We, liberals and progressives, outnumber them by the millions. We beat them in debate but they are winning elections. We are fighting for the common good or commonwealth and they are not, and yet the spin comes through that they are moral and we are not.
What's going on? In my view, we must begin by looking inward. We all know that the Bush agenda is a disaster. OK. What is our agenda and who speaks for us?
At Bob Fest the answer seems clear from the thousands of participants. It is not the Republican Party for sure, nor is it the Democratic Party. So where do progressives fit? Are we "homeless?" Must we create our own political home or can we nest in one of the two major parties? That question will be on our minds when the People's Legislature meets on January 4 in Madison. No, there isn't time to lay out a full substantive program, but if we can focus on real procedural reforms that will help to eliminate the corruption and give regular folks a fair chance to run for office, we could be on the road to democracy.
If we straighten out the process we can move on to issues that should decide elections. We need grassroots involvement, not a consultant-dominated series of elections. See you on the 4th.
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November 11, 2004
And the beat goes on
No matter how hard I try, I cannot avoid the tragic news from Iraq. Two more Wisconsin soldiers join the list of approximately 1,150 Americans who have paid the price for this illegal invasion. Yesterday saw the death of 1,000th soldier killed since the infamous "Mission Acccomplished" speech on the aircraft carrier Lincoln on May 1, 2003.
The Pentagon remains under pressure not to release pictures of flag-drapped coffins on the specious ground that pictures invade privacy. The reason is, of course, that coffins arriving at Dover may weaken the already weak support for the war. And while all sorts of claims are made about the significance of assaulting Falluja, another international aid group, International Rescue Committee, is pulling out of Iraq on security grounds. Doctors Without Borders and CARE had already decided to leave.
The question must be asked: When the marines take over Fulluja, what then? Will 20,000 troops be stationed in the city of 300,000? Will the insurgents return? Who is the enemy and where is the plan. We have been in Iraq longer than the U.S. was involved in WW I. The election is over. Replace Rumsfeld and bring the troops home.
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November 10, 2004
Dean for DNC?
Howard Dean is considering a run for the chair of the Democratic National Committee and wouldn't that be a hoot? The DNC is dominated by people who enjoy black tie fund raisers, revel in the company of corporate executives, and seldom, if ever, return money received from questionable sources.
When Howard Dean began his unorthodox campaign, he often challenged the crowd "to take back our party." Now he has the chance to do exactly that. As head of the DNC, Dean would provide a powerful voice for progressive values. Let's hope he runs.
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November 9, 2004
Mark Belling
I first met Mark Belling when he hosted a talk show in Madison. He is typical of the rightwing talk types who are absolute tigers in taking cheapshots at people who are not in the studio but toothlesss tigers when the object of scorn is in the studio and can defend him or herself. Belling eventually moved to Milwaukee and now competes with Journal Communications radio screech Charlie Sykes.
Sykes, like Belling, invites friendly people on his program but rarely has the stomach for real debate. A fragile ego perhaps or a lack of confidence in his extremist positions but he would rather lecture than defend.
So Milwaukee talk has been dominated by two rightwing chicken-hawks who prattle on everyday. But Belling went overboard when he used the derogatory term "wetback" in connection with his odd theories about voter fraud. The community erupted, and after advertisers threatened to pull ads WISN suspended Belling for an indefinite term. This is good news.
Next WISN and WTMJ should be pressured to balance their programs. No problem with Sykes having a program, but how about a progressive program or two?
Who knows, Mark Belling may have started something.
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November 8, 2004
Some satisfaction
Gwen Moore becomes the first African American elected to Congress from our state. And, she will shake up the system. She has a strong belief in social and economic justice and won't keep quiet about her views. Go Gwen!
Tommy Thompson failed to help Bush The First carry Wisconsin, and W. lost Wisconsin twice despite Thompson's efforts. As for Scott Walker, the man who opposed printing enough ballots, Milwaukee went 2-1 for Kerry.
And, notice please that none of the grand poo-bahs of the media have commented on Russ Feingold and Tammy Baldwin's impressive victories. Their victories do not match the explanations of the Bush victory.
Read Bill Berry's article and ask what is going on with the Catholic Church.
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November 7, 2004
Spin 24/7
It is impressive to see how the corporate media has taken Rove's bait on the meaning of this election. No need to discuss that embryonic stem cell research (one of the "moral" issues supposedly electing Bush) was on the ballot in California and passed overwhemlinly when they can ponder the meaning of an exit poll showing that Kerry folks do not go to church as often as Bush folks. Hello?
If this meaningless finding has traction, God have mercy on us(oops!), then why is the corporate media not concerned about exit polls showing Kerry won in Ohio, Florida and New Mexico?
No need pondering the Rove exploitation of gay marriage in 11 states with plans to add Wisconsin to the list in 2006. Now the press quotes governors in states such as Indiana and Virginia that were never in play to begin with in this election. What are Minnesota, California, Wisconsin, Washington, Oregon and Michigan? Chopped liver?
Prepare yourself. The war in Iraq coninues; there is no policy for peace in the Middle East; the real hawks will be in charge of the next Bush administration; global warming continues unabated; and the Supreme Court will have a bias in favor of mixing church and state.
These are scary times. Can you imagine the number of pictures we will see over the next three years of Democrats at the communion rail? Jefferson would weep.
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November 6, 2004
The great state university
The argument from our pals on the right is that the UW is no longer our "great state university," but a "university with state support." Big difference. The former makes it "ours" and the latter paves the way for the Lyall-Klauser dream of privatization.
How do you get to the goal of privatizing the UW-Madison? Drive up tuition to the point where only the sons and daughters of the privileged can attend so the rest of us lose interest. Yesterday the Regents met to raise the salaries of the chancellors, faculty and staff. Angry students protested, and, according to the Wisconsin State Journal, gave the Regents $60.52 earned from a bake sale.
Toby Marcovich, president of the Regents, told the students to bug off and visit the Legislature. With tuition up 37 percent over the past two years of the Doyle administration, the actions of the Regents will move us closer to Lyall's nirvana.
Time to raise hell, not tuition. Where is the governor? Another trade mission?
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November 5, 2004
He has money to spend
W. announced yesterday that he earned lots of "political capital" in this campaign and he intends to spend it. Know what that means? They are going to do their level best to repeal all social programs that drive up the cost of government. They desperately want to elminate Medicare and to privatize Social Security.
Recall the run-up to so-called "welfare reform"? Progressives never believed that they would deny subsistence payments to people without providing health care, day care, and educational opportunities, but they did. (And, the "they" included many non-thinking Democrats.)
So, the shock of this election is over. Buckle your seat belt because you will either fight or watch the destruction of our safety net, public radio and television, EPA, Americans with Disabilities Act, and more. That is called "spending political capital."
Wake up Toto, this is Kansas. Send us your thoughts about the future and your analysis of the election. Perhaps FightingBob.com should have morning prayer services.
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November 4, 2004
The morning after
Wake up with a headache and you take an aspirin. Wake up to the news that partial privatization of Social Security is on the way and you might take two. Read the news from Iraq and you may go back to bed. Today, Hungary has joined Spain, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras, Philippines, Norway, Poland, Holland, New Zealand, Thailand, and Bulgaria in announcing withdrawal of troops from the "Coalition of the Willing." Now the most hated nation in the world will continue virtually alone. (Would three aspirin be dangerous?)
A new survey released by AARP finds that Americans pay more, wait longer, and are more unhappy with their health care delivery system than citizens of any other industrialized country. Really? I heard from the right that the Canadians hate their system. (Of course Canadians tell me they love it, but what do they know?)
Final bit of news. Astonishing as it may seem, Maple Bluff, probably the wealthiest village in the Madison area, voted for John Kerry over Bush 535 to 485. Something is going on.
Heard yesterday: "We will never know the real totals." "Kerry may have conceded but we want all votes counted. It is not his to concede." And, "Oh, my God!" (That comment from just about everyone, and it was not a prayer.)
Send us your analysis of the election and your thoughts about what progressives should do next. Mourning officially ends next Monday to begin preparing for the January 4 People's Legislature.
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November 3, 2004
And so it begins
What a night. All the stars were aligned, the turnout was fantastic, young people got involved, and there was an excitement about politics once again. It was 1960 redux exept that this JFK did not prevail in the end. Words don't flow this morning, but now the clear and present danger is not theoretical. It is real. It is Code Red for the next four years.
No longer will we be forced to speculate about a rightwing Supreme Court, courts of appeal and federal district courts. Right to counsel; holding people without charges; Miranda warning; search and seizure, women's rights, are all at risk.
Face it. Our country has been taken over by extremists who have demonstrated they will stop at nothing to destroy their opposition. The question will be whether the coalition that includes 55 million people who voted for John Kerry will fight or expose its throat. Will we wallow in finger pointing or get on with the people's agenda? Will we focus on the next presidential campaign or frame the debate for 2006? Will we continue playing high-stakes poker even though we know the other player has marked the cards?
This race was not simply about John Kerry, John Edwards or Ralph Nader. Bill Moyers said one year ago--"The wealthy have declared class warfare. And they have won."
See you at the People's Legislature on January 4 in Madison. Maybe, just maybe, we can straighten out our own house, and then...
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November 2, 2004
Shame, shame
Last night I drove from Madison to La Crosse to speak to 200 progressive college students who have been deeply involved in politics this year. Why drive such a long distance on an awful rainy night? Nothing could be more important than to urge them to vote. They talked about the loss of Pell Grant money, outrageous tuition increases, huge student loan debts, their concern about the looming draft, and they were very excited about their first vote for president.
It was hard to tell them that they might be challenged at the polls because "you look like students and polls tell us that people 18-29 support Kerry by 15 percent." And that African Americans will be challenged in Milwaukee because blacks vote overwhelmingly Democratic. Hispanics will be challenged as will Native Americans.
What a terrible message for these young idealists. But as dawn follows night, Native Americans were intimidated in South Dakota and the arch-conservative 6th Circuit Court of Appeals paved the way for 3,500 Republican challengers who are, needless to say, stationed in districts with a large percentage of minority voters. Their goal? Suppress the vote. How is this different than the old South?
This organized effort to suppress voting is the worst sin of all. Let us hope that in Wisconsin, where Zogby and Mason-Dixon have Kerry winning and Gallup and Fox news have Bush in the lead, the 200,000 new voters come to the polls, ignore intimidation and vote.
Our record-high turnout is 73 percent. My prediction: 83 percent of eligible voters will cast a ballot in this incredibly important election. Nationwide, 120 million will vote and that is bad news for those paid to suppress votes.
On this day when we should celebrate our democracy, we instead fear a repeat of the stolen election of 2000. Once again as a result of vote suppression. Ah, Florida, Florida.
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November 1, 2004
Mobile voters
Zogby International has done the first poll of young voters who use cell phones. The poll result will please Kerry supporters as people 18-29 prefer Kerry over Bush 55 percent to 40 percent with 4 percent undecided and 1.2 percent for Nader. Most encouraging of all, only 2.3 percent said they did not plan to vote.
John Zogby said this is about what "we are seeing in our more conventional polls. Among 18-29 year-olds, Kerry leads the president by 14 points--55 percent to 41 percent.
Tomorrow the fun begins. People--start your engines!
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