2008-The Voting Fiasco-Is This America?

In the age of technological wonders here in the USA, we can send a message to someone via text, across the globe in a matter of seconds. Information can be sent anywhere in the blink of an eye.

Yet as people across the country are going to vote, we are experiencing yet another episode of problems getting the vote recorded correctly. In just today's news from across the U.S. they are numerous cases of voting equipment failure and error.

They have said that in West Virginia they are having cases of votes cast for Obama going to McCain due to an error. Other places are reporting that because of individual State Laws, people are not aware of specific requirements on marking the ballot which results in major errors.

My question would be, You are kidding, right? Here we are in the most progressive, technological country in the world and we are having problems with voting working right.

The problem is that because of each individual state being allowed to make their own election-voting requirements there has never been a uniform system to vote. No standardized forms. No standardized method. Each state can make up whatever they want according to the government in that state when they made the laws.

That creates many problems. Maybe years ago, it could be managed. Or maybe for all of this time, ignorance is bliss. The less the public knows the better. However, it has gotten to the point that it is hard to understand why it is still this way.

We saw in 2000 and 2004 how old equipment, untested equipment and many other antiquated ways caused confusion and chaos. Why haven't we fixed this problem yet?

Why is there not an effort by the Federal Government to standardize the voting process? Why in 2008 do we not have a system for creating the paper trail in all 50 states and all precincts? In the age of computers and the ability to look inside of peoples lives down to minute details, yet votes are being screwed up and it could be made to appear that once again, the Good Ole Boys have their hand in it.

Are we once and for all going to make America the country that we say it is, or are we going to continue to say one thing and do another? The McCain campaign has repeatedly said how the Obama campaign's Patriotism was in question. Yet, no one on that side is standing up and saying anything about this debacle in the voting arena.

If America is going to stand up this time and get involved, then the voting process should be made available in a form they can trust to voice their vote. Why hasn't the Government paid for and sent voting machines to each precinct? Why are they put in charge of getting it done, when it is so obvious they aren't going to or can't afford to. Antiquated systems and systems that continue to break down should have been updated long before this election.

Now we are faced with many errors. Again all accounts say the errors will favor McCain. How convenient! And amazingly the errors are in states that are said to be battleground states. How convenient!

Are we going to continue to live in a country that spouts Patriotism and Honor and Love for Country that is willing to stand down and let this happen again? The Checks and Balances that McCain says should apply to the Democrats, should apply here. Where are the Bi Partisan Checks and Balances in this voting process?

If you are voting this time..Double check your ballot. If you don't understand what you need to do...ASK FOR HELP! Know what rules apply to your state's ballots. Some states require you to mark the ballot a certain way for Democrat or Republican. That can restrict or alter the way your vote is tallied. ASK QUESTIONS!

If America manages to speak their hearts and minds in this election and Barack Obama wins, the election process should be revamped. The Federal Government should contract to send voting equipment-standardized- to every precinct in America.
Their should be a backup system that allows for system failure that will retain the information. This too should be standardized. Their should also be a receipt process that allows each and every voter to get a printout at the time of voting stating what they have voted for.

If there are standardized voting machines and processes, as well as backup and receipt processes, then checking and double checking will be possible. As it stands, depending on what cockeyed laws your state has, you could be casting your vote for the opposite of what you thought you were casting it for.

Why does voting have to be so complicated? Why must the ballot have so many extra bills and trash things that confuse people? I would venture to say, it is because that is one way to keep us sheep in the dark. If you are confused or bumfuzzled when you go in the booth(which millions are), then the whole process only confuses you more. What did you accomplish by going, other than waiting in a long line? If your vote wasn't tallied properly, then what?

In this fabulous age of technology, in the most advanced country in the world, it is a sad state of affairs to acknowledge that either because of ignorance, neglect to our system, lack of communication or whatever the reason, we have failed as a democracy. We have sat around and come to the most important election in the history of our country and we are seeing people's votes not count or be counted wrong.

Are you sick and tired of this? Call your senator and congressman and tell them we need a change in the voting system in this country. Enough is enough. There should never again be a cause for concern with our votes. Why can't they be recorded correctly? Why do we have to continue to deal with this issue? Do Something. Standardize the system!