Ferguson

Post Election Priorities

Congratulations to the Obama campaign and all of the hard working party faithful. The 2008 Presidential campaign has demonstrated some truths and some flaws in our electoral system.
I perceive myself as a free market conservative who chooses capitalism over socialism. This is not a whine. I am awed by the dedication and energy generated by the Obama campaign. Although many are going to point to some of the election irregularities, there are always election irregularities – it depends on whose ox is being gored.
Let us concentrate on saving the very basis of our freedom to vote. There are three lessons to be learned from this election. Lessons which will favor neither party in the long term. Lessons which will only make it easier for the people to make rational choices.

The one issue which is disappointing during each election is the groupies or worshippers or brainwashed campaign workers/supporters. Please use more of your IQ points. No one is perfect. Ferguson from late night TV said in a rant recently – never put 100% of your faith in any person, they are human and they will inevitably let you down.

The 3 lessons:

1) Eliminate the grouping of legislation. Riders and amendments which contradict the spirit and subject of original legislation render the final legislation deceptive. We the people need to be able to understand the issue and which way our representatives voted. I am looking for accountability here. After 2, 4 or 6 years, the people should be able to look at a voting record and understand the votes of their representative. No clouding riders or amendments should be allowed. And don’t tell me it will take too long that is just BS.

2) It is disgraceful that general public believe that votes of dead people are counted in our elections. The degree of this fraud is not known because we refuse to implement a voter ID system. We have 2 years before the next federal election. Start now. Free Picture ID. Free transportation. Free help on how to quality. Free whatever. Get it done and get it done now. How can we allow the rest of the world to laugh at us as they tell stories about dead people voting in Chicago or Black Panthers blocking polling stations.
The ID is the first step. The second step in today’s age of technology is video surveillance of the polling station. No votes from a polling station should be counted unless the results are accompanied by a date stamped video of the entrance to and interior of the polling station.

3) This is not sour grapes. The Democrats outspent the Republicans by 3, 4, 5 … 10 times depending on who your believe. Suffice it to say that in the last 2 months Obama outspent McCain at least $300,000,000 to less than $100,000,000. If these numbers had been reversed, then the MSM would have screamed for the whole 60 days that the Republicans were buying the election. If some of the contested states had swung the other way, then perhaps McCain would be President elect, perhaps not – now we will never know.
Again this is not sour grapes. Obama’s campaign was smarter, faster and more incisive in its attack on the key states. It just plain outdid the other side.
My point here is that you cannot have a 5 to 1 spending factor and expect a sensible result – either way.
Write clear limits and rules for election spending. Then enforce them.

Questions:
-what happens to the money left over from the campaign?
-does anyone really believe that it is necessary to publicize the election results before all polls are closed?
-does anyone think that spending well in excess of $1,000,000,000 on the Presidency is an appropriate use of funds by the Democratic Party? By any party for that matter. But, for how many people would that money – feed or provide tuition or health care etc.?

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Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 2008 Presidential Campaign No Comments