[Rhodes22-list] Voting

[Rik Sandberg]

Brad,

Thanks for that. I've listened to a few debates and stuff involving Mr. 
Ellison. I really hope somebody can whoop the "mouth of Mpls" (my 
words). I can't imagine him being much good for anything.

Rik

Brad Haslett wrote:
> Slim,
>
> The fat lady hasn't finished yet!  Here is an article from the Washington
> Times.  Tammy Lee may actually be in the race!
>
> Brad
>
> -----------------
>
> A surprise in 
> Minnesota?<http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20061102-090359-2762r.htm>By 
>
> Barry Casselman
> Published November 3, 2006
> ------------------------------
>  Advertisement
> MINNEAPOLIS. -- Every two years, there is at least one "safe seat" 
> race that
> turns into a surprise on Election Day. The sleeper this year may be 
> the race
> in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Late-breaking circumstance, in
> this race, considered safe for the Democrats (here called
> Democratic-Farmer-Labor or DFL), may produce an upset on election night.
>    Although DFL candidate Keith Ellison does have a Republican opponent,
> Alan Fine, the most serious challenger to win this seat, now held by
> retiring DFL Congressman Martin Sabo, is Independence Party (IP) nominee
> Tammy Lee.
>    The Independence Party put Jesse Ventura up for governor in 1998. Mr.
> Ventura won in an amazing upset that year. In 2002, the party nominee Tim
> Penny received 16 percent of the vote. And as Mr. Penny discovered, in a
> three-way race many voters will abandon the candidate in third place 
> to cast
> their vote for one of the frontrunning two.
>    This is what is apparently happening this year with the statewide IP
> candidates. But in the Minnesota 5th, IP nominee Tammy Lee is now widely
> perceived to be in second place.
>    The DFL nominee in this heavily DFL and liberal district usually wins
> with 70 percent or more of the vote. Mr. Sabo, in 14 terms, did not 
> have a
> close race. When he unexpectedly announced his retirement early this 
> year,
> it set off a scramble among local DFL politicians to fill his seat. A 
> dozen
> sought endorsement at the district party convention. It was won in 
> June by
> populist black Muslim legislator, Keith Ellison. Although he did not 
> win a
> majority of the approximately 250 delegates, he led from the first ballot
> on, and his opponents decided not to block the endorsement. 
> Traditionally,
> endorsement here means winning the primary and the November election, 
> but a
> number of unsettling revelations about Mr. Ellison caused three major DFL
> figures to challenge him in the primary. These challengers said that 
> there
> had not been time enough after Mr. Sabo's announcement for proper 
> vetting,
> and that new revelations showed he was a "flawed"candidate.
>    These revelations concerned Mr. Ellison's past. First, it was 
> disclosed
> that Mr. Ellison had been an active part of Louis Farrakhan's 
> anti-Semitic
> movement in the 1990s. Mr. Ellison said that he now renounced the 
> Nation of
> Islam leader, and apologized to the Jewish community. Second, it was
> revealed that Mr. Ellison had left a long trail of unpaid traffic
> violations, housing violations, and failure to respond to numerous 
> campaign
> violations. He did not deny any of this. His opponents branded him a
> "scofflaw."
>    Mr. Ellison nonetheless won the primary because his three opponents
> split the 59 percent of the vote against him. He won 41percent and the 
> DFL
> nomination. At that point, it appeared the election was over since he 
> would
> face two opponents in November, and it was an overwhelmingly DFL 
> district.
>    Right after the primary, the Republican nominee, Mr. Fine, launched a
> bitter attack against Mr. Ellison for his past association with Mr.
> Farrakhan, and for his receipt of large donations from an American Muslim
> group alleged to have ties to terrorism. Even among many Republicans, Mr.
> Fine's manner was perceived to be too abrasive and confrontational. At 
> the
> same time, Independent candidate Tammy Lee emerged as a serious 
> candidate.
> Mrs. Lee was for many years a TV broadcaster, and later an executive 
> for a
> regional airline. Originally a DFLer, she had also been press 
> secretary for
> Sen. Byron Dorgan, North Dakota Democrat and communications director 
> for a
> statewide DFL campaign. A self-described "fiscal conservative and social
> moderate," she then found her way to the Independence Party.
>    As Mr. Fine's political fortunes sank, Ms. Lee's rose. Mr. Ellison has
> conducted a very low profile November campaign and has scheduled no TV
> advertising. Several DFLers have failed to endorse him, including the DFL
> nominee for governor. Mr. Sabo, in what has been described as his 
> "Norwegian
> endorsement," went to Ms. Lee's office, had his picture taken with her 
> and
> authorized her to use the picture in her campaign literature. Significant
> numbers of GOP and DFL political figures, including many mayors of the
> suburban parts of the district (40 percent of the vote) have endorsed 
> her.
> The Minneapolis business community has poured money into her campaign. 
> She
> has made a major TV ad buy. Recently, she placed a full-page ad in the
> largest newspaper in the state listing her endorsements.
>    The St. Paul Pioneer-Press headlined that Mr. Ellison was in 
> trouble and
> Ms. Lee was surging. The Jewish community, with some exceptions, has
> seemingly rallied around her candidacy (although she is Catholic and Mr.
> Fine is Jewish). Mr. Ventura endorsed her on the cover of the gay 
> community
> (a large voter group in the district) magazine. Prominent GOP figures
> reportedly asked Mr. Fine to withdraw. He did not, and will continue 
> in the
> race, spending his campaign funds to attack Mr. Ellison.
>    A Green Party candidate is also in the race and is likely to win 
> about 5
> percent of the vote. (The Green Party traditionally is strong in
> Minneapolis.) If major DFL constituencies (Jews, gays, seniors, women)
> desert Mr. Ellison, this could become a very close race on Nov. 7.
>    The DFL GOTV effort, one of the best in the country, still gives Mr.
> Ellison the edge. He is on the party and labor sample ballots. Ms. Lee's
> emergence has come late in the campaign, and many voters do not yet 
> know who
> she is. But there is a "buzz" about her campaign that is very 
> reminiscent of
> Ventura phenomenon when the "impossible" happened at the end of the
> campaign.
>    If she does win, it would be the upset of the year.
>
>    *Barry Casselman writes for Preludium News Service.*
>
>
>
>
>
> On 11/2/06, Brad Haslett <flybrad at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Slim,
>>
>> Agreed.  It should be simpler but the paper process is not without fault
>> either.  Mayor Daley of Chicago was famous for delivering bundles of 
>> last
>> minute ballots when needed.  I don't know what the is the answer but 
>> what a
>> major PITA the process is.  We stood in line for an hour to vote a week
>> before the election using electronic machines. I moved some money out 
>> of my
>> savings account at Emmigrant Bank yesterday online and had to almost 
>> give a
>> blood, urine, and sperm sample before I could complete the 
>> transaction.  May
>> I suggest we get their software firm to design an Internet voting 
>> process.
>>
>> Brad
>>
>>
>>  On 11/2/06, Slim <salm at mn.rr.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > Can someone please tell me why, in this day and age, we have problems
>> > counting votes?  For chrissake, what could be simpler?  Why do some
>> > states
>> > use questionable methods like punch cards or now, electronic machines
>> > and
>> > online voting?  You KNOW the electronic voting is a disaster 
>> looking for
>> > a
>> > place to happen.  Some don't even require a paper back-up in case a
>> > recount
>> > is needed.  OF COURSE there will be hackers AND breakdowns.  What are
>> > they
>> > thinking?  This drives me crazy!  I know I'm being cynical but the
>> > unreliability of these methods make me think they do it IN ORDER FOR
>> > THEM to
>> > f**k with the results!
>> >
>> > Here in MN we use one, big single sheet of paper with all the 
>> candidates
>> > there and you use a black pen which they supply.  You make a mark next
>> > to
>> > your candidate and it's read by a machine much less
>> > technical/susceptible to
>> > mishaps than an online computer.  We've never had a problem counting
>> > and/or
>> > verifying votes in MN.
>> > KISS!!!!!
>> >
>> > BTW, in Brazil, voting is considered more than a civic duty--it's a
>> > personal
>> > obligation and all businesses, schools, etc. are closed for the day 
>> and
>> > almost everyone votes.  In this country what, 35% turnout?  
>> Disgraceful!
>> > I take pride in knowing that MN is among the highest turnouts in 
>> the U.S
>> > .
>> >
>> > Slim
>> >
>> > __________________________________________________
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>> >
>>
>>
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