Norman Stockwell: U.S. could take lessons from Mexican voting process

[L. Coyote]

U.S. could take lessons from Mexican voting process
By Norman Stockwell

"Last Sunday's rally of up to 1.5 million Mexicans in the main square of the capital city is only the latest stage in a series of lessons in democracy that our neighbors to the south are teaching us here in the United States...."

Tha Capitol Times, Madison WI

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/index.php?ntid=91942&ntpid=0


Don't we wish?? I have not seen a peep on MSM about this.

[RufusEarl]

1. One would think, that 1.5 million

Mexicans protesting would make the news, and it probably has in Europe. But not here, not in the largest democracy in the world. Amazing!!!

[livvy]

2. The last three paragraphs were my favorite.

This is one of the lessons we really need to learn.

"The Monday after election day, much of Mexico sat quietly stunned by events. Tuesday, a hard rain in Mexico City washed the last of Sunday night's confetti the remains of an incomplete victory celebration from the streets around the Zocalo. It seemed people were beginning to resign themselves to AMLO's defeat from taxi drivers to hardware store clerks, I heard "of course he won, but they will steal it from him." Then in an amazing turn, the IFE admitted Wednesday morning that at least 2 million ballots (out of a total of 41 million) had been omitted from their initial count.

After that moment, everything changed. People's hope grew, neighborhoods and committees began to mobilize. There were, after all, paper ballots in this election they could be counted! That Sunday, a huge crowd gathered in the Zocalo, the following Wednesday people began assembling in every state around the country, then this past Sunday the largest gathering in Mexican political history assembled, with another planned for two weeks hence. The people of Mexico wanted their ballots counted, their voices heard. The courts have until the end of August to make their decision, but the people of Mexico plan to be very vocal until that decision is reached.

As many states in the U.S. move toward electronic voting machines with no paper trail, as media conglomerates try to give voters the winners' names before the count is done, and as huge data companies get the contracts to "Help America Vote" perhaps we should look south and learn a lesson from people who believe their vote can make a difference."

[L. Coyote]

3. kick