ok, i REALLY REALLY need to VENT some STEAM

[garybeck]

Last week, our Vermont (Democratic) Secretary of State went on the radio to discuss our electonic voting machines (all opscan in VT). I was unable to listen to the interview until just this moment when I received a recording (purchased from the radio station for $15).

Deb Markowitz, our Secretary of State is LYING to the public on the air.

I have only listened to the first 5 minutes and she has already made a blatant lie, saying that Vermont is in compliance with the recommendations of the Brennan Report.

(for more info on the brennan report which found significant security problems with all types of electronic voting machines.... check out
http://www.brennancenter.org/programs/dem_vr_hava_machineryofdemocracy.html
)

the very first recommendation of the Brennan Report is:

CONDUCT AUTOMATIC ROUTINE AUDIT
OF PAPER RECORDS.

We do not have automatic audits in Vermont. She is lying.

I'm crawling out of my skin at the moment. I can't even listen to the rest of the tape. Every time I listen to a couple more minutes I get more enraged and I need to call someone or bang on the keyboard. It sounds like she's a Diebold spokesperson!

My head is spinning about what to do about this. I can assure you, our small but growing group of Vermonters for Voting Integrity will not let this stand.

I know this is not the only state where a (democratic) SoS is singing the praises of Diebold. And I've known for some time that she is one of them. But hearing her say these things, in her own voice, with thousands of Vermonters listening, is really hitting me deep. we have a real problem on our hands.

I think there's smoke coming out of my ears, I'm so I better cool off before I explode.

All I can say is, Deb Markowitz, you are doing a disservice to Vermonters and you are not performing your duty. And the Solar Bus will be heading towards Montpelier very soon.

[MissWaverly]

1. they say their in compliance when they are not

this happened in Maryland, what penalty has been issued, has anyone been reprimanded for this,
not to my knowledge, and the Diebold machines are still in place here. Think about it after
all the complaints about problems that have been ongoing for years; only a small number of
the most blatant offenders have been charged and a smaller number still have been convicted.

[Bill Bored]

2. Totally agree with you Gary!

Brennan report says on Pg. 4:

"The voter-verified paper record, by itself, is of questionable security value. The paper record has significant value only if an Automatic Routine Audit is performed (and well designed chain of custody and physical security procedures are followed). Of the 26 states that mandate voter-verified paper
records, only 12 require regular audits."

Tell her to READ THE F@!$ING REPORT!

[garybeck]

3. I believe she HAS read it, which is even more disturbing, because

it means she knows she's lying.

[Wiley50]

4. Live Timid, Die Bold

Gary
I presume that you were not aware that this report was in the works, or else you would have contacted the producer demanding to refute these claims.
I know, the fairness doctrine is a pleasant fading memory.
But do you think you can petition for equal time?

[garybeck]

5. there will be followup.

i've talked to the host and he said her responses sounded "canned."

the first thing i'm going to do is post a recording of what she said, along with the FACTS which are in direct contradiction to what she said. then we'll see what's next. i may be able to go on the radio to discuss the truth, we'll see. this ain't over.

[Melissa G]

7. Is there a way we can get these liars to say things under oath???

I'm ssoooooo tired of elected and/or Election officials either lying or ignoring facts!!!:mad:

I want there to be repercussions when people BLATANTLY LIE!!:nuke:

I also want our testimony to mean something (that would have to be somewhere other than Texas , I fear...):grr: :rant:


ahhh.. I love a good rant...all better.. back to real life...Thanks, Gary..

Peace..

[garybeck]

9. "repercussions when people BLATANTLY LIE!! "

there will be.

one thing good about living in a small state is that it's easier to have your voice heard. people will be hearing about this, trust me..

[Melissa G]

10. You go, Gary!! I'm just working on turning Texas blue again...

so it will do some good when i speak on a topic....Rootin' for ya!

[hpot]

12. Press Release

Have you considered a faxed press release to all media organizations? You can dispute her lies and have a chance to get published. Media fax number lists are available online.

The only caution is to avoid violating any fax-spam laws. A phone call to the media organization is usually sufficient.

[garybeck]

16. yes, and more than that

I don't want to say too much yet, because I'm waiting for a response from the SoS office. But I'm preparing an all-out attack that includes a major media blast. And since a handful of publications in VT have already published me, it won't be ignored. her only protection is that she's a democrat and the liberals in VT are very loyal to her.

[GuvWurld]

6. Hey Gary

:smoke:

[garybeck]

8. OK, I took my dogs for a walk and it was nice in the forest, but

I'M STILL PISSED OFF!

I guess i'm having a Howard Beale moment.

[GuvWurld]

11. Okay

I don't mean to belittle your feelings. They're very valid. FWIW, I think you're on the right track with quoting from the audio and juxtaposing lies with facts. My suggestion is to pick a few that collectively connect some dots, and put out a media advisory. Set it up so the whole thing tells a story, ready-made for publication.

[Cookie wookie]

13. You have my sympathy completely.

We had to listen to lies or misleading information coming from our (almost former) Secretary of State Cathy Cox for the last 3 years (actually the first year after she brought Diebold to us I wasn't involved in the election integrity movement).

Sometimes I felt like going wild.

Particularly distressing were the times she helped defeat our legislation for voter verified paper ballots (2004, 2005, 2006). She did it though weaving a web of deceit, which the Dems in our legislature bought. They would do nothing to make a move against her not only because they believed what she said but because she was going to run for governor.
The only time we caught her in her lies was in 2004 when she spoke first in a Senate committee meeting hearing SB500, a vvpb bill at the time that we supported (NOT THE SB500 of 2006!). We were able to get up behind her and contradict her incorrect or misleading statements.

That never happened again. She'd either send in the director of Elections or some other representative to mislead the legislature or public or she would appear last (or no comments would be allowed afterward). She also had the undying support of our one big newspaper, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, so there was little we could do there but be called conspiracy theorists or "a small band of.." etc.

Well, Well, she LOST in the primary a couple of weeks ago. Ding dong the wicked witch is dead. Her grand political aspirations for which she sold her soul and democracy in Georgia, are finished.

It took us a long time to get to this moment in time, but don't despair. They can't keep it up forever.

Wear them down. Dog them. Haunt them. When she started this big bid for governor, we went down to the Capitol steps where she was launching the campaign, carrying our signs and standing silently by, like the Sally Fields scene in Norman Rae. She couldn't get one clear shot with the cameras that our signs weren't there.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE.

[Febble]

14. Well, having just vented

some steam myself, at you, Gary, let me share this vent with you!

AUTOMATIC RANDOM AUDITS are THE ESSENCE of what is required. Paper is only a means to that end.

[garybeck]

15. right, and that is the thing she's lying about

she says we are in compliance with Brennan, but the only audits we have are voluntary at the discretion of the SoS. Nothing is mandatory (automatic). this is not splitting hairs... she is misrepresenting the facts.

[Febble]

17. From the Executive Summary o f the Brennan report:

There are a number of steps that jurisdictions can take to address the vulnerabilities identified in the Security Report and make their voting systems significantly more secure. We recommend adoption of the following security measures:

1. Conduct automatic routine audits comparing voter verified paper records to
   the electronic record following every election. A voter verified paper record
   accompanied by a solid automatic routine audit of those records can go a
   long way toward making the least difficult attacks much more difficult.
   
   
2. Perform “parallel testing” (selection of voting machines at random and testing
   them as realistically as possible on Election Day.) For paperless DREs, in
   particular, parallel testing will help jurisdictions detect software-based attacks,
   as well as subtle software bugs that may not be discovered during inspection
   and other testing.
   
   
3. Ban use of voting machines with wireless components. All three voting systems
   are more vulnerable to attack if they have wireless components.
   
   
4. Use a transparent and random selection process for all auditing procedures.
   For any auditing to be effective (and to ensure that the public is confident in
   such procedures), jurisdictions must develop and implement transparent and
   random selection procedures.
   
   
5. Ensure decentralized programming and voting system administration .
   Where a single entity, such as a vendor or state or national consultant, performs
   key tasks for multiple jurisdictions, attacks against statewide elections
   become easier.
   
   
6. Institute clear and effective procedures for addressing evidence of fraud or
   error. Both automatic routine audits and parallel testing are of questionable
   security value without effective procedures for action where evidence of
   machine malfunction and/or fraud is discovered. Detection of fraud without
   an appropriate response will not prevent attacks from succeeding.

Fortunately, these steps are not particularly complicated or cumbersome. For the
most part, they do not involve significant changes in system architecture.
Unfortunately, few jurisdictions have implemented any of these security recommendations.

Italics in the original

[garybeck]

18. ya, i know... it's the very first one that we are not compliant with

any audits we have are not mandatory. they are at the discretion of the SoS. rumor is she's going to do one this fall but no details yet. but I want mandatory audits and nothing else.

[Febble]

19. They have to be mandatory

and they have to be random, and there has to be a secure chain of custody of the ballots.

Good luck!

On edit: and the audits have to be scrutinised by independent observers, IMO as well!

[autorank]

20. Take that Solar Bus and make an appearance...I'm sure it's quite an event.

I'm all for open and honest discussions and dialogue. You cannot have that when you're dealing with people who display intellectual dishonesty, lie in obvious ways, and do it in public service. They act like they're some sort of royalty and we are the ignorant minions. I think that might be part of the steam coming out of your ears. Why do they think EVERYBODY is stupid. Even if we don't know they are lying, we have enough intelligence to figure it out, or in the case of looking at some present, getting a feel for the b.s.

ROAD TRIP!