Letters to the Editor
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something smells here
Like the author's reasoning or not, the tone sure has the odor of a vehement anti-conspiracist conspiracist.
One thing stand out starkly: Why are *European* exit polls' reliabilty being used to claim for ours? Um, let's look at OUR record of exit polling and judge OUR elections by those, NOT by that of the Europeans.
Things like this make the writer look mighty like a person whose mind is made up before the research, which in turn churns out exactly the data the author is looking for, rather than all of the data necessary to render a judgement. I'd love to see what data the author squelched-- I have students who do the same thing for their projects, and the whole method just stinks.
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To Hack Is A Verb, A Hack Is A Noun
Let's cut to the chase. He who controls unscrutinised vote counting computers, controls the outcome. Until the electoral process becomes fully accountable, a task accomplished by many marginally enlightened countries, the fix stays in.
As for Farnhad Manjoo,despite his undeniable journalistic depth, I guess intellectual stud sites like Salon need their token teasers. They get kicked a lot, but the sniff of the chase keeps them hanging 'round for years.
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coke or pepsi?
Why were are choices in that particular election between two militaristic, wealthy, elite class, scull and bones boys club, white guys? Why do we cling to these voting methods. Electoral college. Congressional districts. One man one vote. It doesn't really matter who is rigging the election when are choices are not really choices at all and the election process in its correct and lawful form is flawed. Let's not even mention the weight of money in this process, or the weight of the media in this process.
When either of these guys get in office, do they really represent the people? I don't know about you but I don't have health care. I work 20 hours a week more than my parents did. My country is at war as usual. The governmental debt we are handing our children will be a terrible burden to them. Our mentally ill people are left to wander the streets. Our planet's eco system is deteriorating at an alarming rate. When was the last time any of you saw any real representation in government? I can name my last time...Dennis Kucinich stood up for the people of Cleveland against a corporate engergy monopoly. That was a long time ago.
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To Hack Is A Verb, A Hack Is A Noun
Let's cut to the chase. He who controls unscrutinised vote-counting computers, controls the outcome. Until electoral accoutability is achieved, a task successfully managed by many countries, the fix stays in.
As for Farhad Manjoo, despite his journalistic depth, I guess sites that attract their share of intellectual studs like Salon, require their token teaser. They get kicked a lot, but the sniff of the chase keeps them hanging 'round for years.
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Thank you Farhad
A decades-long hobby of mine is the John and Robert Kennedy history. I have a very high opinion of much of how they led, with as a rule far-sighted policies. Our nation misses that sort of leadership.
I have a story I want to be true, involving RFK, Jr. providing that sort of service. Here he is putting mercury into national awareness; there he is putting the theft of a presidential election in front of the country. Go, Robert, go.
However - Farhad does exactly what he should, and we should - but many don't - want him to: pursues the truth.
Farhad is the skeptical analyst we need before rushing to judgement. He's doing a great job and deserves our thanks.
My one criticism is that he's so focused on answering the question, did the known problems change the result of the election (his answer remains that the evidence is lacking), that he puts little focus on the important fact that there IS significant wrongdoing by the republicans which is an important issue even if the result was not changed.
What's the story on Watergate: Nixon respects constitution, follows court order to hand over tapes, and resigns rather than creating a constitutional crisis to try to keep power; or, Nixon guilty of other abuses of power and lies?
Sure, Nixon defies Supreme Court or 2004 election stolen are the big headlines if true - but even without them, widespread republican fraud in 2004 or Nixon uses CIA to try to cover up underlings' burglery of democrats are still big stories.
Farhad does acknowledge wrongs by the republicans, but treats them as unimportant side notes.
That doesn't take away from the fact that he's doing the thankless, courageous analysis of the popular claims.
Thank you for providing that, Farhad.
It's too bad there isn't a way to lock Farhad, RFK, Jr.,Conyers researchers, Palast and others in a room long enough to hash out the issues to a quality consensus result. Sparring articles is pretty inefficient.
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Where are your sources?
"Worse, Kennedy relies on a band of researchers whose research on election fraud has long been called into question by experts."
Prove your statement.
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the Republican mantra - "it was all LEGAL"
the crux of Farhad's argument seems to be that ALL tactics used by the Ohio Secretary of State weren't illegal. And yet, we've heard that mantra time and time again from Republicans and quite often, the courts come back and say "sorry, that WAS Unconstitutional and amounted to depriving a person the right to vote" even if the letter of the law was obeyed before being ruled on.
I sorta expect a counterpoint from a better Salon writer then the guy they employ to provide "equal time"
RB
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Manjoo = Dismissive apologist
Ever since the election, Farhad Manjoo has been the worst of the commentators. Republicans gleefully use him to provide cover to dismiss all of the flaws of the 2004 elction. He reminds me of the great pholosophers who shreik, "who you going to believe, me or your own stinkin eyes?"
Fortunately Robert Kennedy has done the country a great service by collecting all of the evidence into one comprehensive package. Too bad that SALON prefers an apologist instead.
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Yes. It was stolen, and why is Salon lying for the RNC?
In all my years reading Salon every day, I have never been so disappointed and appalled at anything you have published. I can't believe that Salon would support the disenfranchisement of not only the voters of Ohio, but of the millions who twice had our votes invalidated by the criminal actions of the Republican machine. When one vote is blocked, all votes are blocked. Bush should never have served a day, and should never have been re-appointed, as the overwhelming body of evidence clearly and unambiguously proves that BOTH elections were stolen.
I hope that Salon will allow a writer of stature the opportunity to carefully rebut Mr. Manjoo's sloppy and inaccurate piece, as it is a blight on the paper's journalistic track record.
A sad day for all your subscibers and supporters, and a dark day for Salon.
Kenneth Woods