how much being able to rig U.S. elections is worth? Evidently Diebold thinks that's worth a lot.

Even if they really can't rig elections, they seem to be fine with the illusion (whatever it takes to get the most money, I guess).

However the nation ain't worth what it used to be.

Diebold bought their way into that business via acquisition and until recently were looking to sell off that division. Instead they created a subsidiary called PES. Notwithstanding the election systems business for them was relatively successful outside of the US (particularly in Brasil) they discovered that in the US it's more like a public trust that requires one to invest more money than they realize. So Diebold was looking to get out. It's the ATM business and check processing and related equipment business that's profitable for them. In fact Premier Election Solutions doesn't appear on Diebold's website.

Doing so would open up the company to an army of lawyers, auditors and engineers who are not in the pocket of the republican party.

Diebold sells and their senior executives go to jail.

Cost of making flawed and hackable voting machines: >$2.6 billion, apparently.

Cost of being able to overturn the popular will: Priceless.

Diebold: We'll help you vote as many times as you need to.

I think you're conflagrating two completely seperate issues. Diebold makes crappy voting machines. But all I see happenning here is negotiation. If someone came up to you, uninvited, and offered to buy your house, would you accept their first offer? If you answered yes to that question, I would like to buy your house.

When you get solicited out of the blue, they're clearly interested in what you've got, so any sensible person will ask for more.

I have to agree with John762 - allowing the company to be taken over will most likely open up its operation to unwanted scrutiny. I'd bet that even if the takeover bid were to be pushed forward that it would end up being blocked by any Republican-controlled government agencies that would have to approve. "You can't allow Diebold to be bought, that would be a threat to democracy and national security!"

They're used heavily in Lula's neo Marxist Brazilian elections. Of course they have a history of trading votes for abortions so maybe the problem is deeper than the mechanics of counting.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/03/africa/tehran.php

How could that be? I thought they were the new leftist heroes and we're the evul evul evul badguys. Oh well, I'm sure it's for their own good. I blame America. And the Jews.

How could that be? I thought they were the new leftist heroes and we're the evul evul evul badguys. Oh well, I'm sure it's for their own good. I blame America. And the Jews.

I guess that's what you get for thinking. I recommend you don't attempt that again until you're on more solid intellectual and emotional ground.

Also, should I point out, your post is absolutely irrelevant to the subject at hand?

Without once even pretending to wonder if the underlying structure and process makes any sense at all. Yes Yes Yes all elections in the US since 2000 are stolen. Of course they are. Because we're not THAT clearly stupid to vote routinely against our own interests. Or maybe we are. Thank you have a nice day, scolding nanny lady.

It's like it's conspiracy theory week here at Salonostan.crud