Michael Collins: In Honor of the Easter Rising

Tuesday, 10 April 2007, 11:47 am
Opinion: Michael Collins

The will of the people, expressed through free and fair elections, should be the foundation of our country.

Who willed that the president lie us into a war that creates rather than eliminates terrorists?

Who willed that the White House order government scientists to suppress the truth about everything from new medicines to global warming, scientists supported by our tax dollars?

Who willed the White House law that allows any citizen, any one of us, to be jailed indefinitely, subject to coercion and “cruel” interrogation based on only the stated suspicion of select government officials that we might be a threat to the country? We are all subject to this, any single one of us, regardless of race, color or creed! A right gained nearly 800 years ago was lost in an afternoon; the Great Writ of habeas corpus providing protection from unlawful imprisonment.

Who willed a doubling of the national debt, tax breaks based on campaign contributions, justice through political manipulation, and, gross neglect of those in need; including the failure to return over 200 thousand American citizens to their homes in New Orleans despite billions for relief?

Did we really choose this government?

Not in 2000. Gore won by over half a million votes. The president was selected not elected. Fifty seven thousand properly registered Floridians were wrongfully taken off the voting rolls before that election. Half were black or Latino. It wasn’t about hanging chads or a 500 vote margin. It was about 50 thousand registered voters, citizens, denied the right to vote. There was no investigation. Why?

Not in 2004 either. In Ohio, nearly 400 thousand voters had their presidential votes discarded or were prevented from voting. Thirty nine thousand voters were never counted in New Mexico, a state decided by just five thousand votes. Nationwide, over one million presidential votes were never counted. And just recently, election workers in Cleveland were convicted of rigging the 2004 Ohio presidential recount. There was no investigation of this election either. Why?

We did not choose this government. Yet we suffer under its many disasters.

It was forced on us by election fraud in these elections and others. It was forced on us by voting machines run by companies that contributed to the president then provided voting machines that “malfunctioned” time after time. It was forced on us by secret vote counting that citizens are often barred from viewing. It was forced on us by an election system that is so complicated, we couldn’t understand it even if we did have access.

We the citizens demand an immediate return to true democracy through:

1. Hand counted paper ballots in all elections, counted in public for all to witness, and the elimination of all voting machines. Paper ballots worked for decades and, when they didn’t, at least we could understand the problem. Now we have computers that only the “experts” can understand.

2. Open voting for all citizens. No more removal or discouragement of voters due to the color of their skin or any other political reason. No American favors that.

3. Independent election authorities that are audited by neutral outsiders with ballots and results available for inspection by every citizen after every election.

4. The end of all outside money in federal elections. This money pollutes the process and steals the results of every election for those who think they can buy influence. Public financing is the only acceptable policy

We demand that the White House and Congress act on these four principles immediately or face the judgment of an informed and irate public and the condemnation of history.

We are the citizens of this country. You work for us.

We demand that you act now.

Hearts with one purpose alone (Yates)

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ENDS

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