(Open Thread Too) “Hacking Democracy” LIVE CHAT Wed. May 6th at 9:00 PM (EST)

We are fortunate to have as one of our loyal readers Kathleen Wynne, founder of Hand Count Paper Ballots Now (HCPBnow.org), and formerly Associate Director of Black Box Voting. I will let her introduce herself and the issue further below, but MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Beginning Wednesday, May 6th, at 9:00 pm at No Quarter, for the NEXT THREE WEEKS (May 6th, May 13th, and May 20th), we will be showing the documentary, “Hacking Democracy,” in three parts, with live chat with SusanUnPC, me, and Kathleen. Below is an introduction to Kathleen Wynne, and the issues the movie addresses:

My name is Kathleen Wynne. I am the former Associate Director of Black Box Voting.org and Founder of HCPB(Hand Count Paper Ballots)now.org. I cannot express how grateful I am to NQ and to Rev. Amy for graciously agreeing to host a live chat concerning the Emmy nominated HBO documentary film, “Hacking Democracy”. The film features the work done by Bev Harris and me, during our “in-the-field” investigations into the election issue.

Black Box Voting was the first election reform organization to be able to test a fully functioning optical scan voting machine in Leon County, Florida. None of the computer security scientists entrusted to oversee the security of these machines were ever allowed to observe a fully functioning unit while it was being tested for use, which made it impossible for them to determine whether the machine was secure or even functioning the way it was supposed to! The reason was, and still is, because the vendors who manufacture these machines are protected by “proprietary secret laws.” It finally took two determined, middle-aged women to be given the opportunity to test a fully functioning voting system!! What we discovered will shock and disturb you.

After viewing the film, I believe you will agree with me that the PUMA movement and the election reform movement have a great deal in common. I joined the PUMA movement because it was what I considered to be “a great awakening” of American citizens that something was terribly wrong with our elections process. Much in the same way the election reform movement was started. It is because of this common belief that I hope that we can unite our two movements and work together in taking back our elections. For it is only by taking back our elections that we will be able to take back our country. Indeed, the only power citizens have to make such a change possible is through the ballot box and we have literally given that power away. Our elections have been privatized and are becoming more centralized, which totally undermines the principle of transparency and the public nature of elections. The United States Congress has sanctioned this privatization, which in my mind, is a huge conflict of interest. Our elections are now virtually owned and operated by corporations, overseen by “experts,” and strictly managed by election officials. Citizens have been driven from the last refuge we have to remain a government by, for and of the people – our elections.

After over 6 years of investigating the many and varied problems plaguing our elections, I am convinced now, more than ever, that the only way “we, the people” will be able to take back our elections is to junk the machines and return to hand counted paper ballots. This is the primary reason I founded the website “HCPBnow.org” in order to garner a “critical mass” of citizen support for the return to hand counts. I am dedicated to this cause. As Dr. Richard Hayes Phillips wrote in his book “Witness to a Crime: A Citizens’ Audit of an American Election”, which focused on the 2004 Presidential Election in Ohio – “paper ballots are the solution, not the problem – but only if counted by hand, at the polling place, in full public view, on election night, no matter how long it takes.”

It is my contention that if we fail in this great cause, we will no longer live in a democracy, but will exist under tyranny. It should also be noted that recently the German Supreme Court banned voting machines as unconstitutional and will be counting the votes by hand in their upcoming elections in June and September! The irony cannot be lost that it was former Nazi Germany who was first in taking steps to preserve election transparency and integrity, instead of America!

Come join us May 6th, May 13th, and May 20th at 9:00 for “Hacking Democracy” and Live Chat!