Progressive Wednesday

Fixing Elections (in a Good Way)

Problem:

As the polls closed on Election Day 2004, I watched the state-by-state results eek in from the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Columbus with a thousand other volunteers, including Jerry Springer, the former mayor of Cincinnati, and Eric, who'd road-raged his way down from Rochester, New York, in his rusty and rust-colored – ˜86 Monte Carlo, to lend a hand for the final few days. I bit my nails to the quick and pulled and twisted at my goatee. The news seemed grim.

And so, the war would rage on. And the poor would increasingly fight it. And our broken health care system would cause more bankruptcies. And monolithic business would rule instead of wise environmental stewardship. And I felt too guilty to sleep. But it was that night, and deep into the morning, that Eric and I came up with the idea of Progressive Wednesday, a new way to empower people when there weren't elections, and hell, even when there were. And it was that night we decided that helping to fix the election process would be at the top of our Wednesday list.

Two weeks later, I attended a public hearing with sworn testimony by Franklin County residents reporting voter suppression, fraud, and the inequitable distribution of voting machines in both poor and predominately African-American districts, which made 2004 Ohio seem a little too much like 1960 Mississippi.

Since I'm not a Democrat, I now deeply question why I didn't just support a so-called “third-party– candidate like Michael Badnarik, the Libertarian candidate, or David Cobb, the Green candidate. But my experience helped me question, even more, the process by which we select our elected officials and the ways we decide whom to give our vote. I imagine I'm not alone.

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Make Progress:

We'll definitely be returning to this topic time and time again, because it's intensely complicated and similarly significant to not just our rights as Americans, but to what we value as a human right. What follows, then, is a beginning. Consider the starter's pistol fired.

• Bookmark
• Call
• Write
• Read
• Wear

Photo thanks to this voter.

Bookmark:

It's a little bit difficult to describe Project Vote Smart in 304 words, but here goes:

• This non-profit uses oodles of volunteers (from the right and the left) to examine “voting records, campaign contributions, public statements, biographical data (including their work history) and evaluations of them generated by over 100 competing special interest groups.–
• In addition, they “test each candidate’s willingness to provide citizens with their positions on the issues they will most likely face if elected through the National Political Awareness Test.– In other words, they see if candidates will openly, directly explain what they stand for — a tall order in some instances.
• You can also use Project Vote Smart to learn about judges, congressional legislation, voter registration, polling locales, ballot measures, and lots and lots of accurate et cetera.
• The Project also offers up a Voter's Self-Defense Manual, a must-read for progressives of any political ilk. The booklet can be downloaded as an Acrobat file, or you can order one by giving them a jingle: 1-888-868-3762.
• They are truly bipartisan: “No one can join the Project’s board without a political opposite.– And whose served on the board? Carter, Ford, Dukakis, McCain, McGovern, and Goldwater, to name a few.
• They don't take cash money from special interests. To quote: “We do not accept contributions from any corporations, labor unions, or other organizations that lobby, support or oppose candidates or issues.” The money comes only in the form of donations by individuals (70%) and philanthropic foundation grants (30%). Plus, 83% of their funds go directly into their programs and content.
• U.S. News and World Report has this to say: “Project Vote Smart would make the Founders weep with joy.– The New York Times pointed out that the Project kicks so much tail that “even the Federal Government recommends it.–
• This service — this wonderful, wonderful service — is completely free.

Want to read more? Go check it out for yourself. Then bookmark it. You'll want it down the road: we guarantee it.

We'd also like to ask you to give some love in the form of greenbacks to this incredibly worthy, dare we say essential (okay, we dare), this essential cause. Even if giving means three bucks. Here's the beauty of your generosity: not only do you help out this organization whose sole purpose is to help you as a voter, but your gift is tax-deductible, and you can choose how the money is spent. So give a little and have them spend it wisely.

But remember to bookmark it, baby, remember to bookmark it.

.

Call:

This sucker might come as a shock, but the Constitution does not guarantee American citizens the right to vote.

We'll give you a second to reread that sentence. Okay, now that we've got your attention we'll give you all the support we need to prove it to you. In the Supreme Court decision Bush v. Gore, the Court ruled: “The individual citizen has no federal constitutional right to vote for electors for the President of the United States.– We think, well, we think this is a load of crap, and not cute little rabbit pellets– ¦ no, we're talking a dump truck full of nasty elephant waste.

We'd like you to take five minutes right now, immediately after reading this, and call your Senators (take a peek and make sure your boss ain't lingering around). Just click this sentence to find a list of all the Senators with phone numbers for each. Here's what we'd recommend saying:

• “I'm a voter from [name your state], and I'm outraged that there's no Constitutional Amendment guaranteeing my right to vote. If Senator [last name] wants my vote the next time [he or she] is up for reelection, then [he or she] will introduce or support legislation that would guarantee this basic American right.–

Be sure to thank them for their time.

If such an Amendment existed, folks could sue states for voter fraud, suppression, a lack of equal protection, and faulty machines or a lack of functioning ones. There are 7,800 different election jurisdictions. This adds a lot of variables. If there was a Constitutional Amendment, there could be a universal voting system for all elections. Fairness. That's what we're talking about here. Accountability. Equality. A more perfect union.

.

Write:

Even though we're far, far away from the next national elections, we think it’s more apropos to deal with this topic well before November, which is, of course, National Pomegranate Month.

Okay, here's the main idea of our letter-to-the-editor campaign: Our fellow Americans, Election Day should be a national holiday.

Now, it's hard to argue with a day off (though we're sure the workaholics out there could give it a shot). But we think for the sake of the U.S. of A., voters deserve a greater opportunity to choose what goes down.

Here are some talking points for ya to use and morph and personalize and localize to your heart's content:

• Election Day is an excellent way to emphasize the importance of community.
• As a holiday, we'd be reaffirming the cultural significance of voting.
• Voting was a central catalyst behind the founding of the country.
• Voter turnout in the United State for presidential elections ranks 65th in the world. Democracy deserves better. Common sense dictates that a holiday would raise voter turnout.
• Most workers paid hourly can't afford to take time off work to vote.
• Polls in some states close as early as 7 p.m., further limiting turnout.
• Long lines wouldn't seem as daunting since folks wouldn't need to hustle back to work.
• Election Day is already a holiday in Puerto Rico.

Here's a link to the newspapers throughout the country to help you find the address and specific requirements to the daily “Extra, extra, read all about it!” in your community. You can always check out our How to Read Newspapers tool. Also, you might want to take a gander at our How to Write Letters to the Editor tool, both in brief and in full.

Photo courtesy of this literate picture-clicker.

Read:

Adopting Election Day as a national holiday and banging out a Constitutional Amendment guaranteeing the right to vote seem like two it's-about-time steps in the right direction.

There's got to be more we can do to help out so-called “third parties– and their very qualified candidates. Third parties deserve a greater voice in our country, and having more voices, more opinions, and options seems incredibly American to us. Two-party domination seems a bit archaic, a bit undemocratic.

There are several suggestions out there for ways to change the ways we vote and the ways third party candidates get treated on ballots. These ideas include:

• Fusion voting.
• Instant run-off voting.
• Popular voting.
• Range voting.

We'll be returning to the topic of election fixes in the future, and we're curious what your thoughts are about each of the various options. After you read about each, let us know what you think by leaving a comment or by contacting us. Let us know which you prefer, which you have questions about. Your comments will help us decide which ones to support down ye ole road. So, thanks in advance.

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Wear:

Okay, this one's easy enough. We'd like to encourage you to plunk down a few bucks, snag yourself this t-shirt, and wear it around all year long (taking it off occasionally to shower, make the love, and maybe even wash it here and there). Sport it when you head to the grocery, the gym, the Grand Canyon. (Speaking of the Grand Canyon– ¦.)

This is a way to send an honest and constant message. Plus the word “vote– is bad-ass as Mr. T and drop-dead gorgeous as Rita Hayworth. Since you're reading Progressive Wednesday, we're confident you're a little bit of both, too.

A labor movement in the house

There has been a trend in this country over the past couple of decades that makes my blood boil. (The 90 plus-degree heat in June in upstate New York might be contributing as well.) I'm not talking about the rise and fall in popularity of leg warmers and sweater vests. No, ever since Reagan took his acting career to the Oval Office, there has been an unprecedented anti-labor movement in this country. The privileged and the über-rich have become even more beau monde and über-richer, all while the honest workers who actually turn the American wheels work longer and harder for less money and fewer benefits.

This extends further than just the Wal-Marts and Exxon-Mobiles; smaller corporations and even small businesses have adopted many of those same rebarbative business practices in order to stay in stride with the “big boys.– There is even a multi-million dollar anti-labor lobbying business dedicated to spreading lies about unions

But for the first time in a great while there is a bill up for a vote in the Senate to dam up that torrent anti-labor river. It's called Employee Free Choice Act and, according to the AFL-CIO and AmericanRightsAtWork.org, this bill would:

• Establish stronger penalties for violation of employee rights when workers seek to form a union and during first-contract negotiations.
• Provide mediation and arbitration for first-contract disputes.
• Allow employees to form unions by signing cards authorizing union representation.
• Force employers to stop dragging out contract negotiations.

If you're fluent in “Lawyer-ese,– you can peruse the full bill here.

The aforementioned American Rights At Work group has put together a petition to Congress to support this progressive, yet bi-partisan legislation. It only takes a second, okay, maybe ten seconds, but time is of the essence here. Hop on over to the site (don't let your boss see you) and add your signature. They are aiming for 30,000 e-signatures and are only a couple thousand short. Let's have the Progressive Wednesday community give them that push over the edge.

To make an even bigger impact, you can also contact your Senator or Representative by following this link. Either way, we need to do what we can to stem the tide, change the winds, stop the bleeding, reverse the flow– ¦ hey, just make progress.

Choosing booze responsibly.

Okay, as social libertarians, we believe that one of the most important purposes of the government is to protect civil liberties. Amongst those liberties, we believe, is the right to consume alcohol. The current laws in all 50 state prevent adults under the age of 21 from purchasing alcohol. I say “purchasing” because the parents of adults and children under the age of 21 are permitted to serve their own offspring alcohol. Also, I mention that we’re talking about state laws, because there is no national law preventing adults under the age of 21 from purchasing or consuming alcohol.

I keep hammering on the word “adult” for a reason. Our culture has clearly decided that at age 18 Americans are adults. By the time an American is 18, she or he can legally:

1. Own a gun.
2. Rent a car.
3. Join the military.
4. Vote for any elected office.
5. Run for school board.
6. Gamble.
7. Buy cigarettes.
8. Get married.
9. Adopt a child.
10. Drive a car.
11. Sign a binding contract.
12. Own a business.
13. Serve on a jury.

The logic of allowing 18-year-olds to do all of the aforementioned, and not allow them to consume alcohol seems like the not-so-perfect reasoning of a four-year-old. “Why don’t you want to eat your spinach?” you ask your wee one. And your kid answers, much like the state governments, “Because.”

Okay, we’ll grant that our various governments give “reasons,” but these are easily dissected with information besides those I’ve already given. To see for yourself, check out this link and this link. The only real reason behind these state laws is The National Minimum Drinking Age Act. And why did this federal act make the states kowtow? Because if a state didn’t change the drinking age to 21, they lose “10% of annual federal highway funding.” So, essentially, the federal government, which should be protecting our civil liberties, twisted the arms of the states because they thought it would reduce drunk driving and binge drinking.

All this is to say that we wholeheartedly agree with a new campaign called “Choose Responsibly.” This organization proposes:

Allowing states to pilot alcohol education programs for 18-to-20 year-olds who are out of high school and then issue so-called “drinking licenses” to young people who successfully complete the course.

As John M. McCardell Jr., former president of Middlebury College and founder of Choose Responsibly, puts it: “If binge drinking has never been worse, why do we think legal age 21 has been successful?”

Educating young adults, instead of irrationally penalizing young adults, seems far, far closer to the kinds of freedoms we ought to expect in our country.

Clergyman Charlie: On protecting the Great Lakes

Major efforts were made last year by the Sierra Club, Residents for Responsible Government, the Niagara County Legislature, and many other groups to protect the Great Lakes from toxic pollution. A bill was passed unanimously in the State Senate and with only one negative vote in the State Assembly that stated that no permits could be granted for commercial toxic landfills that had the potential to leak into the Great Lakes. Newspapers all across the state, including the Albany Times Union and Buffalo News, endorsed the law. The Niagara County Farm Bureau and Business First supported it. But to our dismay, Governor Pataki vetoed it.

Efforts to get the veto overridden were not successful. Legislators were busy campaigning and not interested enough in returning to Albany for this purpose. So our next hope was to get the bill reintroduced quickly in the next session.

Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte did as she promised, reintroducing the same bill quickly in the Assembly. It has already passed through committee and is headed toward a vote.

State Senator Maziarz, however, to our surprise, introduced an entirely different bill. Unlike the U.S. Congress, if two different bills pass in New York State in the Assembly and Senate, there is no joint committee to work out a compromise wording for a second vote. The effort simply fails.

The Sierra Club attorney, Richard Lippes, who is also the attorney for Riverkeeper and for Residents for Responsible Government, has analyzed the bill submitted by Senator Maziarz and has concluded that it is not as strong a bill as the one presented last year. It is much longer and vaguer. Senator Maziarz and his aide, Sue Senecah, say that they are open to amendments to it at this stage. However, we continue to feel that the original bill needs to be presented in the Senate as he promised.

The Niagara Group and the Atlantic Chapter have both called upon the Senator to do so. Riverkeeper is urging him to withdraw his new bill and push again for the original bill.

This effort is important for the whole state, not just for his constituency in western New York. The Great Lakes contain 20% of the liquid fresh water of the globe. It is absurd to allow them to become polluted.

Citizens need to band together and insist that this great asset to our world, our area, and all people is protected.

“Porn” is a Four-Letter Word: End

PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to keep it real, let's just say that this Wednesday entry may include graphic descriptions of sexual acts and links to material that some might find objectionable. Much of the content below offends the heart and mind, and we've included it to do just that. Please proceed with appropriate caution. In other words, you might not want to read this at work (particularly if your boss is a “snooper– ) or at home with your wee ones in the room or at all if you don't want to face the ugly truths about pornography.

* * *

End:

Child pornography is an insult to humanity. It must be stopped. And it's much more pervasive than you might think. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 20% of all Internet pornography involves children. This organization also indicates that the “global sales of illegal pornography that exploits children–including those under 4 years old–are about $3 billion a year.– If that doesn't churn your stomach, we're not sure what will.

Well, maybe this will: according to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, “of the juvenille victims identified in conjuction with pornography crimes, 25% were members of the offender’s family, 59% were teens, 28% were elementary school age, and 13% were preschoolers.– Additionally, “by the end of 2003, the CyberTipline was receiving more than 1,500 reports on child pornography per week.– (Emphasis added.)

Or maybe this info from the NCMEC will do the trick: “according to investigators who handled the cases of estimated arrestees, “most had images of children who had not yet reached puberty. Specifically 83% had images of children between ages 6 and 12; 39% had images of 3 to 5 year old children; and 19% had images of toddlers or infants younger than age 3.–

Need more? Unfortunately, we've got it: “between 1996 and 2004 the total number of child porn cases handled by the FBI's cyber-crime investigators increased 23 fold.– [1]

One of the largest organizations trying to battle the sexual exploitation of children is ECPAT International. According to their website, this stand-up, and unfortunately necessary, organization does the following and more:

We follow what governments are doing, and have done, to combat commercial sexual exploitation of children, and we publish the results. We explore good models for prevention work, and share those models and experiences. We find and develop training modules to help caregivers to do their work better. We develop learning tools for police training curricula. We provide advice and information to groups who are trying to make a national plan for their country, or to implement an existing plan. We carry out research and develop research methodologies. We promote the participation of young people in seeking solutions to the problems and in providing support to victims.

As far as child pornography is concerned, ECPAT “seeks to develop positive cooperative relationships with the ISPs and the software and search engine production industries in order to find answers to the technological problems concerning the transmission of child pornography via computer and the Internet.– But, as they indicate, this battle is an uphill one due to technology changes, definitions of “child,– and legal practices.

What we've learned is that this is an international problem, not just an American one. But all children deserve respect, kindness, and caring, not sexual exploitation and abuse. If there's ever been an organization that needs and deserves your help, it's this one. No child should suffer at the hands of these predators.

You can help. And since you've got more than ventricles and atriums — I'm saying you've got heart, man – “ you will help. Here's how:

• Donate to ECPAT
• Donate to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Report potential child pornography to the CyberTipline
• Host a banner for the CyberTipline on your blog or website (as we do now)

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[1] Paul, Pamela. Pornified: How Pornography is Transforming Our Lives, Our Relationships, and Our Families. 1st ed. New York: Times Books, 2005. p. 190.

Fixing Elections (in a Good Way): Call

Call:

This sucker might come as a shock, but the Constitution does not guarantee American citizens the right to vote.

We'll give you a second to reread that sentence. Okay, now that we've got your attention we'll give you all the support we need to prove it to you. In the Supreme Court decision Bush v. Gore, the Court ruled: “The individual citizen has no federal constitutional right to vote for electors for the President of the United States.– We think, well, we think this is a load of crap, and not cute little rabbit pellets– ¦ no, we're talking a dump truck full of nasty elephant waste.

We'd like you to take five minutes right now, immediately after reading this, and call your Senators (take a peek and make sure your boss ain't lingering around). Just click this sentence to find a list of all the Senators with phone numbers for each. Here's what we'd recommend saying:

• “I'm a voter from [name your state], and I'm outraged that there's no Constitutional Amendment guaranteeing my right to vote. If Senator [last name] wants my vote the next time [he or she] is up for reelection, then [he or she] will introduce or support legislation that would guarantee this basic American right.–

Be sure to thank them for their time.

If such an Amendment existed, folks could sue states for voter fraud, suppression, a lack of equal protection, and faulty machines or a lack of functioning ones. There are 7,800 different election jurisdictions. This adds a lot of variables. If there was a Constitutional Amendment, there could be a universal voting system for all elections. Fairness. That's what we're talking about here. Accountability. Equality. A more perfect union.

To learn more about Progressive Wednesday, just click here, here, or here.

- – – – -

To read our other Wednesdays, click here for Wal-Mart and here for Music.

Fixing Elections (in a Good Way): Write

Write:

Even though we're far, far away from the next national elections, we think it’s more apropos to deal with this topic well before November, which is, of course, National Pomegranate Month.

Okay, here's the main idea of our letter-to-the-editor campaign: Our fellow Americans, Election Day should be a national holiday.

Now, it's hard to argue with a day off (though we're sure the workaholics out there could give it a shot). But we think for the sake of the U.S. of A., voters deserve a greater opportunity to choose what goes down.

Here are some talking points for ya to use and morph and personalize and localize to your heart's content:

• Election Day is an excellent way to emphasize the importance of community.
• As a holiday, we'd be reaffirming the cultural significance of voting.
• Voting was a central catalyst behind the founding of the country.
• Voter turnout in the United State for presidential elections ranks 65th in the world. Democracy deserves better. Common sense dictates that a holiday would raise voter turnout.
• Most workers paid hourly can't afford to take time off work to vote.
• Polls in some states close as early as 7 p.m., further limiting turnout.
• Long lines wouldn't seem as daunting since folks wouldn't need to hustle back to work.
• Election Day is already a holiday in Puerto Rico.

Here's a link to the newspapers throughout the country to help you find the address and specific requirements to the daily “Extra, extra, read all about it!” in your community. You can always check out our How to Read Newspapers tool. Also, you might want to take a gander at our How to Write Letters to the Editor tool, both in brief and in full.

Photo courtesy of this literate picture-clicker.

To learn more about Progressive Wednesday, just click here, here, or here.

- – – – -

To read our other Wednesdays, click here for Wal-Mart and here for Music.