Chads aren't the worst of it.

We have been told, time and again, to be confident in the results from computerized voting. We are told this despite worrying memos, despite reports of problems, despite the strong political statements of the CEOs of the companies making the machines. Now we learn of multiple errors in the logs for machines in Flordia. "The internal logs of at least 40 Sequoia touch-screen voting machines reveal that votes were time and date-stamped as cast two weeks before the election, sometimes in the middle of the night." Time to make sure there's no mistakes in our own records. Hanging chads aren't the worst problem you can have.

Dubai Ports - Your Two Cents?

The decision to outsource the operations of six major American ports to a company in the United Arab Emirates has created a storm of media coverage and made unlikely bedfellows of Democrats and Republicans alike. The issue is complex with implications much deeper than the tacit sound bites and shallow reporting of the major news outlets. Should we allow a company based in the UAE to provide sensitive services? Should we allow any Arab country to provide these types of services? Should we allow any foreign country at all?

Does the backlash on this decision come from genuine concern or has racial profiling corrupted earnest dialog? Can we ask for trust from our allies, while not showing trust in return? In a world economy how do we control who we do business with, as companies are bought and sold among multinationals? Is the Dubai Ports backlash more about the secrecy in which the Bush administration makes decisions, and less about the decision itself?

Now is your chance to give us your feelings on the matter. Click the comments link below let us know what you think.

The Poverty Debate

The NYT is reporting on a debate about poverty ignited by a Census report. But the author of the article - and the people they got comments from - totally missed the big point. There are fewer people living in poverty when you count food stamps and other government benefits. Um, isn't that the POINT of those benefits? To lift people OUT of poverty? Therefore, this study shows the SUCCESS of government programs in lifting people above the poverty line. So let's run through the conservative crowing and turn it into real thoughts.

• They assert that there aren't as many people under the poverty line because of government assistance.
• Therefore, they say, poverty isn't as bad as reported.
• So next, we should reduce the amount of assistance.

Which just goes to show how stupid these ideologues are. That assistance is exactly WHY these people aren't under the poverty line. Reduce it at all, and you automatically get more people under the poverty line. Stupid, stupid, stupid doublethink.

Religion and Politics in Ohio

With the establishment of faith-based initiatives by President Bush in the weeks after his first term victory, the line between church and state has become increasingly blurred. In Ohio, several evangelical groups are blurring this seperation even further by seemingly backing specific candidates for office. Rod Parsley, the pastor of the 12,000 member Harvest Ministries in Columbus, has become the focal point of this developing controversy. Among the goals set by Parsley and his associates are to register 400,000 voters and to enlist the help of 2000 “patriot pastors” to “shine the light for godly candidates”. With this unprecedented involvement in politics, other religious organizations are questioning the motivations of Parsley and have now filed complaint with the IRS on the tax-exempt status of his organization. NPR has several excellent audio newscasts on this subject available here and here.