Wednesday, November 17, 2004
More On The Election
To piggyback off of Tom's post here, I have two links to offer to this discussion.
The first is a discussion in The Nation by James K. Galbraith, not to be confused with his father Kenneth J. Galbraith, since both are distinguished humanist economists who write uncommonly well.
Please note in reading the piece that Galbraith closed up shop, he teaches in Texas and writes for Salon and other publications, to go himself to do grassroots GOTV work in Ohio. He is doubtful that Kerry was robbed, and carefully and respectfully explains why. He doesn't doubt that the way we conduct elections is a national shame. His answer, voting by mail, is one I question, primarily because my earliest awareness of what I have always concieved of as our national civic religion, came from accompanying my parents to the neighborhood polling place, run by lovely women we all knew; walking into a voting booth and the act of voting retains its thrilling power for me. But perhaps Prof. Galbraith is right, and modern technology has moved us beyond the point where it makes sense for voting to remain a public experience. You can find the article here.
My second link is to a DU forum that exhibits a post from Bev Harris herself, providing an update straight from Volusia County, plus a discussion thereof. As you all may know, DU links sometimes disappear; be assured this is a working link as I post it now.
The first is a discussion in The Nation by James K. Galbraith, not to be confused with his father Kenneth J. Galbraith, since both are distinguished humanist economists who write uncommonly well.
Please note in reading the piece that Galbraith closed up shop, he teaches in Texas and writes for Salon and other publications, to go himself to do grassroots GOTV work in Ohio. He is doubtful that Kerry was robbed, and carefully and respectfully explains why. He doesn't doubt that the way we conduct elections is a national shame. His answer, voting by mail, is one I question, primarily because my earliest awareness of what I have always concieved of as our national civic religion, came from accompanying my parents to the neighborhood polling place, run by lovely women we all knew; walking into a voting booth and the act of voting retains its thrilling power for me. But perhaps Prof. Galbraith is right, and modern technology has moved us beyond the point where it makes sense for voting to remain a public experience. You can find the article here.
My second link is to a DU forum that exhibits a post from Bev Harris herself, providing an update straight from Volusia County, plus a discussion thereof. As you all may know, DU links sometimes disappear; be assured this is a working link as I post it now.
