American Views Abroad

 
A year ago The Rev. DeForest Soaries, a Republican who served as the first chair of the federal Election Assistance Commission set up in the wake of the Florida fiasco of 2000, quit in disgust. The alleged purpose of this commission was to oversee ongoing reform of American voting laws, practices and technology. Soaries gave on interview in Rolling Stone Magazine in June 2006 which can be read at www.rollingstone.com/nationalaffairs/?p=176.

Rolling Stone asked what led him to resign. His answer:

It was probably the worst experience of my life. I found that there is very little interest in Washington for true election reform. That neither the White House nor either house of the Congress seems to be as committed to guaranteeing democratic participation in this country as we seem to be in other countries. It's an embarrassment that we don't have a broad enough consensus among political leaders that true reform should take place. I could count the members of Congress on one hand that took these issues seriously.

This interview is short but very much to the point. The comments following are also worth reading. Perhaps more citizens should write their Members of Congress/Senate and ask them what they are doing about this as soon as possible.
- posted by Gloria @ 6:43 PM