Update [2004-11-7 4:24:15 by understandinglife]:
I have posted a comment on Kos' "56 million" main page post and have requested he consider supporting a rigorous debate and determination of the value of sponsoring the organized effort this Diary proposes.
I've decided that perhaps what is needed is a 'manifesto,' a 'declaration of purpose,' 'mission statement,' whatever.
So, I've taken a first step in drafting a simple statement for the purpose of declaring the following:
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No one has been elected and no one will be elected, until we the People of the United States of America, are provided universal access to the same ballot format, until each eligible adult has had the opportunity to register and vote, until each ballot has been recorded and every ballot stored by the Library of Congress.
This is our demand. We pledge to each other that until these measures are adopted we, the Citizens of the United States, do not recognize any form of National Election as valid.
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I would like to see the dKos community issue a call to the citizens of America to come to either their State Capital or the Mall in DC on 12 Nov. I would like to see not just the 55+million who voted for Kerry, but all those who voted for Bush and all those eligible to vote to face, on that day, the pivotal decision of their life and the future of this Nation.
I would like them to answer the question: Are we a Democracy? And, if the majority agree that we are indeed a Democracy, then I want the to pledge to each other that we will not recognize anyone as elected until we can all participate in a fair, valid election.
If so, then I would like for them to demand fair, equivalent access to a ballot, to the unambiguous recording of each ballot and to the preservation of all ballots so that future generations, if ever tempted to mess with the franchise, have a repository of what those of us who honor the brave patriots of the past 228 years did on 12 Dec 2004 -- we stood together, all Americans, and we made certain we are all truly equal in the most crucial, most fundamental act that binds us, our respect for each other's ability to make an equal, unambiguous and verifiable choice of those who we elect.
Summary of Prior Activity on this endeavor
On Fri Nov 5th I posted two diaries:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/5/175321/453
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/5/12227/0995
The content of those two diaries is summarized here:
"The moment that matters in 2006 and beyond, is NOW.
We, as a community of All American [progressive] Citizens committed to the core value of Democracy -- one citizen, one vote, recorded accurately -- are committed to organizing a vast campaign to expose disenfranchisement, of all forms, NOW.
We call upon all citizens of the USA to join, NOW."
As of ~ 1045 PST, today, 6 Nov 2004, more than 160 "Kossacks" responded positively to the poll; none, negatively. And, more than 40 Kossacks recommended one or both diaries.
After posting the first diary I have decided, based on suggestions received, that the Petition should be inclusive of All Americans as the call to action is focused on the core principle of democracy -- each adult citizen deserves equal access to vote and to have their vote counted accurately.
As the day passed, I realized something more specific was needed to serve as the focus of an effort.
It was clear the petitions resonated with Kossacks even with the fact that both diaries scrolled quickly off the main page. So, last evening I began posting a draft Declaration [title and contents now open to wide discussion, modification and, if enough of you agree, launch to the every vehicle available to bring it to the attention of our fellow citizens] because I would have violated the dKos community rule to not post more than 2 diaries in 24 hours.
My expectations and commitments to all of you regarding this endeavor:
- This is a non-partisan Declaration
- I have no pride of authorship and would hope for extensive editing by members of the dKos Community.
- Any of you are free to send it to whomever you think could either add valuable comments or begin supporting it.
- However, I think the strongest message would be for all on dKos to edit, we agree to a final version, we sign it and then submit to everyone from Jon Stewart, Oprah and Randi Rhodes to Sen Byrd, Elizabeth Edwards, President Bush and Senator Kerry, all media outlets, all Congressional members [Federal and State], everyone.
- The power of our 1776 Declaration of Independence, as you all know, was amplified considerably because it was conveyed to those seeking independence by multiple sigantories representing multiple views but a common goal, same applies here.
- I am not a politician and have no intention of becoming one. I also have no intention of being 'the person' identified wiht this -- it will only stick if all of you and as many of our fellow citizens represent this Declaration as THEIRS.
- We need to bring this to everyone in America, through all forms of media, as early next week as possible, to begin to build the local infrastructure to support a massive ratification of the Declaration -- that ratification should occur on 12 Dec 2004 and be delivered to Congress on the 13th of December 2004 as a unified demand to establish an unambiguous, verifiable basis for a fair National Election.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope it will be sufficiently well recommended that it can persist on the main page and enable the widest participation of the dKos community in determining if this is an action that should be taken.