This from Ralph Nader to the NH Sec'y of State on Nov 5:
"We have received reports of irregularities in the vote reported on the AccuVote Diebold Machines in comparison to exit polls and trends in voting in New Hampshire. These irregularities favor President George W. Bush by 5% to 15% over what was expected. Problems in these electronic voting machines and optical scanners are being reported in machines in a variety of states."
Dear Ralph,
Please do for voting procedures in America what you did for automotive safety. We need a foolproof voting system, or as close to it as we can get given current technology. We don't need another study, and we don't need to know if people will support the idea. We just need to get it done ... quickly ... and you're the guy to do it. If not, the conspiracy-minded bloggers with their tinfoil hats will never get off their collective rant. We need help, man.
If (and that's a big caveat) you succeed in demonstrating widespread voter disenfranchisement (fraud, manipulation, whatever) in New Hampshire, you will get a lot of support nationwide. Need money? Just ask. Tell us all what you're going to do, how much it will cost, and Americans will support your efforts, regardless of political affiliation.
Okay, we forgive you for being such a jerk in the last two elections. We admit to having Nader dartboards (and worse), and apologize for marginalizing what is left of your career. But hey, you did screw up the first election in 2000, and you had a chance to screw up the second in 2004 (but we wouldn't let you for your own good). So, let bygones be bygones?
There's just no one else who could do this like you could. So, if you pull off NH, you've got a job waiting for you in the rest of the country.
Thanks.