Letter: Voter "depression"

I voted Tuesday. I voted a mixed ballot. I voted for the local people who I felt were good people to hold office. After I slipped my ballot into the electronic counter and got my "I voted" sticker I realized I was depressed. But why? In grade school during the fifties we practiced voting on the same machines as those of our parents. Just as many Americans who now hold power also practiced voting in schools. We all learned what it meant to be an "American." Voting was a most important "right and duty." The right to vote was "sacred."

I feel good about voting procedures in my town, but what about other places like Ohio where they are trying to suppress the vote? There, the Republican Election Commissioner changed the pre-election voting in the predominately African American communities from four days to one day for four hours. He stated publicly that he wanted the Republicans to win there! Has he forgotten what he learned in grade school? Has he forgotten the right to vote is "sacred?" While waiting in that Ohio voting line with what was reported a thousand other people, one African American who was interviewed said, "That is just the way it is." He waited and waited but he voted! This is just one example of how the American voter’s vote has been marginalized. This has happened not just in Ohio but places like Pennsylvania and Florida.

Another example of how our vote has been compromised has to do with computer voting machines, which many other countries have junked. They have gone back to paper ballots because they want fair and accurate accounting of the votes. It has been shown in the last three elections -- not just in Ohio but other states as well -- that voting totals have been changed to favor the Republican candidates. The main operative behind this has been Karl Rove. Who is Karl Rove? He is the fellow who orchestrated the George Bush elections and now his millionaire buddies are loading his super pac. Some think that he now has more political power at the national level than the Republican Party itself.

Why doesn’t Karl Rove remember what he learned about voting in his school class? Why doesn’t he defend the importance of every American’s right to vote instead of promoting what I suspect is really national Republican election fraud? Why does the Republican Party do so much to openly discourage Americans from their "sacred" right? Why hasn’t the FBI investigated? Have the rich elites so controlled the national scene that the FBI is not allowed to work toward returning this country to fair and honest elections? Where is the National Democratic Party on this question? Why are so many Americans complicit with this issue instead of demonstrating in the streets to make all votes count? Many feel that the election turned out well but how was the vote counted?

Allan Baker
Houghton

State House candidate Scott Dianda calls for House Speaker’s resignation

CALUMET -- State House candidate Scott Dianda today demanded the resignation of House Speaker Jase Bolger (R-Marshall) and state Rep. Roy Schmidt (R-Grand Rapids) for their role in election fraud and called on state Rep. Matt Huuki (R-Atlantic Mine) to join him.

"Lawmakers should be focused on job creation and turning Michigan’s economy around, but Lansing politicians are distracted by rigging the election odds in their favor," said Dianda, who is running against Huuki for the state House. "Speaker Bolger and Rep. Schmidt were reckless in conspiring to commit election fraud and Matt Huuki should stand up for the voters and demand their immediate resignations."

On Tuesday, multiple media outlets reported that Bolger collaborated with Schmidt, a former Democrat, to change Schmidt’s party registration just minutes before the filing deadline. Schmidt also bribed his nephew’s friend to run as a factious Democrat making Schmidt’s chances at reelection much stronger.

Republican Kent County Prosecutor Bill Forsyth issued a report Tuesday confirming that Bolger and Schmidt traded numerous text messages and phone calls about their plot.

Dianda said in addition to Bolger’s resignation, the House should immediately launch an independent investigation and pass legislation to stop this type of election fraud from reoccurring.

"Voters in the Upper Peninsula deserve a government that works for them, not for the politicians," Dianda said. "I’m asking Matt Huuki to do what’s right and stand up to this type of corruption. We have to stop undermining the people of this state."

Dianda said that he would stand up to corruption in Lansing, regardless of party lines and focus on issues that concern voters across the Upper Peninsula such as the economy, education, and senior pensions.