[ale] OT: Free Showing of "Invisible Ballots", Thursday, 3/16, 7:00pm, UUCA

[Jim Popovitch]

Charles Shapiro wrote:
> Jim, I honestly doubt that your first sentence is correct. The 
> financial industry has had almost a generation's experience with 
> electronic transactions, and yet every bank I know of still wants all
>  activity tied ultimately to physical pieces of paper.

I don't know about that Charles.  With 2 exceptions, I haven't written
a paper check in 2 years, and I get zero paper (sans a few adverts) from
my bank.  If I could get Kroger and all other Visa transactions to NOT
issue paper receipts I would be quite happy.  Btw, why is it that CVS 
can keep my insurance information on file and online even, but force me 
to walk out the store with a wad of paperwork and receipts?  Why do all 
my Doctors (medical/dental/eye) have me fill out the near-same stack of 
paperwork every other year?  Why can't I just give them my info 
electronically?

> We agree that 'The problem with today's electronic voting is that it
> just isn't mature enough". We disagree only on whether it will ever
> be mature enough.
> 
> That said, I don't necessarily object to computers and electronics in
> certain election roles. I'm happy to have my paper ballot 
> machine-counted, as long as it exists and can be re-counted on 
> different machines.  But surely my vote is as sacred as my money?

Frankly, with the way money is thrown around *before* actual votes (in
the form of "walking money", bribes, kick-backs, van drivers, etc) I
think your vote is about as sacred as a cow (an American cow that is).
In my opinion Electronic voting is the only hope to bring integrity into
the American voting system.  And yes, I want fingerprints and/or RFID'ed
state-issued licenses incorporated into the process too!  To heck with
personal privacy concerns, lets get at least one 100% accurate vote in
this country, we are a 230 years old after all.

-Jim P.