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Hernando Today

Your Vote Counts Because Of Democrats In Tallahassee

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By FRANCES EARL

Call to Patriots

Published: June 4, 2008

Saturday is my day to shop for food and other household supplies. So off I went this past Saturday for an hour at my favorite supermarket. I walked up and down every aisle, stocking my shopping cart and crossing items off my list as well as picking up others I spotted on the shelf, but had omitted when listing items at home.
Finally, I found myself on the check-out line, placing all my purchases on the moving counter to be totaled. Ran my debit card, entered my pin number and waited for that long, white receipt to appear. I was informed of my total cost; however, no receipt was forthcoming.
Confused, I asked why I was not being given a receipt, which traditionally lists each item, its price and quantities purchased. The answer from the clerk was that this store was no longer providing any such receipt and that I would only be told what my total charges were. When I explained that I used the receipt to determine that no item had been overcharged or, perhaps, charged more than once, I was told that I could trust them not to make such errors and they would no longer be providing the usual tape.
I accepted their word that no mistakes had been made, took my groceries and went home.
Gotcha!
Who, in their right mind, would comply with such a practice? If this had really happened, I would have left my groceries behind and gone to another store. What reason could there possibly be for any store to decide to stop giving a customer a printed receipt that could be checked for errors? Could that indicate an attempt to deceive the purchaser of the goods?
Then why would voters not want to have a verifiable record of whom they had just voted for?
Certainly a vote cast for any official, someone who would be governing the affairs of the country that could determine your quality of life and that of your family, should have even more importance than a cash register receipt at the supermarket! And yet, we have lived through election after election where the results have been questioned and the only way to recount has been to ask the same machine whose tally you are questioning to please do a recount, knowing the result will be the same.
For all who have been blaming Howard Dean of the Democratic National Committee and the candidates who agreed not to campaign in Florida, for the change of our primary date, resulting in some loss of our delegate representation at the upcoming conventions, both Democratic and Republican, you have been pointing the finger at the wrong people.
First, the rules for setting primary dates are in the rule book, clearly defined and, if you believe your political party should be above reproach, then they must follow the rules. The truth of why this whole debacle came about is that the Florida Legislature, led by a strong Republican majority, was faced with a gnarly decision. The bill in question (CS-HB537-passed 5/3/07), which would mandate a "paper trail" (verified ballot) had a change of primary date added by the Republicans.
First, since the Republicans have a clear majority, the bill would have passed anyway; however, the Democrats (with small exception) voted for the passage in order to guarantee we, in Florida, would now be able to do a manual recount should any questions arise, such as a clear difference from exit polls and the totals produced. The mistake made was that the Florida Democratic Party leadership did not immediately put out a press release to let the voters in this state know what had transpired and who was responsible for it.
So, if you are pointing a finger, it goes to the Republicans in the Florida Legislature, folks! I might suggest you write some letters, make some phone calls and ask them why they tried to deny you a verifiable record of your votes. A decision has now been made to seat the entire Democratic delegation, with a half-vote for each, which is, I believe, a more than reasonable penalty, although what choice did the Democrats in the Legislature really have will remain a thorn in our side.
Please remember as you make your choices in the election in November which political party is responsible for your being able to have proof that your vote was counted fairly and accurately. Without that accountability, we have surrendered our great democracy.

Frances Earl, a former vice chairwoman of the Hernando County Democratic Central Committee, can be contacted at fearl@tampabay.rr.com.

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