“The doc is engrossing,
even enraging…he [Ennis] has a lot to say”
“What Real Investigative
Reporting Looks Like In
The 21st Century.”
“Goddamn Brilliant...
The Best Election Movie”
DOES MY VOTE COUNT? WHAT’S THE POINT?
After I learned about “Caging,” wherein G.O.P. operatives go through voting rolls and county address books in hopes to challenge each voter through certified mail being returned, I realized I had found the most mundane, insufferable job I had ever heard of. Whichever sore sport is dedicatedly sending letters to strangers, praying that it gets sent back in a week or two, they are probably being paid well to illegally challenge voters and keep quiet about it.
So: If your vote did not count or have any point, would the G.O.P. really be hiring highly partisan bureaucrats to systematically go through the phone book and methodically cross names out? Holy cripes! Your vote must count for A LOT more than we should have reason to expect, quite honestly.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON ELECTION DAY?
While I have spent time (and money) on the phone with the Psychic Friends Network, the unfortunate truth is, nobody anywhere can predict what will happen on Election Day. Not Karl Rove, not Frank Luntz, not Wonkette — NOBODY.
Election Day — particularly amidst the battle between election subversion and election protection — is 100% up for grabs. No doubt, people have schemes, projections, or plans to get out the vote. Bit the number of variables at play? It defies comprehension.
Take nothing for granted. Accept no preconceptions.
BUT SERIOUSY, OBAMA IS, LIKE, SO FAR AHEAD IN THE POLLS!
First off, that is not a question.
Second, we have seen more than once before where a candidate is widely reported to be significantly ahead in multiple polls, then when they unexpectedly lose, the media quickly jumps onto the first available excuse floated by the Underdog’s campaign spokesman. “The Evangelicals came out from NOWEHERE!” “She CRIED, who wouldn’t vote for that??” “People are just more racist and say they’ll vote for one guy then vote for someone else.”
A landslide can significantly defy efforts to defraud the totals. But getting that landslide counted has its own challenges, The decisive states in this election — Colorado, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia, Ohio, Florida — they’ve all had significant acts by partisan state officials to knock voters off the rolls, legislate voter obstacles, or create confusion among the voters.
Despite this, Obama has several routes to earn the electoral votes he needs to win. But each state represents its own briar patch of legalese, popular opinion versus state administrators, and overblown media horseracing. So for this Obama guy to win securely, without legal dispute and partisan judicial opportunism, it really comes down to winning SEVERAL landslides.
IS THIS SOME PARTISAN PROPAGANDA FILM?
This film is as partisan as a referee calling a foul when that ref sees it on the field.
FREE FOR ALL! details the facts of the Republican Party’s numerous efforts to knock voters off the rolls and maintain a partisan advantage in election administration. This film does not discuss ideology, This film does not examine party platforms or candidate’s records. This film does not care about how you vote, while it cares tremendously that you DO vote and that your vote be counted. These are just the facts.
This film was not made to support the Democratic Party. The filmmaker could just as well (and in fact will) make a whole other film about the myriad of messed-up aspects of the Democratic Party.
This film does not uphold the Democratic Party as immune or above voter disenfranchisement. If anything, the Democratic Party is viewed by the filmmaker as a co-dependent spouse in the two party system, excusing the abuse by the other party, readily justifying their own losses, and preventing outside questions about how the voters’ will goes un-reflected in their representation.
The fact is, in the sport of suppressing votes and swinging elections, the Republican Party are the all-stars, and the Democrats don’t even realize that there IS a sport, let alone show up for it.
WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BE ON JON STEWART?
No joke, this is one of the most frequently asked questions I get. I love that it is not “WILL you EVER be on some form of credible mainstream media like “The Daily Show,’” but rather, “WHEN”?
Thank you, those people who assume and ask, like they’re about to race home to set their TiVo’s.
I should take this as a compliment — I appear to be in the same category of comical political relevance. But unfortunately, the thing is, regardless of how en vogue the issue of election theft becomes in October and November of 2008, there are additional hurdles for me to overcome in the whole “Entertainment Industry” thing, which are difficult to expedite.
WHY HAVEN’T YOU THOUGHT OF (INSERT IDEA HERE)_AS A NEW, BETTER VOTING SYSTEM?
(I try to ignore the “you” part of the question like this was my responsibility in the first place.)
It is natural to want to offer the most useful help when someone sees a problem. After some screenings, the Q&A becomes a competition for the most fool-proof voting technology conceived of on the spot. While I greatly encourage citizens everywhere to return to the most primitive basics in getting their votes counted (i.e., paper ballots), the real obstacle in counting votes fairly and accurately is not in the jerry-rigged method your district probably has. It’s the fact the voting has been largely privatized in the U.S.A., with no oversight. It is the fairness that some elected officials fail to impose.
The Help America Vote Act, drafted by convicted drunken felon Bob Ney, called for costly electronic voting machines made by brazenly Republican companies. That’s the problem with our voting systems. Not because someone didn’t think of ways to double check paper ballots before, but because corrupt legislation requires overpriced unreliable machines.
