There’s a lot of tension and anxiety about what could happen in the coming days, including the possibility of serious civil unrest of a type…
Tag: Elections
Jill Stein’s Recount Uncovers ‘Economic Extortion’ & Broken Voting Tech
Posted in Archive, Journalism, and MintPress News
Despite numerous obstacles ranging from the financial to the political, Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein is pushing forward with a controversial recount campaign.
“This is not what democracy looks like,” Stein told MintPress News on Thursday.
“Democracy should be all about transparency and accountability and voter participation. What we see in the recount is exactly the opposite.”
Beginning late last month, Stein agreed to spearhead recount efforts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, citing irregularities in exit polls in these “swing states” and the persistent — though still unproven — claims that Russians tampered with the election.
A crowdfunding campaign has netted $7.3 million so far, but the campaign is requesting $9.5 million to cover the costs of forcing a recount in each state. Stein called these high fees a form of “economic extortion” that prevents citizens from easily auditing elections.
See You In Philly: Kit Will Report Live From DNC 2016 Protests
Posted in Journalism, Life, and MintPress News
While delegates rally and Hillary Clinton turns on the charm at the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, the streets will be full of activists demanding justice.
MintPress News reporter Kit O’Connell will be there as supporters of Green Party candidate Jill Stein demand that she have access to the voting ballots and the debates. He’ll be at a march to end the war on cannabis users and growers. And he’ll talk to other activists representing diverse causes as they protest, march and rally outside the Wells Fargo Center from July 25 to 28.
What the US Can Learn From Canada’s Experiment With Electoral Reform
Posted in Journalism, and Truthout
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was elected, in part, on a promise to change how the next government gets elected.
Although Canada’s electoral reform is very much a work in progress, activists and politicians alike are working to eliminate a majority-rule system in favor of a different, still-to-be-determined, but hopefully more representational form of voting.
“We want proportional representation,” said Kelly Carmichael, executive director of Fair Vote Canada, in an interview with Truthout, referring to one type of alternate voting system being considered.
“We never want to be stuck in a situation again where one person can take over the governance of our country,” she added, referring to Stephen Harper, Trudeau’s predecessor.
Although the US and Canada use very different systems, we can learn a great deal from this historic moment, particularly at a time when US voter turnout is plummeting and dissatisfaction with the available choices on the ballot is on the rise.