Under the radar: the real threat to our democracy

Written by: nancy tobi on Oct 26, 2005 6:47 PM EDT

It's time to rethink what a lot of grassroots activists are asking for: federal oversight of our election systems. Many Dems and election protection activists believe that giving the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) rulemaking authority is a good thing. The EAC could then tell control federal elections in every state in the nation. Grassroots activists are supporting federal legislation requiring standardization of good things like paper trails (although not paper ballots - and there IS a difference).

But the constitution gives states rights over election systems, and there is a reason for that. Federalization of our election systems is a slippery slope - the standards we get may not be the standards we want.

The people deciding those standards could be four hand-picked, partisan, presidential appointees installed during a recess appointment with no congressional oversight (remember John Bolton?).

The move to federalize our election systems may well be the biggest threat facing our democracy. I invite you to read about this in the document found here:

http://www.democracyfornewhampshire.com/node/view/1745

Focus on the last section about the EAC. Then join me and New Hampshire's Sec of State Bill Gardner in an upcoming conference call to discuss this issue. Within the next few days I'll be making available an executive summary pertaining JUST to the matter of the EAC.

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