Monday June 6, 2005
iVotronic Disenfranchisement Machines
Anybody who knows anything about computers knew that computerized voting machines were a bad idea, even before the systems Florida is using started to show their numerous problems. Ridiculously expensive, difficult to use, and inacurate (choice detail: the machines take so long to boot up that voting officials have been turning them on the evening before elections, then guarding them overnight).
There have been reports of the machines loosing votes, and at least one instance of vote manufacturing. And even with all that money already spent, future elections using the contraptions will cost $4 million each (punch-ballot elections used to cost $1 million). What with all of that, it’s no surprise that ditching them is starting to sound like a viable option. What’s so great about this is that, for example, Brazil has had a reliable, high-tech system in place for years.
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Absolutely get rid of the voting machines.
And then get rid of voting in elections.
As HL Mencken pointed out years ago,
a random selection of citizens pressed into service
for a term of 2 to 4 years
couldn’t do any worse or cause more harm
than the pack of hinds who regularly attain elected office.
Looking around Miami, this insight is prescient,
and remains an accurate assessment.
electronic information is to easy to change,,, voting may be the only thing electricty should be left out of.