I Know What You're Thinking

So, you're probably saying to yourself, "Why should I invest time and energy into this whole voter fraud issue? Didn't we go down this same path in 2000? Remember when we all were filled with hope when the Florida State Supreme Court rightly decided that the votes should be recounted only to feel like we were being kicked in the stomach when James Baker took the case to his friends in the United States Supreme Court? Or how about how we all felt when the nation and the world had a real chance to become united after 9/11 only to have The Big Turd Sandwich once again kick us in the stomach by arrogantly squandering all of that goodwill? Then there was the elation we felt when we marched (or in the case of New York, huddled in penned-off areas) in solidarity with millions of people across the globe to protest an unjust war. Didn't it seem that, together, people could accomplish anything? And didn't it feel like a huge, swift kick in the stomach when The War President decided to get on TV and tell Saddam that his time was up? Why on earth should I go through all of this emotional turmoil again for what seems at best a long shot? I don't think my stomach could take anymore."

Well, here's why: Our world is all about long shots. From David beating Goliath to the Colonies defeating the Brits to The Big Turd Sandwich with the C-average becoming P-resident, not once but twice. Hell, didn't any of you people see "Seabiscuit"?!?!?

I don't think fighting voter fraud is a petty waste of time. I do agree with Atrios that

"...irregularities and questionable results are not necessarily "proof" of "fraud" and "proof" that the "election was stolen. " If people want this issue to be taken seriously they need to stop thinking that any of the information floating around right now - and yes, I've seen it all multiple times - provides proof of any such thing. Yes, legitimate questions have been raised, but I fear people on "our side" have started to confuse the legitimate questions with the answers to those questions they've imagined. I'm fully ready to believe that everything was corrupt in Florida, Ohio, and elsewhere, but thinking and knowing are different things entirely."

But Atrios and others seem to be throwing in the towel because, to quote This Modern World:

"The 'stolen election' argument was a loser in 2000 when the election pretty clearly was stolen. Without a smoking gun, preferably with Karl Rove's fingerprints on it, I just don't think it's going anywhere this year."

Well then, shouldn't we be putting all of our resources and efforts into finding that smoking gun? We only need one (and I suspect that there's more than one out there).

Fighting this election is about the future of our democracy. If we let the Roves and the Diebolds and the Peter Kings ("It's already over. The election's over. We won...It's all over but the counting. And we'll take care of the counting") manipulate the fate of this country then The Dream Is Over.

Don't give up the fight...