__/ [ Marshall ] on Wednesday 11 October 2006 11:57 \__
> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>> The case against voting machines
>>
>
> <snip>
>
> I didn't read anything yet. Just the title is enough to get me boiling
> as I have had exposure to this topic prior.
>
> I've said it before and I'll say it again up front. I am PRO capitalism.
> I do NOT have a problem with companies making money. None what-so-ever
> as long as it is done in a legal and responsible fashion.
>
> This however is an area where there are numerous issues that far exceed
> the interests of private business.
>
> First and foremost. There are very few issues that reside at the core of
> our civilization. Those in no particular order are; freedom/s, order,
> personal and public safety, cohesive family structure, working public
> infrastructure, sovereign integrity and an absolute faith that a in a
> democratic republic the voting process is beyond corruption and risk.
>
> Let me make this very clear.
>
> When a people lose faith/trust in the system that tally's their votes,
> that threatens the core of our society. It fractures our foundations. it
> eats at our hearts, it makes people lose faith that our government is BY
> and FOR the people.
>
> I am not afraid of computers. I am afraid of people. To keep people
> honest we absolutely must be able to see every single part of how an
> electronic tabulation system works to keep public faith and trust. It is
> simple as that.
>
> Until that is done I would have no problem with people taking up their
> keyboards, pens, letters, emails, protest signs, voices and arms to
> ensure that this is still a government BY and FOR the people. The issue
> is that serious IMNSHO.
I fully agree. In principle, at least going by my perception/belief, no
company should benefit from the very foundations of a state. The taxpayer
should not satisfy hunger of a businessman for wealth either.
Bear in mind--whatever motivated you to openly rant in this fashion--that
Linux embodies the rationale that software should not have ownership or
control. At the very least, ownership and control should be transferrable,
e.g. to the government. Linux adoption will not benefit anyone (not directly
anyway) but its users. My contributions to COLA, moreso, are voluntarily.
Like you, I am fed up seeing how handshakes behind the scenes lead to
politicians and businessmen benefiting one another through contracts and
favours (nepotism, favouritism, etc), all concealed using shiny pamphlets
and a state of extreme secrecy. Google and Microsoft are a perfect example
of this. some employers has begun loathing Google for its no-longer-hidden
lobbying, as well as spontaneous flirting with employees. When companies get
political they affect politics and become self-centric (the shareholders
could not care less about ethics, being a secondary 'nice-to-have').
Best wishes,
Roy
--
Roy S. Schestowitz | "Disk quota exceeded; sig discontinued"
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