More important than quizzes or year-end "best of" lists...

On January 6th, the ratification of the results of the 2004 election will come up in a joint session of the House and the Senate. Barbara Boxer was one of the 100 Senators who did not stand with the House Black Political Caucus in their ultimately futile quest to question the 2000 election.

I emailed Sen. Boxer through her website. This is what I sent. Senator Boxer is one of my two Senators, and I voted for her in 2004.

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In 2001, no senator stood with the Black Political Caucus to ask for an investigation of the potential malfeasance in Election 2000. The footage of this debacle in "Fahrenheit 9/11" was poignant and disturbing.

There is even more evidence than that which was present in 2000 that the 2004 election was "dirty." The systematic intimidation and disenfranchisement of Black, Brown and other Minority citizens from placing their vote has been seen all over the Red States. The use of "black box voting machines" in both Red and Blue States means that there is no audit trail to confirm that the will of the people has truly been heard.

We criticized, with righteous indignation, the manipulation and intimidation that supporters of Ukraine Prime Minister Kuchma and his hand-picked successor Yanukovich used to steal the Ukraine election from the obvious people's choice candidate Yushchenko. That dark incident has a happy ending, as Yanukovich has stepped down (albeit without admitting defeat) to allow Yuschenko to ascend to the post of Prime Minister.

Yet in the face of the very strange statistical anomalies that suggest something might have gone horribly wrong with the Election, the Bush Administration is preparing for a $40 Million coronation...er, inauguration...$5 Million more than what the US has pledged so far to relief for the countries affected by the 12/26 Tsunami.

On January 6th, I implore you...please stand up with the disenfranchised and sign the challenge to the election results. George W. Bush has already shown that he is more than ready and willing to appoint horrifyingly bad judges to the Federal Courts, and also that he cannot be trusted appointing Supreme Court Justices. The Right To Choose and the right to personal conscience regarding religion or lack thereof is threatened. And there is ample evidence that the voice of the people was not heard on November 2nd.

Please...I voted for you, in spite of disagreements with your position on Intellectual Property, Patents, and Copyrights. I knew that every Democrat in the House and Senate counts, and voted a straight Democratic ticket. Please at least give a chance to those who would investigate the irregularities of Election 2004.

The margin of victory for Bush this time was well within the statistical margin of error. There is something fishy going on. Please. Raise your voice.

Thank you very much,
S. Michelle Klein-Hass