Guest Editorial
BY ROY WARDEN | ARIZONA COMMON SENSE | NOVEMBER 14, 2012
An exercise in aggressive, non-partisan political activism
The time has come to forget partisan politics, stop "talking" and start working for our common interests
In the coming days the winners and losers of the local races will be proclaimed, but when it comes to McSally, Barber, Dupnik or Napier, and issues like Proposition 409, my conclusion is simple: we will never know who really won, and lost, the Election of 2012.
YOU would conclude the same thing if you witnessed what I saw in Pima County Court on November 1, 2012, while most of YOU were still bawling obscenities at Obama, Romney, Barber, McSally, etc., or were otherwise consuming terabytes of blogosphere calling left wingers "traitors" or plotting to "take our country back," etc.
However, the time has come to "listen up."
On November 1, 2012 a "shot heard around Pima County" was fired by a couple of dozen local citizens (mostly Libertarians and well known local "lefties") who gathered in Pima County Superior Court to hear expert testimony and oral argument on a Writ of Mandamus, submitted by former Pima County Prosecutor Bradley Roach, which would have required Pima County Officials to follow state law and instruct each individual precinct to include "tally lists" along with the ballots and the rest of the Official Election Records, thus insuring the sanctity of the election results.
Oh? YOU don't know about "tally lists?" The "Red Star" and the rest of the Pima County Media didn't tell YOU that Pima County elections might be "fixed?"
In Court on November 1, I heard and saw the "how" and the "why."
I heard nationally accredited software experts testify the current Diebold Software used by Pima County to count the vote is subject to "hacking," "vote flipping" and is otherwise fatally flawed.
I watched experts explain that "tally lists" and the hand counting of random samples of the ballots, on a precinct by precinct level, is the only way to safeguard against election fraud.
I saw the look of contempt on the face of the attorney representing Pima County Officials as he vigorously argued state law didn't apply to the "Good 'Ole Boys" who now run Pima County and Tucson City government.
On November 1, 2012, I realized that regarding the Election of 2012, here in Pima County "the fix" might have already been in.
However; for many years now, while some of YOU have been shouting "Let Freedom Ring," or listening to Rush, Sean and Laura bitch about Obama, a handful of "THEM" (OUR neighbors and fellow citizens), have rolled up THEIR sleeves so that someday YOU (and the rest of us) just might have a fair shot come election day.
And now, on the very day that YOU read this, we are all witnessing the predictable fruits of OUR indifference; behind the scenes, the Pima County Election of 2012 is "still up in the air," at least as far as McSally, Barber, Dupnik, Napier, and their supporters are concerned.
And, oh yes, I almost forgot: Proposition 409, a 100 million dollar bond issue on behalf of the same sensational folks who gave us "Rio Nuevo" and hundreds of millions of dollars of missing funds.
On election night Proposition 409 "failed." However, now, hour by hour, inch by inch, (almost by "magic"), 409 pulls itself out of a well deserved grave.
The time has come to Grab Your Wallets Folks, whether you voted for 409, or not.
Regarding Pima County Elections: Is "the fix" really in, as many contend?
Does "WHO" runs for office, and "WHO" votes, really matter when "HOW" the votes are counted is (might be) corrupted?
Frankly, I don't know. But I do know this: while the local citizenry still sleeps, (and that includes YOU, the "Pissed Off" Pima County Republicans), behind the scenes a number of OUR fellow citizens have worked together to stop election fraud.
And that's good for all of us, no matter what color of kool-aid we choose to drink.
On November 1 the shot was fired, the skirmish lost. But the war for clean elections in Pima County will continue.
The question for YOU is: Will YOU be part of the problem or part of the solution?
I've decided to work hand in hand to help out those who have set the stage and begun the fight.
And I suggest a few of the rest of you do the same.
The time has come for We the People of Pima County to stop dividing ourselves on the basis of local partisan politics, to stop pontificating, stop regurgitating propaganda, stop complaining about corruption in Washington while corruption exists here, stop hating all things left of center.
Put down your Manifestos and Muskets; take off your three corner hats. Oh, yes. And take the time to read this article about election fraud, national and local.
When the announcement is made, come to a few meetings, a few court hearings, shake hands with some of your fellow citizens, so you too can bear witness, help shine the harsh light of public scrutiny on election fraud and local corruption, right wing and left, so that a government of, by and for the people does not perish from this earth.
