[ale] voting machines

[tfreeman at intel.digichem.net]

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004, Irv Mullins wrote:

> On Sunday 13 June 2004 01:05 pm, Jim Philips wrote:
> 
> > There was some complaining in the press about geeks who raised the flags on
> > electronic voting. The line was something like this:
> >
> > "First these guys tell us computers are great, then they want to start
> > complaining when we use them for elections."
> >
> > There seemed to be little understanding of the fact that often experienced
> > computer professionals are the ones with the best understanding of the
> > limits of the technology.
> 
> I have to believe the understanding is there - after all, 
> if large numbers of mechanics declared that this year's 
> Ford/Chevy/whatever auto was a POS, most people 
> would believe them, and avoid buying that car.
> And the media would report it even if it might mean 
> losing some income from the ads. 

I'm not so sure. For many many people, computers are wizardly magic (Well, 
there are still some for whom a car is also, but they are fewer in 
number). Magic is, pretty much by definition, not limited by ordinary 
physical reality and therefor, when a magic incantation doesn't work the 
way the rube wants it to, there is great anger and frustration. It's magic 
after all...

<rant>
Our society in the US is, or at least appears to be, run and dominated by 
beleivers in magic. Those beliefs set us up for more dissappointment, 
frustration, and expense, because (after all) we only need to make the 
correct incantation and a whole headache will be solved. We can invade 
Iraq, eliminate Saddam from power, and warring tribes with a thousand 
years of history and grievances will magically coelescque (sp???) into a 
stable, republican/democratic style nation of hard workers. We can 
implement State Lotteries, cure state cash flow problems, and somehow not 
cause other challenges (like more gambling addicts). (Alternatively, as 
individuals we can participate in a lottery, and our great personal worth 
as people will help ensure that we win big because we are so deserving...) 
By casting the spell of technology, we can banish forever issues of 
expense and dishonesty from our elections process. Similarly, by allowing 
the government some extra powers and extra people, we can avoid paying 
attention to those people who _really_ want to hurt us with terror etc.

Rogue nuclear devices? We have this wonderful "Son of Star Wars" which 
will stop missiles. Doesn't work yet, but just give up another $100 
billion or so...

Give the nominal "rich" more money, and they will automatically spend it 
in ways that produce jobs (apparently in India at first...) Assuming, of 
course that they don't spend it on who has the bigger house at the beach 
which the taxpayer gets to replace after a decent storm.

Don't pay attention to the man behind the curtain! And don't 
question/audit/test the magic behind the proposal against dull, limiting, 
comprehensable reality.

</rant>

I'd love to go on and on and on and on.
Americans as a whole beleive in magic. Somebody else can do something and 
make the pain of (whatever the irritant of the moment is) go away, 
probably forever. The individual, and the social groups the individual 
belongs to apparently don't have the responsibility to address the 
challenges, and accept the continuing pains of striving.

After all, "Nothing is impossible to the person who doesn't have to do the 
job."

Sorry for the length, and appreciate people letting me vent as much as 
they have.


> 
> In this case, it seems as if they do not want the 
> public to hear criticism from people who are qualified 
> to speak regarding the accuracy of the system.  
> To me, that indicates that there must be some ulterior 
> motive involved.
> 
> Irv
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> Ale at ale.org
> http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> 

-- 
=============================================
If you think Education is expensive
Try Ignorance
                   Author Unknown
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