[Novalug] [SPAM] Re: OT: Re: Remember to vote!

[Rahul Murmuria]

Hi All!
This thread makes for a great read!
I cant help but feel however, that I have answers to all the questions and
objections put forth in this thread!

Some of the issues mentioned were:
(1) The system used for voting and the software that runs it.
(2) The candidates being BS (see comment from ethan at 757 dot org)
(3) Multi-candidate system solving some of the problems
(4) Educating people so that they could make a smarter choice
(5) We being on the brink of economic depression with real-estate as
example.

Well, I am not answering more than 2 or 3 of those in this email, but I have
had the opportunity to compare the election procedures in my home country -
India - and the USA.

The most interesting question first. The system used for voting. I would
like you all to see EVM <http://www.bel-india.com/BELWebsite/images/EVM.jpg>.
- ( Electronic Voting Machine ) which has been designed my a public sector
company in India.  India used this fully electronic machine in 2004 for the
elections and as many as 627 million voters were able to cast their vote
(with just a press of a button!!), and it took only a button press to
declare the result!
There isn't much of a "software" on that thing. Its got a hardwired system
configured into the microprocessor at the factory. Each device has 16
buttons so you can contest one ballot with 16 different candidates! The
buttons are assigned later, so "factory tampering" of the machines by the
power-hungry candidates is a 0% probability.
More FAQ on what EVM is and how it works here -
http://in.rediff.com/election/2004/apr/06espec.htm
Compare this to USA's voting system that runs on Windows! I mean, do you
really need a kernel that supports all the hardware in the world with
applications like the Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player and Solitare
and touchscreens etc. for doing simple vote counting? Charles Babbage whould
laugh on what his successors have come up with here in America!

About educating the people... well, I think India has a slightly larger
percentage of illiterate people than USA. The candidates who are voted each
year are those who promise maximum "free" stuff to the poor and in ethan's
words, are an epitome of BS. Its never anything different. You know what, it
doesnot matter! I see the present state of USA during elections and wonder,
this is a much bigger deal here than in India. Indeed India is running
inspite of its government. The bureaucracy runs the show there, and its
awesome. No Software Patents in India for example!  Its got the ideals of
"free market" ingrained in the system, and many of the politicials have
probably never even realized the power of such policies that make India
awesome!

Eagerly following the procedings of American elections, its even more
entertaining than those in India!

-- 
Rahul Murmuria
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