Save the Integrity of Our Vote. Nobody is Going to Do This For Us.

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Jane and Alt Hippo are taking the Alito lemons and making some yummy lemonade - and man, I need some lemonade right about now.  From the Hippo:

Something is different today from yesterday.  We’re all a bit more engaged in the process than we were 24 hours before.

From Jane:

I don't think anyone can look at the Alito battle on the part of the netroots community and say it was anything other than a huge success. We proved we could show up and we knew how to fight for what we believe in, no matter the odds, just because it's the right thing to do. Your courage, your conviction and your fearlessness are inspirational.

I'm going to jump on this blogwagon and ride it for all its worth because I've got a new battle for us to wage and I need the support of every blogger  and blog reader who believes that there is strength in our numbers and I need the support of the bloggers and readers who don't believe that as well.

Tomorrow, Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08) will be introducing legislation initiated by the Coaltion for Voting Integrity to push back the HAVA deadline past the 2006 primary season.   This is legislation that counties all over the country have been begging for.  This is legislation that helps the cases of Connecticut and New York, both of which have announced that they will not be HAVA-compliant anywhere near the deadline of the 2006 primaries. 

During the meetings with Fitzpatrick and his staff one thing became abundantly clear to me: if this bill is going to pass in time to make a difference, it will only be because enough citizens from around the country call their Congressional reps in the Senate and the House to say that they want it to be law.   We need you to pick up the phone again today and call your Senators and your Reps and tell them that Fitzpatrick's bill to extend the HAVA deadline past the primary must pass immediately.  I don't have a number for it yet, but when I do, I'll post it.   It's possible that the aide won't know what you're talking about.  That's okay.  This is all happening very fast.  If you mention HAVA and Fitzpatrick, they'll get the message.

Also important: The Coalition for Voting Integrity needs funds to keep doing the phenomenal work that is has been doing over the last eight months.  In addition to the Fitzpatrick bill and some other legislation that is still under consideration, we have also sued the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania over inconsistent certification standards.  This is a groundbreaking lawsuit that will have national implications - none other than defender of the vote,  Ion Sancho, supports it.   But we need funds to keep it going.  Please make  a donation to CVI here.   (Funny story: I've been telling the other women in CVI how powerful the netroots are.  We had a real-life fundraiser that didn't do too well and I was placed in the role of Mary Netroots Sunshine telling them all how my guys would come through for us.  So it's my butt on the line here too.  My butt and our democracy!  Save whichever means more to you.)

If you blog, please link to this post and encourage your readers to help us out.  I'll be updating the list of everyone who participates as the day goes on.  I'm convinced that unverifiable voting is what got us where we are today and is designed to keep us here for a very long time.  We can win our vote back but not without an enormous push from the netroots and the grassroots.  Start pushing back today.