Media critic advocates for election reform

Mark Crispin Miller, a media critic and election-reform advocate, joked about his happiness to see such a young audience because his audience normally isn’t younger than 50.

Miller spoke Thursday at IU with a lecture titled, “Rigged: Election Fraud and Media Coverage, 2000-2008,” an important issue because election fraud “gives a notion that the majority is fundamentally evil and cannot be trusted to do the right thing,” which goes against the forefathers’ intentions for the country, Miller said.

“Let’s get over this idea that it can’t happen here,” Miller said. “It can happen here, and if it’s in the parties’ interest, it will happen.”

Speaking about counting ballots, Miller gave the classic example of George W. Bush versus Al Gore, when the election came down to Florida.

Florida first claimed Gore won, recounted, and then declared Bush the winner. Miller said the National Opinion Research Center finally determined that Gore won by more than 300 votes once all of the votes were counted. He said many people did not know this because the “findings were very oddly reported” and people had to read to the end of an article to find this information.

“In the case of Gore, as many of you may not know, Gore won,” Miller said. “I tell this story not because I’m desperate to vindicate Al Gore. I don’t even think I voted for Gore.”

Miller said he wanted to tell this story because he felt the media did not do a good job covering the final outcome.

“This is something everyone needs to know,” said Aaron Hamlin, graduate student and a member of FairVote, a student organization that looks at the drawbacks of U.S. election systems. “I liked that he pointed out just how much the media is covering this. This is how people get into power and we need to know if how they get into power is faulty.”

Miller said both Democrats and Republicans have committed election fraud within the past eight years.

Miller spoke about this year’s New Hampshire primaries to stress how election fraud still continues. New Hampshire used both optical scanners and counting by hand to tally up votes. Miller said he read that Hillary Clinton won, despite the fact Barack Obama held a lead in polls, because she cried.

“Talk about a preposterous explanation,” Miller said. “It is apparent that the machines were used to give Hillary Clinton the advantage. The idea that she won because she cried is ludicrous and typical.”

To go along with the optical scanners, Miller said technology makes it easier to commit election fraud and that computerized machines make it undetectable.

“No issue can ever be overcome if your vote doesn’t matter,” said sophomore Barry Donnelly, co-coordinator of FairVote. “I would encourage that this and other issues be treated with urgency.”

Miller said the more people who come out and vote, the harder it becomes to commit election fraud. For people to help keep this election fair, they must help monitor the election and volunteer to work the polls.

“I’m in no way suggesting you leave here all freaked out and depressed,” Miller said. “It’s really up to you to support this issue. It can be done and must be done.”