Imagine, for a moment, a political system in which one party controls the entire area, where nominees are selected by the party committee, and where the "elections" are "free, fair, and honest" but the outcome is predetermined.

Sounds like the Soviet Union? China? Cuba? Perhaps. But I'm talking about most elections right here in the United States of America. Between legislature-controlled districting, "soft money," politicial patronage, the power of incumbency, and the cozy relationship with various special interests, this is the situation here.

Almost every district in the country is drawn so that one party has absolute control. The system is also set up so that the party committees get to decide, in almost all cases, who the party nominee is. Here in NYC, it is possible for an insurgent to be elected to City Council seats, especially now that term limits make for a lot of open seats. But in general, it is nearly impossible to buck the party and win. The recent example of the special election for the 30th Council seat showed that, as both Charles Ober and Tom Ognibene were soundly defeated by the party machine candidates.

Yesterday I wrote the following about Hillary Rodham Clinton :

Shameless.

Despicable.

Unfit to be President of the United States.

My words hit the front pages of both Daily Kos and The Moderate Voice. By evening Keith Olbermann had the following to say about Hillary Clinton's latest "gaffe" :

The most important part of the transcript is after the jump :

Well this totally sucks. Not only that, but not one of the netroots blogs from New York State --you know, the ones that actually help the party raise money for their candidates-- got into the state pool.

Who gets in? Oh, yeah, right, the blog owned by the pro-Clinton journalist that now rights for Politico.com.

Nice.

UPDATE : Hopefully we will be able to bundle our state bloggers with the culturekitchen.com national bloggers and get credentialed.

I just find this odd, that none of the blogs that have helped the NY Democratic Party raise thousands of dollars for local candidates and worked hard to get out the vote here in the state, not one of them got credentialed in the state pool.

This is very odd indeed.

There is a diary at the top of the recommended list on Daily Kos citing voting problems in NYC with some accusations that Hillary's people are disenfranchising black voters. A genuine red flag was raised when it was noticed that a heavily black election district in Harlem was recorded as having zero votes for Barack Obama. This is clearly unlikely and therefore genuinely raised people's concern. And it brings up several important issues regarding voting machines. But one thing this should NOT cause is accusations of fraud on the part of Clinton's campaign. From first hand experience, I can suggest that the problem was not an intentional undercount of Obama voters, but a maintenance problem with the voting machines used in NYC.

culturekitchen is one of the sponsors of techPresident's online presidential forum, 10questions.com.

The submission period is coming to an end in 5 more days. Thanks to my computer woes, I've been remiss at following up on this fantastic opportunity to ask the hard questions to the candidates; but not any more.

I am calling on all the NYC-based sponsors of 10Questions.com to come spend Sunday afternoon with me at Rapture Cafe in the East Village. I'll be there from 3:00pm to 6:00pm downing coffees and making video clips of everybody who wants to submit a clip to 10questions.

We have the cameras, we have the computers. Rapture Cafe has the coffee, beer and WiFi.

What does that mean? If you don't have a digital camera with video capabilities, a computer with WiFi or both, just bring yourself, even a friend and don't forget your thirst for a latte.

Where?
Rapture Cafe
(http://rapturecafe.com )
200 Avenue A
Between 12th and 13th Streets
NYC

When?
3 to 6pm

Questions?
nyc.blogdiva@gmail.com

Removed by author, for re-evauation, on the advice of counsel

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. "
--Edmund Burke

Did you know that most people don't care if their democracy works? Most people don't care if their judges are qualified or unqualified, honest or corrupt, purple aliens from Mars or deep sea squids. People don't care. I think two things define American Democracy: Apathy and a desire to complain.

Do you know what was the voter turnout in yesterday’s election to determine who would be the new judges in Brooklyn? I'll tell you: abysmally low, piss poor and just plain embarrassing.

All around the Borough I know people who voted. But that's because people I know are the people who vote. Some reported that at around 3 PM they were the first person to vote at their ED. One reported that at their polling place only 11 people had voted one hour before the polls closed. Another person reported only 14 people. People complain and complain and complain about "the system." Then they don't vote. Gee...wonder if there is a connection there. If all you do is whine but don't do anything, I say you are a chump.

[Editor's Note: All I did was suggest we get more bloggers out there reminding people to vote. Didn't realize I'd resurrect the (blogging) dead. Posted for Gatemouth by mole333...whoda thunk it]

At the request of Mole, I’ve come out of retirement for the rare cause on which we both agree.

The race between Noach Dear and Karen Yellen in Brooklyn’s 5th Mucicipal Court District is the most unambiguous choice available in this year's Brooklyn judicial elections, and it has been ignored for far too long in favor of a forest of dead trees written about the far more ambiguous Surrogate's race (I’m voting for Simspson, but to explain why would take more time than the race merits). Residents of Bay Ridge, Kensington, Sunset Park, Windsor Terrace, Dyker Heights, Borough Park and portions of adjoining communities should run, not walk, and vote early and often for Karen Yellen.