I have been suspicious of the electronic voting machines since they were introduced in Peoria County. I was never satisfied that the paper trail could be accurately traced back to actual votes, not to mention all the potential voter information that could be gathered. It has seems to me that a free and open election can not be guaranteed using the electronic voting systems. Although I am sure that no vote tampering has occurred, I think it is way too easy for someone to do, and it seems I am not the only one with this opinion.

Two of my boys went with me to the Peoria City Council meeting.  No, I was not trying to torture them.  It is a scouting requirement that they see government in action and to visit a government building.  So we did the two birds with one stone thing.  We went into the council chambers and the boys got to meet a few of the public officials, including City Treasurer Reg Willis and Fire Chief Kent Tomblin who were sitting behind us.  They each helped to entertain the boys at times. 

I found the following article on the internet while researching another subject.  I found it interesting and thought I’d share it with my readers, although it is quite lenghty.  This being an election year, education is going to come up sooner or later.

 AMERICAN EDUCATION FAILS BECAUSE IT ISN’T EDUCATION

by Tom DeWeese
President, American Enterprise Institute

The debate over public education grows more heated. Regularly, reports are released showing that the academic abilities of American students continue to fall when compared to those in other countries.

Today, December 7th, 2007 marks the 66^th anniversary of the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This act catapulted America fully into World War II. The early morning attack destroyed nearly all of the American Pacific naval fleet, killing more than 2400. Interestingly, the sinking of the battleships stationed at Pearl Harbor changed the U.S. strategy to depend more on aircraft carriers, which is still in use today. Although shocking the nation, the surprise attack did more to unify the country in support of the war effort.

“Government has no right to make itself a party in any debate respecting the principles or modes of forming, or of changing constitutions[federal and state constitutions].  It is not for the benefit of those who exercise the powers of government that constitutions, and the governments issuing from them,  are established.  In all those matters the right of judging and acting are in those who pay, and not in those who receive. ”

“A constitution is the property of a nation, and not of those who exercise the government.  All the constitutions of America are declared to be established on the authority of the people.  …a constitution is a thing antecedent to the government, and always distinct therefrom.”