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Securityweek has a look at the bits of HR1 with digital election security implications running:
The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives has unveiled its first Bill: HR1, dubbed the 'For the People Act'. It has little chance of getting through the Republican-controlled Congress, and even less chance of being signed into law by President Trump.
Nevertheless, HR1 lays down a marker for current Democrat intentions; and it is likely that some of the potentially bi-partisan elements could be spun out into separate bills with a greater chance of progress.
One of these is likely to include the section on election security. This has been a major issue since the meddling by Russian-state hackers in the 2016 presidential election, and the subsequent realization on how easy it would be for interested parties (both foreign hackers and local activists) to influence election outcomes.
I'm all for secure and accountable elections but the feds are going to need to be careful and deliberate in what they mandate vs. what they place conditions for funding on. They do have significant authority as far as election laws go but their power is more deep than broad; most specifics are legally up to the states. Just because something is a good idea doesn't mean they currently have the legal authority necessary to do it.
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Sunday January 06 2019, @10:10PM (2 children)
_Consitutionally_, actually.
I've always found it damn near possible to Google up the constitution itself as it is a popular topic to misinform people about, but this article [constitutioncenter.org] discusses Article One's stipulation that the "Times, manner and places" of elections shall be left up to the state.
At first only white landowners had the right to vote as individuals, but the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments gave the right to vote to all males. The 19th amendment of 1920 gave women the right to vote, and the 26th lowered the voting age to eighteen.
There was a bizarre movie during the sixties which depicted an effort to lower the voting age to fourteen, with the slogan "Fourteen Or Fight!" My favorite scene was when they dosed the entire US Senate. Good Times.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 06 2019, @10:23PM
Dont use google, they censor your results. Here was my first duckduckgo result: https://usconstitution.net/const.html [usconstitution.net]
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 07 2019, @03:30AM
No worries, I carry a pocket copy. I don't especially like flying and between that and being an anti-authoritarian and a veteran, I should never have to again.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Sunday January 06 2019, @11:10PM (2 children)
I'd like to see a "For big business and rich people" bill: that one might actually be FOR the people.
It seems like bills "for the people" are always anything but.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. I have always been here. ---Gaaark 2.0 --
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Sunday January 06 2019, @11:44PM (1 child)
"People" don't get bills written for them because it costs a lot of money to have legislation written.
Big business and the rich are the only ones with the money to be able to afford it.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 07 2019, @03:32AM
That's just because nobody's gotten serious about crowdfunding bribes yet except unions.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 06 2019, @11:40PM
...is to be productive and increase a country's treasury, enhancing the power of the country's ruling class. Unless you and those who agree with you are a meaningful threat to power, yell and vote all you want, you don't matter. Human nature - mass preference for hierarchical society organization plus individual ambition to rise in that hierarchy are the causes, not any political or economic system.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dictator's_Handbook#Contents [wikipedia.org]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by fustakrakich on Sunday January 06 2019, @11:47PM (10 children)
You put up something that has no chance of passing, and you look like a hero to the rubes back home. The democrats are particularly good at this, with lots of practice. It's still all pre-scripted professional wrestling. Mean Gene Okerlund, dog rest his soul, should be the real speaker of the house.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 07 2019, @03:34AM (1 child)
This one you might want to RTFA. Some of the bits are quite likely to pass House and Senate in a bipartisan manner and are being considered for separating out.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Monday January 07 2019, @04:09AM
Wait, what? Are saying, because of this? :
Well, that says all of nothing...
And another thing, I have a hard time not laughing at any idiot article still pushing the Russian Bullshit as fact.
Please, this is all regular showboating to keep the ratings up. Once again we failed to *drain the swamp*
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 07 2019, @03:41AM (7 children)
You put up something that has no chance of passing, and you look like a hero to the rubes back home.
Fair enough. So what do you propose as an alternative? Compromise with the other side, who looks better to their supporters when they refuse? Do nothing? Capitulate? Or should we all get some popcorn and watch them burn our money and fight?
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Monday January 07 2019, @03:58AM (6 children)
We were supposed to vote them all out. The obligation to *drain the swamp* is ours.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 07 2019, @05:08AM (4 children)
Works in theory, not in practice. We let entirely too much power slip from our fingers to theirs. You can't fix the mess we have from the ballot box any more. You're going to have to use the other one if you care enough to bother.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Monday January 07 2019, @06:32AM (3 children)
You can't fix the mess we have from the ballot box any more.
Sorry, I don't believe that. The only problem is the lack of effort and personal psychoses. Every response I've seen so far is still the same old blame passing game. People simply must acknowledge that their own vote has created this mess. Until then, countless revolutions won't mean shit. It just reboots the machine. That appears to be the fate of our species for an indefinite time.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 07 2019, @01:19PM (2 children)
You're asking over 90% of the voting public to do something that human beings will resist at almost any cost, to admit that they're completely wrong. Never gonna happen.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Monday January 07 2019, @09:39PM (1 child)
Then it's settled. What's left to discuss?
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 07 2019, @09:54PM
Well, how about The Watch [wikipedia.org]? I'm really looking forward to seeing how well BBC America does with it, who gets cast, how they flesh out their roles, and who finally ends up doing the writing.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Pslytely Psycho on Monday January 07 2019, @05:39AM
While I agree with your sentiment, politics has corrupted to the point where the only choice is between swamp gators and a sewer pipe.
A truly upstanding candidate who would help the people has little chance against Superbribes....oh, sorry SuperPACs and big money in all of it sickening forms. An election campaign (this is a personal opinion only) should never cost more than the pay of the position. Spending millions for a job that pays a few hundred thousand or less is just fucking asking for corruption.
Years ago, there was an effort to make sure all sides were represented in the media. The equal-time rule specifies that U.S. radio and television broadcast stations must provide an equivalent opportunity to any opposing political candidates who request it. ... Since 1983, political debates not hosted by the media station are considered "news events," and as a result, are not subject to the rule.
This is why you saw hundreds of hours of DT rallies, but only tens of hours of HRC rallies. Trump was an ass and made 'news' so he could be covered 24/7 and it worked.
No such thing as bad publicity is the hallmark of modern politics.
Or as my pre-election sig stated: It's the Creamsicle Charlatan vs. The Pantsuited Enabler, this should be on WWE, NOT our ballots.
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 06 2019, @11:52PM (9 children)
Parroting it won't make it true.
(Score: 3, Touché) by TheFool on Monday January 07 2019, @12:27AM
It will for about half the country, which is all that is really needed.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 07 2019, @03:35AM (5 children)
When has the truth ever had anything to do with politics?
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 07 2019, @04:37AM (1 child)
Truth is important.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 07 2019, @05:08AM
I don't disagree but I do reask the above question.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 4, Touché) by Pslytely Psycho on Monday January 07 2019, @06:14AM (2 children)
MDCCLXXVI?
(1776?)
*I put this here because a Google search of just the Roman numeral gives you pages of Illuminati bullshit. Fuck, now that crap will be polluting my searches along with the Flat Earth shit. The sacrifices I make to entertain....
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 1) by redneckmother on Monday January 07 2019, @06:48AM
Wow. How to moderate? Interesting, Funny, Insightful, Touche... ???
I'm gonna pick one at (semi) random - please don't be offended...
Mas cerveza por favor.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 07 2019, @01:32PM
Not really. I absolutely agree with the sentiments behind separation from Great Britain and the results thereof but the founding fathers weren't scrupulously honest in the means they used to achieve it.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by shortscreen on Monday January 07 2019, @10:49AM (1 child)
We'll have to wait a few years and see if the Legend of Russian Meddling starts popping up in high school history books.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 07 2019, @01:33PM
Is it even a question considering who holds a near monopoly on the education system?
My rights don't end where your fear begins.