EXIT POLLS FISHY?

seems like I'm not the only one to question the validity of the recent vote counts. So far there have been a lot of questions regarding the difference between the exit polls and the "actual counts," and a few apologist suggestions. Dr. Freeman seems to agree that it's highly unlikely that US exit polling has suddenly become totally worthless and unreliable:

posted on BuzzFlash

<>In "The Unexplained Exit Poll Discrepancy," Dr. Steven F. Freeman says:

"As much as we can say in social science that something is impossible, it is impossible that the discrepancies between predicted and actual vote counts in the three critical battleground states [Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania] of the 2004 election could have been due to chance or random error."

The odds of those exit poll statistical anomalies occurring by chance are 250,000,000 to one. 250 MILLION to ONE.

He concludes the paper with this:

"Systematic fraud or mistabulation is a premature conclusion, but the election's unexplained exit poll discrepancies make it an unavoidable hypothesis, one that is the responsibility of the media, academia, polling agencies, and the public to investigate."

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

complete report here

Here's a good explanation of what it all means from Political Animal

WHO HELPED BUSH WIN?

There's been much talk about the religious right turning out in droves and "giving" Bush a win on 11/3. However, recent analysis of the numbers show that the turnout for the fundamentalists was the same as it was in 2000. No help there. So who did help put him over the top? It turns out that those earning more than $200,000/year were the ones who made it to the polls in larger numbers and put their imprint on Diebolt machines. That really should be no surprise.
So once again the GOP is using the religious fundamentalists as a tool, and not the other way around.

Bush Prescription Drug Plan: Prayer

(from other sources, lost the link, sorry)



GW Bush has announced his plan to select Dr. W.David Hager tohead up the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee. The committee has not met for more than two years, during which time its charter lapsed. As a result, the Bush Administration is tasked with filling all eleven positions with new members. This position does not require Congressional approval. The FDA's Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee makes

crucial decisions on matters relating to drugs used in the practice of obstetrics, gynecology and related specialties, including hormone therapy, contraception, treatment forinfertility, and medical alternatives to surgical procedures for sterilization and pregnancy termination.



Dr. Hager, the author of "As Jesus Cared for Women:Restoring Women Then

and Now." The book blends biblical accounts of Christ healing Women with case studies from Hager's practice. His views of reproductive health care are far outside the mainstream for reproductive technology. Dr. Hager is a practicing OB/GYN who describes himself as "pro-life" and refuses to prescribe contraceptives to unmarried women. In the book Dr.Hager wrote with his wife, entitled "Stress and the Woman's Body," he suggests that women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome should seek help from reading the bible and praying. As an editor and contributing

author of "The Reproduction Revolution: A Christian Appraisal of Sexuality Reproductive Technologies and the Family," Dr. Hager appears to have endorsed the medically inaccurate assertion that the common birth control pill is an abortifacient.

ASHCROFT GONE, but for how long?

Ashcroft is gone, but for how long? "Some people," (FauxNews source) say to watch out for our friend the Rapture Monkey, as a possibile nominee to the Supreme Court. Wouldn't that be nice. Another interesting note: Ashcroft's resignation was dated 11/3/04.