• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Sanders camp suspicious of Microsoft’s influence in Iowa Caucus

cpwill

cpwill

DP Veteran
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Messages
75,666
Reaction score
39,922
Location
USofA
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Conservative
The corporations are up in their corporation buildings acting all corporationy.


For the first time this year, Microsoft partnered with the Iowa Democratic and Republican Parties to provide a technology platform with which the parties will run their caucuses. The software giant created separate mobile apps for each party, which officials at hundreds of caucuses across the state will use to report out results from individual precincts to party headquarters for tabulation.

The arrangement has aroused the suspicions of aides to Sanders, whose regularly warns that corporate power and the billionaire class are trying to hijack democracy. Pete D’Alessandro, who is running the Iowa portion of Sanders’ campaign, questioned the motives of the major multinational corporation in an interview with MSNBC: “You’d have to ask yourself why they’d want to give something like that away for free.”..

Other Sanders aides noted that Microsoft employees have donated several hundred thousand dollars to Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton over her career, and questioned why the Iowa Democratic Party didn’t partner with a software company based in Iowa...

Skepticism about corporate involvement in election systems is nothing new. During the 2004 presidential election, for instance, there was widespread suspicion on the left about Diebold voting machines.

With Sanders supporters already suspicious of meddling from forces they see as hostile to their candidate, including the Democratic Party and corporations, the backup system could help tamp down questions and conspiracy theories if results are contested.
Click to expand...
 
Luftwaffe said:
Run for your lives! Corporations!
Click to expand...

No personal experience going up against a big corporation?

1. They will do whatever it takes to get the job done.

2. They donate a lot of money to political parties and their lobbyists have a lot of sway with politicians.

3. They never admit culpability and have an army of lawyers that lie for them.

4. Average people rarely have the resources and stamina to beat them in court.
 
Makes for a nice cover when he doesn't perform as well as he is projected to do in Iowa.
 
EnigmaO01 said:
No personal experience going up against a big corporation?

1. They will do whatever it takes to getvthevjib done.

2. They donate a lot of money to political parties.

3. They never admit culpability and have an army of lawyers that lie for them

4. Average people rarely have the resources and stamina to beat them in court.
Click to expand...

RUN FASTER!! Corporations!
 
Sort of a no win situtation: if the evil corporation gives the (governmant only?) app away then it is bad but if the evil corporation makes a profit from the (government only?) app then it is bad too.
 
What a waste of effort... there is little alternative here as these groups are going to demand information systems and mobility solutions that few companies are in place to really provide.
 
cpwill said:
The corporations are up in their corporation buildings acting all corporationy.
Click to expand...

Sanders luncacy is on full display, feel that "Bern" bernie bots, feel it
 
It begs the question, how many people actually believe these elections are counted accurately? How many of them are "rigged", and to what degree? There's so little integrity in Washington, the media, the political parties, and the candidates that I think it's naïve to think we're getting an unsullied process to determine our political leaders.
 
cpwill said:
The corporations are up in their corporation buildings acting all corporationy.
Click to expand...

Per your article.

Independent reporting systems like the one Sanders’ campaign built are not uncommon. Clinton’s campaign is also preparing its own backup reporting system involving an app and telephone hotline component, according to a campaign aide.​

Apparently Hillary is doing it as well. But I digress, you and your buddies my continue with your ridiculous hyperbole.
 
cpwill said:
The corporations are up in their corporation buildings acting all corporationy.
Click to expand...

You made that word up didn't you? Come on, fess up.
 
poweRob said:
Per your article.

Independent reporting systems like the one Sanders’ campaign built are not uncommon. Clinton’s campaign is also preparing its own backup reporting system involving an app and telephone hotline component, according to a campaign aide.​

Apparently Hillary is doing it as well. But I digress, you and your buddies my continue with your ridiculous hyperbole.
Click to expand...

Is Hillary's campaign out there suggesting that there may be a grand conspiraceh!!!??
 
Luftwaffe said:
Run for your lives! Corporations!
Click to expand...

No, but I vote on electronic machines and I always view my votes as "suggestions" instead of hard votes. I click on a name, and it says I voted for my choice, but for all I know the vote is cast for my dog or the Devil. And the integrity of the machines is as good as the integrity of politicians and their appointed cronies and/or hired private contractors with a long history of corruption and being willing to be bought. Further, there is no real audit trail, and the machines have proven hack friendly - a couple of hours for HS kids in some cases. Seems naive to trust them to 'do the right thing' given what's at stake, and without a paper backup, almost no way for it to be caught.

Seems reasonable that when the parties and interested others will spend maybe $billions to influence the elections that it's at least possible some group might get the bright idea to spend a fraction of that money to rig the counting. And if anyone has used a computer, they've seen them crash and fail, so why we'd trust our votes to an easily rigged and often crash prone system is beyond me.
 
Last edited:
cpwill said:
The corporations are up in their corporation buildings acting all corporationy.
Click to expand...

Anything like this, especially when it comes to government transparency should be open source code anyway.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom