VOTING - ELECTION PROCESS and OUTCOME

Record voter registration promises previously unheard-of poll turnout; questions of voter fraud, ballot error and our ability to accurately count votes are more important than ever. What is our right to vote? How can we make sure all votes cast are counted? What is the likelihood the election results will be contested? Can electronic voting systems be trusted to yield reliable results? What part will the Electoral College play in the elections? Where can people go if they have trouble at the polls?

• Two bi-lingual national toll free hotlines will help voters navigate the polls and report any problems they may have: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (Election Protection Hotline) and (Sponsored by the National Association of Latino Elected Officials)
  
• Legal teams on both sides are gearing up in the event of a close election to challenge the results based on polling obstacles, and state and local voter registration and polling practices.
  
• No entirely secure voting system has been created for the 2.7 million military members, their dependents and the 3.4 million Americans who live overseas.
  
• Over 4 million Americans cannot vote because of ex-felon status - disproportionately African American and Latino men - some of whom may have been convicted of as little as writing a bad check or possessing illegal fireworks.
  

U.S. and THE WORLD

The fallout from 9/11 has left us knee deep in three wars - Iraq, Afghanistan and an endless war on terror. When it comes to the latter, the Kerry camp pounced on President Bush's statement that 'winning' would not be possible, and the Administration promptly flip-flopped. Experts on both sides say that the President Bush might not have missed the mark. What does winning mean? Can terrorism be controlled, or only minimized?

• Victory might mean a drop in the number of terror attacks or in death tolls inflicted; but most experts agree that there is no foreseeable end to the use of terrorist attacks to gain attention.
  
• Some analysts stress the importance of understanding the root causes of terrorism: repressive regimes, failed states, poverty, inequality and the aftermath of colonial submission. Recent attacks in Israel, and a school takeover in Russia illustrate that terrorism certainly isn't just about the U.S.

As our military men and women are sacrificed and our reputation in the world wrenched, many experts say it is past time to consider other or additional approaches to combating terrorist acts.

• Restore collaborative strategies with allies and forge cooperative relations with the Muslim world.
  
• Support international weapons agreements, like the Chemical and Biological Weapons conventions, the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and the comprehensive Test Ban Treaty among others.
  

ON THE HOMEFRONT - U.S. ECONOMY

Just four years ago, an $87 billion dollar budget surplus padded America's coffers. Now, a terrorist attack, two wars, two foreign occupations and a continuing War on Terrorism later and we've racked up a record $500 billion deficit. In spite of a "recovering" economy, unemployment remains high, shutting out many new entrants to the job market. Wage gaps continue to unfairly penalize the pay of millions of Americans.

• The cost of tax cuts since 2001 is more than all defense, anti-terrorism and public programs combined.
  
• 71% of Americans did not think their tax burden had been eased by the Bush Administration economic policies.
  
• Recent surveys reveal that 82% of us oppose cutting domestic programs while 76% support repealing the tax cuts to pay for the Iraq War.
  

THE ENVIRONMENT- SAFGUARDING THE WORLD WE LIVE IN

The Bush Administration supported energy bill stalled in congress, but succeeded in rallying "conservative" ranchers, business owners, tribal members, anglers and hunters to join "liberal" environmentalists against proposals to allow unbridled drilling - for oil, gas, coal-bed methane, uranium and coal mining. Hunters are unable to find the once plentiful game - now frightened off of public lands by heavy machinery and destroyed habitat. Anglers find streams and rivers once rich with fish are spoiled by mining runoff.

Now, many are returning to the roots of conservation - and "sustainability" is no longer a dirty word. These unlikely allies are joining with forward thinking energy companies working to develop two of the West's strongest resources - sun and wind. Are national policies that emphasize traditional extractive energy sources ignoring the vast potential for renewable sources? Can we balance our needs for energy while preserving the lifestyles that depend on the land?

• 9 million hunters and anglers spend $5 billion in 5 Rocky Mountain States each year. There are 47 million anglers and hunters in the U.S.
  
• Over 900 million visitors seek out National Parks and public lands a year - a haven for our urban vacationers and lifeblood to 10 of the top 13 tourism dependent states in the U.S.
  
• A 10 year investment in clean energy technology and infrastructure could create 3.3 million new jobs.
  

THE ELECTIONS AND THE MEDIA - SEARCHING FOR TRUTH AMID SPIN AND HYPE

Though the mainstream press loves a "horse race," voters say that issues count. The networks promise not to call the race early as it did in 2000, but claims of bias and spin have dogged the press. People skeptical of mainstream coverage are seeking other sources for analysis, from Internet and cable news services to blogs. How will the interests of the coveted "swing voters" - Latinos, Native Americans, women and youth - be covered by newsrooms where reporter diversity is shrinking? What are the issues of concern to each group?

• Recent studies reveal that not only do campaign ads frame how news media reports stories, but these ads are the number one source of information to voters.
  
• Nationwide, people of color are just 12% of newspaper journalists and only 10% of reporters covering the nations capitol - although they now make up 30% of the nation's population.

The airwaves are a national resource - over 90% of homes have televisions that serve as the primary source of news for 53% of us. When our news and information comes to us through a narrowed lens dominated by business interests, exactly how free is our press? Should news be part of the media business or should it be, like education, a not-for-profit service in the public interest?

• Since 1996, the 50 largest media corporations along with 4 trade associations have spent $111.3 million lobbying congress.
  
• Media corporations have contributed $75 million to political campaigns from 1993 to 2002.