The two new bills concerning the American voting system in Abroad should be taken seriously.

Some Americans abroad; for instance, the soldiers in Iraq often feel that their vote is not important and that they aren't appreciated. They also feel frustration. In a federal study “in September found that barely one-third of the nearly one million absentee ballots requested by Americans overseas in 2006 were actually cast or counted; an estimated 4 million to 6 million Americans — civilians and in the military — live and work abroad”.

However, in the election of 2008, they have high hopes that their votes will count. Even last month, an organization called Overseas Vote Foundation made a website for voting assistance for the people abroad. The new software that was introduced "made it rapid, simple, and almost foolproof to register from abroad). Even the pentagon who didn't support the issue of voting will update their voting assistance website. " And the Pentagon, after years of costly and uneven experimentation, plans to inaugurate next month an updated voter-assistance Web site that eventually will allow overseas voters from some states to download ballots, and not just registration and ballot-request applications".

In addition, two new bills were introduced. "Members of a new Americans Abroad caucus in Congress, which has tripled in size since its formation last spring, have introduced two bills aimed at simplifying voter registration, expanding voter education, and ensuring that expatriates’ ballots are counted".
The first bill “The first bill would, among other things, prohibit states from refusing balloting materials because they are generated by a computer program or not printed on a specific type of paper, and extend voting rights to Americans born overseas who have never established American residency”. The second bill also known as the Honda bill would “ban states from requiring the witnessing or notarization of ballot-return envelopes, long a problem in remote areas; to require that passports include information on absentee voting; and to create a $5 million grant for nonpartisan organizations to assist overseas voters”.

In conclusion, with these new bills, the Americans living in abroad will have a better way of getting their votes in, “a dozen states will allow voters to scan a completed ballot-request form and e-mail it”, and “some counties will be able to e-mail blank ballots”.

Furthermore, the Americans in abroad would be relieved from their frustration, and have confidence in their voting.

This article can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/29/washington/29vote.html?_r=1&ref=washington

Comments on Isidros Government concerning the War in Iraq

I agree with your take on the war in Iraq. I believe this War shouldn’t have started in the first place. It is great that you wrote the effects on the United States. This War started 4years ago (on March 20, 2003). And we are still dealing with this conflict. Like you said the war created a fear in the people of the United States because it was said the Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. This war also rose up quickly because of the issue of September 11.

Furthermore, with this War in Iraq the U.S. and Iraq are paying for it in a bad way. Like Isidros said, the United States is paying for it in terms of national debt and the death of our soldiers. I agree with Isidros when he said that the War is costing us billions of dollars, and that the money being spent on Iraq can be used on health care or rebuilding New Orleans. In addition to that innocent lives are been taking because of the mistake of going to war. We lose innocent people both Americans and Iraqis everyday.

In conclusion, the War in Iraq is a critical issue that should be paid more attention to. With the way the conflict is going, it is only going to get worse. So like Isidros said the United States should try its best to stop the problems. I am in support of that also but how will it be done?

Whatever the solution of this issue might be, it is easier said that done!

Isidros post can be found on http://isidrosgovernmentreport.blogspot.com/2007/10/war.html