REPUBLICANS GIVE VOTING REFORM THE FINGER

John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Barbara Boxer and Stephanie Tubbs-Jones announced a new comprehensive Democratic plan to finally fix our crazy-quilt election system. They proposed:

1. a federal holiday for Election Day,
   
2. a paper receipt for every ballot cast,
   
3. the right to register to vote on election day,
4. and other common-sense measures to be enacted by the 2006 midterms.

Kerry said, "This has to nothing to do with the question of the outcome of 2004 (election). This has everything to do with full civil rights of Americans. Period."

The Republicans have proposed their own voting bill that would require voters to present a government-issued photo ID to cast a ballot and -- wait for it, WAIT FOR IT -- establish a pilot program for the use of Iraqi-style finger-inking at U.S. polling places.

No, I'm not kidding.