The sham vote on revising the Democrats' platform shows us how they rig elections.

If you've not yet seen the brief video posted here on American Thinker, it's worth watching. It captures the moment when Democrat conventioneers allegedly voted to amend their platform and re-insert references to God and Jerusalem.

Former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, who chaired the platform drafting committee, introduces his motion to revise the platform by describing himself as "an ordained United Methodist minister."

The man presiding over the convention at the time of the vote is the Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa. Villaraigosa explains the ground rules that require a 2/3's vote, in the affirmative, to make the changes.

When the first voice vote is taken, Villaraigosa is clearly surprised at the result -- it's too close to call. Same with the second voice vote.

In the third voice vote, the "nays" -- those opposing the Strickland amendment -- seem to have a slight edge.  But clearly, 2/3's of the delegates did not vote for the amendment.

Before the third vote, the women standing to Villaraigosa's right said to him, "(inaudible) You gotta let them do what they're goin' do." It was honest advice. He didn't take it.

Instead, Villaraigosa merely declared the "yeas" the winner in a rigged election -- the Chicago Way.

Like Strickland, I, too, am an ordained United Methodist minister. Like Strickland, I, too, have attended the regional annual conferences where United Methodists laity and clergy gather, for about as long as the Democrat Convention is in session, to discuss, debate and vote - often through a voice vote.

Strickland knows full well, by experience, that when a voice vote does not indicate a clear winner, a paper ballot automatically follows.  

Strickland smiles the grin of the cat that just ate the canary. He knows what's happening, and that he's part of a fixed election.

The delegates know that, too. And in a convention already heavy with smear and fear, the losers, who were really the winners, jeer.

Shall we chant together: "This is what Democrat democracy looks like."