Marvin wrote:
If either presidential candidate is willing to put patriotism and
statemanship ahead mere politics, then they will act as this article
recommends:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Two words: No way.
Can you imagine the circus atmosphere in letting the voters of Palm Beach County (or
Florida for that matter) decide the Presidential election?
Can you imagine the pressure?
Can you imagine the money that would pour in?
Can you imagine the further opportunity for voter fraud, human error, and other
"irregularities?"
Besides, what would ultimately be the justification for such a thing? The answer is
simply that the ballot was close?
Sure, the possible outcome of Palm Beach County is tantalizing - but really, voter
fraud is a part of life.
The dirty little secret of the American Electoral Process is that it has all the
accuracy of measuring a first down with the "chains" in a football game. We would
like to think that we can tally our elections to the nearest ballot, but the truth of
the matter is that even in recount after recount our vote tallys represent the true
wishes of the voters only within a margin of +/- a couple thousand votes. In other
words, all this recount stuff has all the validity of sending Al Gore and George Bush
to Tallahasse, and conductin a coin flip with Bush calling it in the air.
Our vote tallying system is simply unable to accurately tally votes to any greater
degree of accuracy. Yes, the vote in Florida is simply too close to call.
Did people screw up the ballot in Palm Beach County? Almost certainly. Did people
stay home in the Florida Panhandle (in the central time zone) because the networks
foolishly called the state for Gore? Almost certainly. Were ballots stuffed in
Miami-Dade County for Gore? Probably. Were black intimidated from voting in Central
Florida? Probably again.
Such are the flaws, warts, and scratches of American democracy.
Nevertheless, it is impossible to argue that a re-vote, giving the Nader voters a
chance to switch to Gore with the Presidency at stake, would any more accurately
reflect the will of the people than the recounts currently being conducted, or even a
coin flip.
The central point, however, is that we all agreed beforehand that a recount would be
the final arbiter of the count of the election. That recount, according to the AP,
is completed, with Bush the victor by 327 votes. Barring a shocking Gore upset in the
overseas ballots (I find it very difficult to believe Gore will carry a group of
people that voted 54%-44% for Dole over Clinton), Bush should be the President-elect
of the United States.
JDG
John D. Giorgis
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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