Just to poke my nose in: 1) Yes Bush won the election. I don't think that the study referenced is attempting to prove differently (although Gruss may indeed be - but I'll let him speak for himself). That's not really the issue at hand.
2) The study has made no assumptions that I could see on how the results are so skewed. It has simply made the statement that if the exit polls were correct then there is an anomaly. This does not mean that the results are invalid of course, just unusual. It could also mean (as you intimate) that the polling process is incorrect or that the election was flawed or (most likely I think) a complex mixture of all. 3) There doesn't need to be a conspiracy on right for any of the above (or other scenarios) to have occurred. Problems (if there were any) could have been logistical, technical, procedural or many other kinds of "als". Problems do not have to be the result of premeditation or collusion. 4) There doesn't need to be a chip on the shoulder of the left to raise these issues. Politicians are more alike than different: were the situation reversed I've no doubt that the right would be making the same claims. 5) Raising such issues now would not alter the results of this election in any case: the electoral college votes are the only votes in the end that actually count and there's no controversy over them after all. However this is the time to raise the issues when they are fresh and we have time to address them before the next election. 6) "The cost of democracy is eternal vigilance." Every American should encourage our election processes to be constantly monitored and, whenever possible, improved. This is a cost that we should all embrace regardless of partisan leanings. 7) I doubt that a full recount could ever be warranted in this case. It's doubtful that a full recount would even be useful as one of the core issues is potential tampering before counting and voter disenfranchisement. However there are a nearly infinite number of less drastic measures that could be undertaken to examine the process. In my opinion there was simply too much questionable activity in this election to let the system stand unexamined. And make no mistake: both sides are at fault and supporters of both candidates committed at best questionable and at worst outright illegal acts to ensure victory. Our election system is potentially broken or, at the very least, vulnerable to tampering. We need to first examine it to identify the extent of any possible issues and then we need to address them. With the country so completely split and with no end to divisive, partisan politics in sight we need to understand that our elections may continue fall on razor thin margins for a long time to come. The process needs to address and reflect that reality better. At the very least I think a concerted effort needs to be made to introduce a level of consistency into the process. Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:135837 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
