Kakki wrote:
> This election and resultant outfall is so crazy it really makes me wonder
> about the future of the U.S. as we know (knew) it.
There will be changes, but that can be a very good thing. One change will be
considering, later when this has all calmed down, whether the electoral college
is still needed and effective and, if it's not, how to change election
procedure. The electoral college was put into place when only white men who
owned land could vote, so it's been considered outdated for a long time now.
It's not been a big deal in the last hundred years or so because the popular
vote winner was always the electoral college vote winner also. Looking
seriously at this set-up as a result of all this drama is a good thing. It
means our democracy is very much alive and growing and solid enough to tolerate
change.
Right-wingers are claiming that there's a constitutional crisis because of
this, and blaming Gore for everything. That's crazy talk. There's no crisis,
just a delay, which Americans are not used to (no instant gratification this
time). Every American wants to feel that an election, every election, is based
on each vote being counted impartially, and if the resolution to this situation
is rushed, Americans will no longer have that assumption. It's only because of
that assumption that we tolerate the President no matter how much we might
disagree with his political viewpoints.
It would behoove Bush and the Republicans to let the time to look at this very
carefully pass without getting whiny about it. If, when it's all decided,
Americans don't believe Bush won fairly then he will be scorned forever (which
goes way beyond merely disagreeing with his political beliefs). The fact that
Bush's brother is governor of Florida and assured him that he would "deliver"
Florida makes it even more important that it be sorted out clearly and
honestly. Otherwise people will always wonder how Jeb Bush was so very sure of
being able to deliver. Add to that the fact that Gore won the popular vote, and
it becomes even more important that it be sorted out honestly. And that takes
time, within reason of course. I don't know at what point it becomes too long a
time to wait, but it's certainly not there yet.
> The lawsuits have
> already been filed in Florida over the "confusing" ballot asking for Palm
> Beach County to be able to vote again. Hello? I recall a ballot design
> like that one where I voted in CA a few years back - difference was word got
> around and people widely knew in advance to be careful reading and punching
> it. I completely understand how misfortunate it is that some people may
> have been confused by it, but we'd almost have to let the whole country vote
> all over again to make it a fair election.
The difference is that usually there's a huge difference in the number of
votes, so if there were some errors made it didn't matter. At the moment
there's a difference of only 341 votes in Florida, and because the results
there decide the entire election, it can't compare to anything that has ever
happened before. And the other extremely close results in some states, such as
Wisconsin, may need to be looked at again now.
> This is all starting to remind
> me of some desperate, high stakes win at all costs poker game rather than a
> presidential election. I see little dignity being exhibited. In fact, Gore
> and Bush
> have been the only ones appearing dignified at this point!
Whoever becomes President, neither has a mandate and that will never be
forgotten. That will be especially important if Bush is elected because before
this there would have been no brakes on his actions since it's also a
Republican Congress now. Gore would have been forced to moderate his views
because of that Congress even if he'd been elected without all of this
confusion, but he too, in addition to that, will have to deal with the fact
that 1/2 of the country wanted the other guy. It's going to be tough to get
much done no matter who's elected as a result of this split in the country.
> The lawyers are already starting to talk lawsuits, overturning of the
> Electoral
> College, and so on everywhere I turn. I heard one lawyer today dismissively
> argue that most of the 29 states who went to Bush are nothing but "acreage"
> so we should overturn the Electoral College procedure which works to gives
> them rights in this election.
Looking seriously at whether the electoral college is effective now is long
overdue.
> I've heard people from BOTH parties say they
> want to leave the country (and by the way, New Zealand seems to be the most
> popular choice, Hell - oh be careful what you wish for! ;-)
I fantasize about leaving only if Bush gets elected, but what's happening now
makes me less afraid of what he would be able to do to the country and the
economy. (Less afraid, not unafraid)
> To make a bad day worse, reports are that Harrison Ford is leaving his wife
> for Nicholson's girlfriend, Lara Flynn Boyle - truly the Apolcalyse is near!
Now that on the surface is very sad, but, again, it may be a very positive,
brave choice they're making. Change can be good, scary usually, but sometimes
ultimately a very good thing.
Debra Shea
P.S. Sorry for my speechifying. This situation is fascinating to me and I
think energizing to the political system in this country. That's a good thing
no matter how this turns out.
