I think I can make my explanation less verbose:
1. In Florida, the state central committee of each political party nominates a panel of proposed electors.
2. When the people in Florida vote for President, they actually vote for that person's panel of electors.
3. On November 7, either Bush or Gore's panel of electors was chosen, but we won't know until the votes are finally tabulated.
4. Florida has a constitutional right to have its electors vote in the Electoral College.
5. The constitution doesn't say when, but leaves it to Congress.
6. Congress said the Electoral College is supposed to vote on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December.
7. But if Florida's Electors don't vote on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December, that doesn't automatically disqualify the votes.
8. On the 6th of January, at 1:00 p.m., Congress meets to count the votes. If there is a problem with the votes, then Congress debates.
9. The law doesn't provide for what happens if Florida's votes aren't certified by that time. My position is that Florida has a constitutional right for its Electors to vote in the Electoral college and that their votes must be counted, but this could also go the other way, there's no law on point.
10. On the 20th of January, if Congress still hasn't resolved the matter, Denny Hastert, speaker of the House, becomes acting president pursuant to the Presidential Succession Act.
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Your explanation is plausible, too, but doesn't address the problem of Florida's constitutional right to elect the president. |
