K Bull, Gore "end justifies the means" type like Stalin, Hitler, and MAO"???? That's the gist of what you said, and what I incredulously responded to.
What has happened so far:
1. A very close election in Florida.
2. A mechanical recount required by state law makes it even closer. Bush still ahead by a few hundred.
3. Sample manual recount (1%) in Palm Beach county has Gore picking up 19 votes. If this trend holds up throughout this and other heavily democratic counties, Gore will pull ahead thousands of votes.
4. Republicans go to court to stop legal manual recounts requested by democrats in 4 heavily democratic counties.
5. The deadline may have passed for Republicans to ask for recounts in other Florida counties. (Read somewhere that deadline is 72 hours after the election.)
6. There is another issue about (confusing to some) butterfly ballots in democratic Palm Beach county.
Opinions:
1. It is difficult to see any merit to the Republican request for an injunction to stop the legal manual recounts.
2. Democratic officials approved the Palm Beach county ballot. Therefore there is little justification for a revote.
3. After the manual recounts in the 4 Democratic counties and the counting of absentee ballots, Gore will have more votes than Bush.
Where we do go from here? Who knows? But since it is just as likely for the vote counting machinery to miscount Republican or Democrat votes, it would be fair to recount all or none of the Florida counties.
Then there is the need for expediency. This election should be settled by next Friday (11/17). I feel that Gore should concede the election to Bush, in order to avoid the appearance of having "stolden" the election and because it is the "right thing to do".
K Bull, if Gore does not concede, I think that he will be choosing this unfair means to win. IMHO Gore is patriotic enough to do the right thing. My concern is that how can he if he is ahead by probably 1000's of votes after the manual recounts in Democratic counties.
I am a moderate, centrist Republican who voted for Bush. My man was McCain. The average poster on this thread is male, college educated, reasonably wealthy, and therefore significantly to the right of center politically. I have at times chosen to play devil's advocate to a few of you.
IMO it was at least a little extreme to equate Gore with Hitler, Mao, or Uncle Joe. But overall K Bull, I see you as one of our most intelligent and informative posters.
Take care all. Hopefully we will overcome this uncertainty and political division.
Gore needs to do the "right thing". The honorable Ford and even "tricky Dick" did. It is time for Gore to again (like volunteering for VietNam) chose his country over his personal need to win/survive.
Winkman |
