The Bush camp has not been behaving like people who don't fear recounts.
Actually, they've been acting like people who don't like seeing the rules of the game constantly changing and election laws being arbitrarily revised by the judiciary.
I can't say that I blame them... nor would I blame Gore were he in Bush's place.
The fact it, the law is the law. It was written that way for a purpose in order to provide a standard for elections to be carried out by.
If they are able to now arbitrarily alter any certification date they wish, why not reset the date for the electoral college to meet?
Furthermore, it is quite evident that these three democratic counties have various and non-binding standards for determining the recount procedure. Palm Beach denied a manual recount to a Black Female Republican only 2 1/2 months ago, DESPITE THE FACT that she lost by a mere 11 votes.
Yet, Al Gore carried Palm Beach, but failed to carry the state, so he goes and tries to mine a few extra votes for himself and receives 2-3 electronic recounts and these manual recounts.
Furthermore, recounting procedure and scheduling is determined by the canvassing boards themselves. If they choose to recount around the clock, that's fine. If they choose to recount 4 hours a day, with a 3 hour siesta included, that's their right.
Now Gore has no right to a manual recount (if he did, then that female republican would have gotten one, right?). He has to prove malfunction, manipulation, or fraud in order to mandate one. And that is why Gore is suing these DEMOCRATIC canvassing boards. That's a democrat suing a democrat, Nadine. And I find it hilarious.
Election law is written in the interest of promoting fairness and accuracy, with the interest of finality.
Without an expectation of finality (a deadline), any particular party would be entitled to drag out the election process as long as they desired.
That's why a deadline for certification exists, Nadine. Florida may be more strict that other states, but that was good enough in past elections, and only now is it being called into question. They should fix it and implement changes for the next election. But they have no right to hold the country hostage to their screwed up election process when THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT CONSTITUTES A VOTE AND WHAT DOESN'T.
Regards,
Ron |
