On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 17:35:58 -0400, "George Z. Bush"
wrote:


"Ed Rasimus" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 14:55:05 -0400, "George Z. Bush"
wrote:

"Ron" wrote in message
...

And all this while I thought that Gov. "Jeb" Bush, and his Secretary of
State Katheryn Harris and all of the rest of the people he appointed to help him
run the state were Republicans.

If the truth doesn't suit you, just revise it into something that will.

George Z.

Well, when it comes to revising into a truth that suits, there seems
to be a bit on George Z's side of the issue as well. Secretaries of
State are elected offices, not appointed. Elections are administered
at county level by county clerks (elected) who certify voter lists,
establish polling places, design and certify ballots, purchase and
maintain voting equipment, count ballots and certify the results to
the state. So, you might be able to assign a bit of blame to Democrat
county officials.

But, most importantly (and to be fair, an issue you didn't raise),
there is the question of who won the popular election. It doesn't
matter!!! Constitutionally we elect the president through the
electoral college. That's established by the Constitution. Selection
of electors is controlled by the states. Voting procedure by the
electors is established by the states. Unit rule voting is mandated by
the laws in 38 states and done in the remaining twelve by tradition.

All of this was known by all of the players prior to the election.
After you've played the game, if you are unhappy with how the score
was kept, it is too late to change the rules. You've got to amend the
Constitution BEFORE the election if you want the prez elected by the
popular vote.

And, as I recall, it wasn't the Governor of FL or the Secretary of
State that ruled in finality. It was the US Supreme Court, with its
Constitutionally provided authority over lesser courts in our federal
system that finally closed the issue. If that was unsatisfactory, then
that rule needs to be changed BEFORE subsequent games as well.

So, start concentrating on those Constitutional amendments. Start
choosing your best candidate from the large cast of contenders. But,
most importantly get over the last one. You can't make ground beating
a poorly embalmed dead horse.

Well, I'm flattered that a published author spent so much time straightening me
out, and so eloquently, too.

Eloquence never hurts, nor does courtesy and politeness in debate.
Thank you for noticing. But, it isn't the published author part that
leads me to address the question. It's the BS and MPS in Political
Science and the MSIR in International Relations and the seven years
teaching poli sci at the local community college.

I'll concede all of the nit picky things you pointed out, primarily because I
have no interest in revisiting the 2001 presidential election in Florida. And,
when all is said and done, I'll stick with my previous position vis-a-vis the
responsibilities of the elected Governor and his elected/appointed (whichever)
Secretary of State. AFAIAC, it's all about attaboys and brickbats.

Well, if you've no interest in revisiting, you could have fooled me. I
thought that's exactly what the initial post was about. But, I'll take
you at your word.

Why then, when faced with some detail (dare I call them facts?) do you
insist on "stick with my previous position..." and "elected/appointed
(whichever)" Sec'y of State? I agree that the coincidence of Brother
Bush being the Governor of a state in question is remarkable, but how
could that have been manipulated, arranged, coordinated, influenced or
whatever beforehand? And, if the Secretary of State (whose only
function in the matter was to "certify" the results supplied by the
clerks of the counties or if challenged to refer it to the courts,
which she did) isn't appointed but is elected, doesn't that mean your
basic position that somehow Jeb and Kathryn skewered the election for
Gore is flawed?

If we're dealing attaboys there are few to go around. The whole issue
was booted early on when Dan Rather miss-called the election and Tom
Brokaw shortly confirmed the mis-call. Then it was further screwed up
when the media continued to overlook the opportunity to clear up facts
in question with a bit of high school civics.

If it's brickbats, then let's award them to the media first and then
to the poor voters of those three counties who had such difficulty
deciphering complex instruction like "punch hole next to arrow by your
candidate's name" and were physically unable to get that nasty old
chad to separate from where they were punching.

Democracy is poorly served by people of such manifest ignorance,
regardless of the party with which they affiliate.





George Z.