Haunts the U.S. Election Florida's Republican Legislature Plans to Give Bush the Win GOP Coup de tat Pits the Bush Brothers against the Courts |
By Jack Nichols
The decision was greeted by fury and dismay among those who'd been prepared to depend on the legal system for an equitable resolution of Election 2000. Florida Senate GOP leaders indicated in their Tallahassee press conference late Wednesday afternoon that they were prepared ignore state court decisions with which they disagreed and that as long as there are cases pending in a legal system that might destroy seeming advantages for George Bush in a state now dominated his brother, Jeb, and by conservative Republican politicos, legislative action on his behalf might, from a GOP standpoint, be needed. Such a move would pit the legislative branch of government against the judicial branch, paving the way to what many see as a genuine constitutional crisis. "Florida's Fascists, those GOP goose steppers," fumed veteran Florida gay activist Bob Kunst, who'd re-stationed himself Monday in Tallahassee. Wednesday's Daily News (New York City) featured a photo of the colorful media-courting activist dressed as Santa Claus and toting a sign that read: "All I want for Christmas is for My Vote to be Counted".
The Republican legislators insist that there has been no contact between them and George W. Bush about their radical decision, which they call "a safety net." "To believe that would be naïve," cautioned Lois Frankel, "This illegal legislative decision is definitely postmarked Austin, Texas." Kunst mused "Texans have a saying, 'Don't Mess with Texas,' " but the Sunshine State activist then issued a stern warning to the governor of the Lone Star State: 'Don't Fuck with Florida!' "There's a sense in the whole state and the country now that Bush is really losing, that this is an act of desperation," he continued. "Nobody here in Tallahassee can find Jeb Bush anywhere. He's in hiding. He knows we know. Both of the Bush brothers have got to go. Damn fascists."
"No matter if Jeb Bush signs it or doesn't sign it," said Kunst, ridiculing President McKay's hesitancy, "Jeb Bush's silly fingerprints and those of his weaselly brother are all over this damn coup." Kunst, still selling his No More Bushit bumper stickers and buttons, carried two Tallahassee signs yesterday. One read, "Recall the Tallahassee Tyrants", and the other: "What do You Call Bush? Illegitimate." Kunst invited people from every state to descend on Florida and to protest the Sunshine State Legislature's hubris. "They can get tans while they're here!" he beamed. "Get in caravans! Come on down and help us out. Protest. How in the hell can people keep quiet when there's this illegal Fourth Reich insanity going on?" |