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Pen Points
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Media Hides Election 2000 Vote Recount
I assume you've heard the news: the big consortium of
newspapers re-examining Florida's vote completed their
analysis and recount -- and have decided not to
release the results.
Various (asinine) reasons were given by the participants, including the lack of space for such news when broadsheets are full of topical terrorism news. Give me, as they say, a break!!! The reason for the decision is painfully obvious. The analysis undoubtedly showed that Gore, not Bush, won the state of Florida and thus the presidency. In fear of public reaction, or seeming to undermine national solidarity, or taking a shot at the "President" when he is allegedly handling a major national crisis, the newspaper consortium is instead going to let the open theft of the 2000 presidential election just slide on by. That's beyond bad journalism. It's bad citizenship. There's some la-la fantasy abroad in the land, in which the terrorist attack of September 11 magically transformed George W. Bush from a brain-dead frat-boy puppet to an intelligent, resolute protector of all that is America. Well, he's still a brain-dead frat boy, although they seem to have provided better speechwriters of late and coached Dubya more intensively on delivery. Unfortunately, hardly anyone has the balls to point this out in public, with the notable (and welcome) exception of columnist Molly Ivins. No sacred cows for Ms. Ivins -- she continues to take unerringly-accurate verbal pot-shots at the Shrub. I think there ought to be loud and widespread outrage over the decision to sweep this election-analysis under the collective carpet. Only a fool would buy any of the excuses being offered by those involved. Terrorism from abroad is no reason to suddenly suspend the precepts of a fair and democratic election. It strikes me that remaining silent on the subject of a flawed stolen election is in itself a form of terrorism -- against our Constitution and against the sanctity of the franchise. Terrorism seeks to control through fear. And that's just what this newspaper consortium is bowing to -- the fear that telling the truth might upset Americans' view of whether the man in charge got that power and responsibility rightfully. I've also noticed that the White House is now commenting that this war might last until next summer or even somewhat beyond. Gee -- that would be just about long enough to cover the campaign season for Congressional elections, wouldn't it?
Nevertheless, there are some stinging "lost causes" for Republicans on the national front. Brett Schundler is unquestionably going to lose New Jersey's governor's race to Democrat Jim McGreevey. McGreevey is more than 20 percentage points ahead. The GOP lost a Republican governor -- albeit a moderate one -- when Christy Whitman was tapped to head the EPA. Now they've lost another, more-conservative governor by appointing Tom Ridge to a homeland-security Cabinet position. His successor (whom I know personally) is Mark Schweiker, a smart but down-to-earth family man who has repeatedly affirmed he will not run for the office in the upcoming election. He doesn't want to be hogtied to the partisan treadmill, and he wants to spend time with his family instead. Smart man! As a result, the son of former beloved Democratic governor Bob Casey will almost-certainly win the governor's office -- and there goes two influential Northeast states, Pennsylvania and New Jersey -- back into the Democrat column. The next mayor of New York City will very likely be a Democrat, too. And that's an office which has a national importance shared by few other mayoralties. In the entirely-possible event that both House and Senate, and a majority of the nation's governors, shift to Democratic control, what then for the Bush Administration? They are handicapped by lacking the objective result of this consortium's assessment! How much easier to discount and repudiate Bush policy, with the ever-ready argument that "he's not really the rightful president!" ready-to-hand. How much easier to refuse Supreme Court appointments, with the excuse that a man who secured his office falsely has no right to make such longstanding appointments which will impact Americans for decades to come.
How much more useful those four years might be if it was known, with impartial statistical support, that Bush is not in fact the legitimate President. Oh, he'd still remain President, there's no question of that. But the widespread public perception that he secured the office in lieu of the election's real winner would have a very chilling (properly) effect on his ability to advance any but the tamest of agendas. And as it turns out, the right-wing hates him already anyway! Foes of big government, they have watched in horror as Bush expands government, creates a new Cabinet office; urges billions for those godless effete snob city-dwellers in New York -- a city which much of this nation considers to be an absolute sewer of sin, governmental corruption, and outrageous capitalist excess. Bush has utterly abandoned the precepts of those who shoehorned him into the Oval Office! This unreleased assessment study is a powerful weapon, locked up. It must be unlocked. If Gore won the election, America should know that fact. That's the exercise of democracy -- something the White House right-wing seems to fear, given their request for sweeping new powers to investigate citizens for any reason or no reason; to tap telephones and capture private emails. I can see the ghost of Senator McCarthy smiling! How he hated democracy, most especially when it interfered with his personal agenda. I don't think we can allow any serious changes until we have the hard evidence that George W. Bush is truly, morally, ethically empowered to make those changes. I have no particular objection to permitting him to go on serving as president -- within reasonable limitations. No Supreme Court appointments, obviously. No major internal policy shifts backed up with legislation, like this dangerous new "anti-terrorism" law pushed through Congress. At LEAST enough common sense prevailed to give the new provisions a "sunset expiration," although 5 years is far too long I think. The intelligence agencies should have had to ask for re-authorization every year. But I think we all need to put some pressure on the newspaper consortium that made this bad decision. We must let them know that they have a responsibility to release the results, not to undermine George W. but to affirm the right of the citizen franchise, Truth is truth -- you don't sweep it under the carpet when it becomes temporarily inconvenient or potentially disruptive. In the meantime I am assuming that life will go on as usual. No one will intentionally "rock the boat." I do my small part with letters to the editor of the local newspaper, and I encourage others to do likewise, but it's like trying to bail out the sea with a sieve. Jingoism, chauvinism, trust-the-government opinion abounds and is outraged by any challenge. Wouldn't it be lovely if we had a government worthy of such trust! Ted Snyder Patriots Must Go Shopping?
And in Washington, we are back on the road to the Republicans' mythical "trickle down" deficit spending of the 80's, with Bush's incredible call for yet more tax reductions for rich corporations and individuals. His pathetic values (based on worship of the Almighty Dollar) when his only comfort to a nation in shock and mourning is-Go shopping, go on vacation! Shame on you, Congress and citizens, for sitting by and watching this gang of thieves steal the presidency! Their agenda is cutthroat: "disappear" our substantial state and federal "rainy day" budget surpluses, painstakingly built by their Democratic predecessors, with patently unjust giveaways to the wealthy, thereby insuring that no funding will be there for human services for ordinary citizens when the inevitable rainy day DOES come. No problem, these characters' only constituency are the wealthy (and coincidentally, their loyal campaign contributors), the cronies in their elitist club. They do al! low for corporate welfare, a la the airline bailout, but welfare for needy families? Vorboten, in their world! When the truth about Election 2000 will be published is uncertain-but it has been leaked-and here it is: All the evidence examined and painstakingly analyzed by a consortium of several news organizations reveals, CONCLUSIVELY, that not only did Al Gore win the presidential election in Florida-and thus, the country-but he did so by a substantial margin! He is MY president, and I demand that the guilty in this dirty crime against our democracy, with all haste, be indicted and brought to justice! This illegitimate "presidency" will NOT stand!
Sincerely, Our Civil Rights in a Time of Crisis
I've just finished reading GayToday's headliner from Laura W. Murphy on the federal government's less than stellar history of protecting citizens' rights during times of crisis.
This information simply reinforces my fears and what should be the fears of every minority person in the United States -- The Rich White Straight Men in Power do not care whose life or liberties they stomp on their way to reaching their goals -- whatever those goals might be. And history shows that we minorities will be the first to experience the weight of their boots as they wave their flags and march their troops to the Middle East to protect oil interests or whatever else the RWSMPs are interested in. I was appalled at the results of a recent poll on another gay website in which a substantial number of respondees indicated that they felt "temporary" racial profiling would be OK because of the recent terrorist activities. No! No! No! First it's racial profiling then gender profiling then orientation profiling... It has taken too long to move the country as far as we have come. Any step backward puts us on a slippery slope -- particularly given the fact that the reigning party holds power through judicial fiat not democratic elections. Everyone has to step up and raise a voice for continued civil liberties for all people! Visit the ACLU website (www.aclu.org) and use their automated system to register your voice with your elected officials. It's pretty easy. You just key in your zip code and they will arrange to send a fax to your elected officials. They have canned text that you can use or you can add your own words. Alternatively, visit http://clerkweb.house.gov/mbrcmtee/members/housemem.htm for members of the House of Representatives or http://www.senate.gov/senators/senator_by_state.cfm for US Senators from your state and write, call, fax or email your concerns and demand that they protect our civil liberties and build in safeguards to prevent abuse of power by the reigning party. Additionally, as BuckcuB once pointed out very eloquently, write to your local news papers, television and radio stations and express your concerns that the government is getting too big, powerful and threatening. Your letters may not be published but they will be read. These news organizations are trying to sell their products and they want to know what their readers are thinking! Donald Cavanaugh |
Bush with his advisor on Home Land Security, former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge 
The Ronald Raygun School of Economics is alive and well-Jeb Bush and former Texas governor George Bush have followed their mentor faithfully, first decimating sizeable budget surpluses in their respective states with giveaways to the wealthy and their corporate pals, followed by disastrous revenue shortfalls that have left both states reeling.
Jeb has been dutifully aided by his Republican henchmen in the Florida legislature, who perhaps now that the folly of their "legislatin'" is apparent, will be voted out starting with the next election. My guess is it will take Florida ten years to recover from this mess!
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