Thoughts on Florida and Bush

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: "Chris Miller" <ctmzeus at ugcs.caltech.edu>
Date: 9 Nov 2000 18:36:34 -0700
Lines: 46

The previous and immense thread mistakenly titled "Opinion on Bush's Win"
very nearly made me ill.  First of all, there is no cause for the
Republicans on this newsgroup to engage in the petty name-calling and
blanket insults against Democrats that they seem to enjoy so very much.  I
don't recall the exact quotes, but there have been plenty of patently absurd
claims that (for example) only an idiot could vote Democratic.  By espousing
this prejudice, all you do is reinforce the stereotype of Republicans as
close-minded, bigoted, and unwilling to entertain any opinions that threaten
their precious beliefs.  I very much don't want to believe this of all
Republicans, or even of those that feel the need to contribute their venom
to this newsgroup, but your incessant and unfounded attacks do you a
terrible discredit.

Second: if potential voters were intimidated, if there was a problem with
the ballots, or if any of the other various allegations and irregularities
turn out to be true, then something was wrong with this election.  I am not
so naive as to think that none of these problems have happened before, but
it is clear that this election, because of its closeness, merits tighter
scrutiny.  To suggest that investigating these allegations amounts to Gore
being a sore loser is to lose sight of the fact that the electoral process
may have been contaminated.  If the two candidates' positions were reversed,
I have no doubt that Bush would want an investigation (as we can see by his
camp's contemplation of pursuing recounts in other states).  Gore won the
popular vote (although he did not win mine), and it was never at all clear
that Bush had won, despite the numerous incorrect projections by the news
media.  To suggest that the only honorable thing to do is to retire from the
race, even though he possesses the lead and has great reason to believe that
he has additional voter support that was illegally hindered from making its
voice heard, is absurd.  Were it Bush in his position, the same venomous
Republicans that have already lost my respect on this thread would be
screaming about the criminal misconduct of those damn idiot Democrats and
demanding that the entire election be put on hold until a full federal
investigation under a committee of Congressional Republicans was carried
out.

Yes, there are a number of curious and questionable things happening in this
election, on both sides.  Yes, there is much to debate here.  But to sink to
the level of stereotyping, name-calling, and hurling accusations of fraud
across the aisle should be beneath us.  I wish it were.  Democrats are
hoping that Gore wins.  Republicans are hoping that Bush wins.  Don't
deceive yourself into thinking that, if it were you, or if it were your
supportee in the other man's position, that things would be handled
differently.  For all of our sakes, please try to maintain a little dignity
as we wait out this difficult time.



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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 10 Nov 2000 07:58:41 -0700
Lines: 31

What I love is the latest regarding the 19,000 ballots thrown out in a
primarily Democratic county.  The republicans defend it by saying that it's
nothing new, they threw out 15,000 votes in '96 from that same county.

Pardon me, but...this by them is a defense?

1) If the ballot in this county led to 15,000 votes being tossed out, does that
not suggest something's wrong with the ballot?

2) Shouldn't the voting public in that county have been *informed* that 15,000
votes of theirs had been tossed out?  Shouldn't they have been notified about
this before *right now*?

3) It was wrong before.  It should have been corrected before now.  That it was
wrong then, doesn't make it right now.

Or was it simply more convenient and politically expeditious not to tell the
citizens of this county that 15,000 of their votes were going in the ashcan on
a regular basis?

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2000 by
synthetic worlds, ltd., permission
to reprint specifically denied to
SFX Magazine)




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