From: Harvey Newstrom (mail@HarveyNewstrom.com)
Date: Wed Aug 08 2001 - 08:14:42 MDT
> For these reasons, public opinion turned in favor of the GOP and against
> the Democrats because of perceptions of ethical behavior and lack of
> sportsmanship. By persisting in claiming they were robbed of the
> election, despite extensive recounts using the same election day
> standards by independent organizations, the Democrats don't seem to
> realize they lose more credibility, so polarized are they by the
> propaganda generated perception that the election of Bush will destroy
> the country (likely even more than people like myself felt similarly
> about an election of Gore).
Wrong. The Republicans only followed the law and election procedures where
they wanted to. They rejected the law that required postmarks on all
absentee ballots because the military votes did not have postmarks. They
counted these votes "to be fair" even though it violated the law.
They also allowed the Republican party to "correct" 20,000 absentee ballots
that did not include the required identification numbers on them. By law,
these votes should have been excluded. By law, these votes should not have
been in possession of Republicans outside the election system. By law,
these votes should not have been altered. But the Republicans did it
anyway.
The Republicans also fought "for" recounts in some counties where they
thought they would improve, like Volusia county, and "against" recounts in
other counties where they thought they would win.
The Republicans were not any more sporting or ethical than Democrats. Both
parties fought contradictory legal battles in different counties depending
on which way they wanted the vote to go. Both parties argued for the
existing recount and ballot laws in some counties while simultaneously
arguing against these laws in other counties.
I am constantly amazed by the perception on both sides that only the other
side played unfairly. I see neither side acting superior to the other in
the Florida elections.
One side note: Later studies show that many other states had worse problems
with uncounted ballots. It was only Florida's sunshine law and pivotal role
in the election that put the focus on Florida. Most state elections are
just as screwed up, but the media does not have access to the counting
process in those states, and there was not as much attention given to those
states.
> The spoilsport antics of the rent-a-riot left wing at the inauguration
> and since have continued to help Bush by casting the left as too
> immature to lead, and too shrilly extremist to represent the people.
This is too funny. The Republicans did the same thing in Miami when they
flew in paid participants for their riot. Both sides do the exact same
thing, and yet most people only recall the poor behavior on one side.
-- Harvey Newstrom <http://HarveyNewstrom.com> <http://Newstaff.com>
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