November 8, 2000--As events in Florida have shown, there is no easy solution to the electoral crisis engulfing America. While all television networks announced the election of Texas governor George W. Bush, and unofficial returns and a recount confirmed it, the process goes on. Not satisfied with a recount, Al Gore's campaign has demanded a hand count of four select precincts in overwhelmingly Democrat Palm Beach County and, to no one's surprise, a 2-1 partisan edge in the election judges have netted him an additional 19 votes in the selected precincts and the call to "hand count" thhe entire county. Undoubtedly, the county hand-count will net Gore just enough votes to claim the state, although this will probably take place sometime after it is clear how many more votes are needed to cover an expected surplus in Bush votes from military absentee ballots which haven't been "accidently" lost or disqualified on the slightest technicality.
Bush's representative in Florida, James Baker, has rightly tried to stop the hand count by court order both because it is selective and subjective. It is selective by bringing in a strong county for Gore and focusing on a large number of invalidated votes in Palm Beach county while ignoring an even larger number in Duval County, which went strongly for Bush. It is subjective precisely because a stacked election board in Palm Beach County has to judge intent of partially punched card ballots which are statistically likely to go in Gore's favor while excluding a similar count in coounties such as Duval which are likely to produce additional Bush votes. The very reason for the machine count (because machines have no bias) is thus subverted.
To add to the sinister drama, it turns out that Palm Beach County Commissioner Carol Roberts, who oversees their election board is not only well acquainted with Al Gore, but also his campaign manager, the notorious William Daley, brother of the Chicago mayor and son of America's best-known political boss and election rigger. Further, the local Democratic party hacks were putting in calls to the local voters to solicit complaints about a Democratic Party designed ballot, the same kind used in Daley's Chicago, before all the polls were even closed. In short, Palm Beach County was set-up to block the election before the results were even certified! Should the Bush campaign ask for a hand-count in Republican counties like Duval, Daley will undoubtedly say they can't do it because the three day deadline has passed. In short, Boss Daley's son is trying to do to Florida in 2000 after the votes are in what his father did in Illinois in 1960 before the votes were in.
Republican campaign officials are also eyeing recounts in four other close states-- Oregon, Iowa, Wisconsin and New Mexico, where they cling to a narrow lead. Any combination of Wisconsin plus two of these states would make up for the loss of Florida's electoral votes if Daley's maneuvering in Florida are successful. The time and litigation could well stretch into next year, creating a dream scenario for His Royal Highness William J. Clinton to remain in the Whitehouse beyond January 20, 2001.
Al Gore has come too far to give in. Reports were that he made a gracious concession call to Governor Bush, defended the electoral college and promised his full cooperation. Whether he meant it or was simply trying to look good for a rematch in 2004 is unknown. However, his tone changed once Florida was cast from the Bush to the undecided column again. There are fingerprints of Clinton all over it. Whether Bush or Gore gets into the Whitehouse, the decks need to be cleared to annoint Queen Evita Hillary in 2004. It is easier to do with an enemy (Bush) in the Whitehouse than with a friend (Gore). However, if the friend can be discredited with a tainted election win, the Clinton purpose is served just as well.
Until the issue is resolved, the Dow Jones and NASDAQ will contine to plunge, foreign countries considering the U.S. system will continue to view us as a Banana Republic and our credibility as a nation will continue to swirl in the toilet. A Gore administration who inherited the Clinton legacy of trading nuclear secrets for Red Chinese cash would see little ethical conflict in such a scenario. It is, after all, all about power. And power is more important than principles.
Bush cannot afford such an attitude. The economy will continue its downward spiral and even if he is ultimately successful in winning the election played by the rules, the economic damage will be so severe Bush will likely be a one-term president like his father. Gore's chances for 2004 are trashed, but so are Bush's chances. Only the Queen is left to save the nation.
Gore, of course, would prefer to inherit the presidency with minimal economic damage to improve his chances. Being president would be acceptable even with diminished power. This is Bush's ace.
The first rule in conflict resolution is to narrow the stakes of what is being fought over. A few hundred or even a few thousand voters in Palm Beach County with room temperature IQ's should not hold an entire nation hostage. If Florida had the same electoral selection system as the "good government" states of Nebraska and Maine-- each congressional distict votes for three and only three electors-- 1 for the distric, 2 for the state at large, the contest would be over no more than three electors, not 25. The reason Florida does not adopt such a system is precisely because they do not want to diminish their influence versus other states such as California and New York, which also have "winner take all" systems.
If all the close states (Florida, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Iowa and Oregon) are excluded, Bush holds a 246 to 237 electoral vote lead. Bush could move any, part or all of these states to the Gore column simply by withdrawing or withholding court actions or recount requests. Bush needs only Florida or Wisconsin plus two of the other states to ensure at least a 269-269 electoral vote tie and throw the election into the Republican House of Representatives. Gore must have Florida and prevent Wisconsin plus two of the other states from going to Bush. If this was a matter of who could litigate the longest, consequences be damned, clearly Bush would have the advantage.
Rather than do so, he should cut a deal with Gore to make Prince Albert a much diminished king. Such a deal should include the following:
In 1876, Samuel Tilden garnered over 3% more popular votes than did Rutherford B. Hayes, but lost the electoral college by 1 vote. The margin were electors from southern states which favored Tilden, but were awarded to Hayes under the harsh rules of reconstruction. Under the agreement, the federal occupation of the south was ended, disenfranchised Confederate veterans were restored in their voting rights and cabinet appointments were shared. Even though the territory considered the enemy of the Clinton regime constitutes 80% of America's real estate and 53% of her population and has not, yet, launched a war of rebellion, it continues to be occupied and exploited by the federal forces, its will ignored, its interests outvoted and marginalized and its people punished for disloyalty to the values which the Clinton-Gore regime determine to be our state religion. A cession of the presidency to Gore must be accompanied by a 1876-like agreement to end this occupation.
Certainly, there would be other points, but you get the idea. Such a solution is not without precedent. In the early days of the American Republic, the president and vice-president were often from different sides of the political aisle. They learned how to cooperate, something we need to discover again.
Threat to control of our prairie empire.
Core beliefs of the State Church.
We need Al Gore to mollify China!
Must Read: Maintaining Control of the Masses.
