> -----Original Message-----
> From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf
> Of Michael Baier
> Sent: Friday, January 21, 2005 1:51 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: OT: For those of you in Washington State
> 
> I guess we just wait and see and then make our own judgement of
> they are as "good loosers" as Al Gore and John Kerry, right?
> Seems like in this democracy there is alot to be fixed, don't you
think?
> Wouldn't it be nice that before pointing fingers at others and telling
> them
> to change system, to fix the same problems at home?
> Makes it so much more acceptable to say, we are the "mother of all
> democracy" if you have a place to show how real democracy works.
> 
> Just my idea.
> 
> Michael
> 
> 

The problem we currently have is twofold:

1) Humans are not perfect and errors by volunteer election workers will
happen. 

This does not invalidate and election and the majority of cases where
this has been brought to light have proven to be minor issues with no
malicious intent and did not affect the outcome.

2) Some insist that every vote must count but this is patently wrong. It
is more correct to say that every valid vote must count. 

The voter has the personal responsibility, I know some see this as an
archaic concept, to ensure their voter registration is up to date, that
they are voting in the right location and that they understand the
ballot or expect their vote to be discarded. 


One of the most amusing allegations to come out of the last 2
presidential elections is that voters were disenfranchised by poor
placement of polling locations and too few voting machines. While in
itself this would not be amusing if it were not for the fact that the
political party calling foul was the same party that controlled the
election boards for the areas in question.

So I guess the claim is that in the Florida vote last time, and the Ohio
vote this time, the voters were disenfranchised by their own party and
so the election was invalid.


Still the 2004 election was no where near the circus that the 2000
election was. As far as I can see, the only ones claiming that this
election was stolen are the ones who would not accept a President Bush
victory no matter what the vote count turned out to be.

All in all the next 4 years ought to be interesting. I am sure President
Bush will have some important victories, hopefully the end of the IRS
and Social Security reform, and some disappointing losses, like the
moronic guest worker program, but in the end the usual suspects will
appear for the next election and no matter what changes are made we will
see the same accusations all over again.

Political parties are nothing if not predictable.

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