[dd74]

I believe Nov. 2 will be the gigantic world smack down of American democracy. Why? Because as Steve Stromberg initiated in his thread, 20,000 lawyers are poised to descend on battle states where every vote is crucial, while Tabs' "Democracy at Risk" thread states more or less the same thing. Both threads got me thinking:

Here we are, forcing, coercing, encouraging (choose your verb) Iraq into democratic elections, and yet, the Dems in this country, need 20,000 lawyers to make sure our own elections are up to snuff, not to mention however many lawyers the GOP has on retainer come Nov. 2. Not just that, but as Stromberg's thread points out, Kerry plans to immediately name cabinet members once (and if) he is named president smacks of of a quick change job in lieu of Gore's retractions in 2000, not to mention a pure defensive move if Bush balks toward the eventual electoral result.

My question is this: what message does this send to those to whom we would like to "instill" democracy? If we can't get our own election process in gear, how can we be trusted with encouraging that same process on another country?

BTW: word has it Afghanistan's elections were a sham as some Afghani citizens say Hamid Karzai was more "installed" than voted in only because he's the U.S.'s boy. As well, of the Jan elections in Iraq - which is a stretch to believe will happen - how can any Iraqi trust democratic elections provided the trouble we have with the same process here at home?