Postponing US election?

[TimT]

Lower Manhattin was shut down for several days after the WTC attack, and IIRC Power and water were out in places for a couple weeks.

I dont generally opt in to these threads... but lower Manhattan was no mans land for awhile

[RoninLB]

If they attack and Kerry wins they will be considered winners. Then the embedded ones will be empowered.

[dd74]

If there was a contingency plan, absentee voting would be the way to do it, just as 350 HP says. Otherwise, how can every polling booth in the country be protected, along with everything else?

See? It just doesn't make sense to postpone voting. Interestingly enough, from all news accounts I've seen today, the Republicans are leaning toward a possible postponing while the Democrats are saying no postponing.

I don't know. Something about this talk of postponing the election seems fishy. I thought at first they'd pull an Osama out of their hat before the election. Now, with not being able to find Osama or resolve Iraq, it seems as if they'll simply settle for pulling the election.

Talk about conceding before the fight even begins.

[techweenie]

dd: plenty of time left to pull OBL out of a hat.

The recent California election proved that breaking story developments and slime attacks a day or two before eledction day prevent the 'other side' from responding.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by techweenie
dd: plenty of time left to pull OBL out of a hat.

I gotta figure something will happen to swing the independants. Both sides know this.

[350HP930]

The felon list used to scrub florida's voter list has been discovered to be so erronious this time around after the press has won its court battle to investigate who's on it that it has been abandoned.

Between this and some states rejection of the diebold EVMs perhaps the bush camp is just getting worried that they can't steal another election by basic vote fraud and disenfranchisement alone.

[mikester]

I'm not saying that they are GOING to postpone it at all, in fact I'm for a contingency plan but I think it would have to be extreme infrustructure damage throughout the nation to hold up the election completely. If something bad happened an entire state was unable to pull it together THEN I could see giving them a few days.

[RoninLB]

just watched some TV.. no fed action is expected. It's a kinda state issue as 9/11 & NYC elections led to big thinking about the issue. For sure the whole elec won't be delayed.

the only thing left that's interesting about this elec is how do you sell to the swing 20%.. the decidies yes/no details has become all minor details in the results imo.

[dd74]

In December of '03, 33% of Americans believed they were less safe from terrorism since the beginning of the Iraq war.

Now 55% of Americans feel they're less safe since the war began.

Hmmm...talk about serving up a hanging curve for the Presidential challenger...

[osidak]

I am more than right leaning when it comes to politics but if the election where suspended or delayed I would vote Kerry (god can't believe I just wrote that)

[Moneyguy1]

As one pundit said:

"If there IS another massive attack, it would simply prove that the administration was NOT doing its job".

Just quoting, not advocating

[kach22i]

Originally posted by 350HP930
The felon list used to scrub florida's voter list has been discovered to be so erronious this time around after the press has won its court battle to investigate who's on it that it has been abandoned..

Wow, guess I have been busy, I did not know this happened. Gore will win Florida for sure...........oops I mean Kerry will win Florida for sure.

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/07/11/State/Florida_scraps_felon_.shtml
Nine days after making the names of more than 47,000 potential felon voters public, state officials have scrapped the entire list, saying it was too flawed to be trusted.

[RoninLB]

the vote buying action is routine in big cities. The Dems do a great job in the NE & Chicago. Does anybody know what a vote is worth in Fla? I bet Chicago pays more, they're pros up there.

[Superman]

I don't think Al queda is looking to place Dubya in a bad light, so I do not think there will be anything from them to sway voters toward Kerry. Dubya is a dream come true for those who hate America and who want to spread that hatred throughout the Middle East and improve Al Queda recruitment. Dubya has done more to promote anti-American sentiment than Bin Laden could ever do.

I asked for research cites before, but here goes again. It is my understanding that low voter turnout plays well for conservative candidates, and high voter turnout plays well for liberal candidates. Anybody care to show me research that either disputes or supports that assertion?

[kach22i]

Originally posted by Superman
I don't think Al queda is looking to place Dubya in a bad light,

That struck me too. Then I thought of the other tatics being used by the bushies (like the whole gay marriage topic) designed to divide people on a single issue. You are either with us or against us, oh my.

Think of what the very question of postponing the election arouses. It more or less states that we are more secure and stable without democracy, and keeping the bushies in power is a good thing. WTF!

Just great, the USA will be laughed at as a 3rd world dictatorship in which elections are stolen, and elections postponed. Bush already dresses up like a military leader when given the chance, Kadifie and Castro come to mind.

[john70t]

I can't wait for all-electronic voting booths. They'll be sooo much simpler.

[techweenie]

kach22i: "Just great, the USA will be laughed at as a 3rd world dictatorship in which elections are stolen..."

WILL be?!

[gr8fl4porsche]

Originally posted by kach22i
Then I thought of the other tatics being used by the bushies (like the whole gay marriage topic) designed to divide people on a single issue.

Massachuchets Supreme Court allows and recognizes same sex marriage.

San Francisco court clerks issue same sex marriage licenses.


Which part of this issue was "designed by the bushies"

This issue was designed and brought into the public eye by those interested in legalizing same sex marriage. Further discussion by the White House, Congress and the Supreme Court has to be debated since all states have to recognize that:

(per the US Constitution)

Article IV

Section 1. Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof.


Section 2. The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states.


This dividing issue is very important to the American people - not just the bushies. I do not have an opinion on same sex marriage but I do feel the Constitution is worth discussing - even if it is used as a political platform.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by john70t
I can't wait for all-electronic voting booths. They'll be sooo much simpler.

Try this:
http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82%257E1865%257E2266239,00.html

Soaries also has shown interest in a California requirement called "parallel monitoring." State officials will pull a few touchscreen machines off-line in every county and run a behind-the-scenes election, casting carefully scripted votes under the eye of a video camera, then examine the results to be sure that at least a random sample of the machines are recording ballots accurately. ...............................Parallel monitoring doesn't rule out e-vote tampering or software bugs entirely. But it could deter some forms of tampering and detect some of them on or soon after Election Day.

Soaries suggests those and other measures will build confidence in the November elections.

Remarks:

1. No secret ballot (see above quote), we have a video of how you voted.

2. No true way to check accuracy/accountiblity of electronic voting machine (read whole article).

3. No reason to worry because the real goal is to "build confidence" in the flawed/rigged system.

Under these circumstances, I would feel better with anyone short of Castro snooping around to keep things on the level. I don't trust the election system so much anymore after what happened in 2000. Do you? Do you really?

[kach22i]

Originally posted by gr8fl4porsche
Which part of this issue was "designed by the bushies"

Let's see, Rove Inc. finds a topical issue from Kerry's state as soon as he clinches the nomination. Hey who said timing is everything?

The issue becomes larger than life, after being the last thing on everyones mind since 9/11/2001.

Suddenly its not good enough to stack the supreme court with conservative judges, we have to change the constitution...................not in the name of helping people, or in the pursuit of personal liberties.......but in the unjust cause of supressing a minority. Dang, that just makes me so proud to be an American, that I am at a loss of words right now.