Not only do our current leaders not amount to much, but it looks like you can't rely on the judiciary, either. The Supreme Court says if you steal an election and don't get caught right away, you get to keep it. Are these the successors to the justices who brought about the civil rights revolution in the sixties?
This time I must agree that nothing would have been lost and probably much gained in terms of American confidence had the Supreme Court allowed the recount to continue. But as the resident Pollyanna, trying to look on the bright side, (it must be the Christmas season) I hope that the Court's decision puts one more nail in the coffin of the electoral college.
I personally don't buy the argument that the states with lower populations will be ignored if we go to a true popular vote. If anything, the Florida Follies point out how important every vote is. Do you have an opinion on this, Earl, coming from one of our less populated states?
By the way, somewhere in the dim memory of my education I seem to remember the original justification for the electoral college being a lack of trust in the voters as much as the idea of equalizing representation in the electoral process.
Cheers,
There was a major mess, largely created in Florida, but just imagine that pretty much the same sort of thing would have happened in any state where the count was so low. I blame the federal court for "not" fixing that mess, but I'd go easy on the personnel of the court - they had little to go on.
Let's go with PollyAnna for awhile, John. After all there was a number of law professors from NYU who urged the same thing. Besides, Christmas is close. After then, well it's a new day.
I agree with all of you who have posted comments on the Supremes and the Florida mess. Perry, you are right about trying to let this go and enjoy Christmas and get on to a new day. But something is sticking in my gut. Some political science I took in college, along with planning In this country, we are supposed to have three branches of government ----Legislative, Executive and Judicial, which keep each other honest. Checks and balances.
As this came down the stretch, my hope was that the U.S. Supreme Court would either stay out of it, as something best left to the State of Florida, or else do something profound ----a solution of non-partisan, and enlightened leadership. But they did not, in my humble opinion.
They caved in to politics and wrote a hotly debated majority opinion which seemed much more political than judicial.
Even if the result had been the same, I would have slept better at night if the Supremes had done their job in a professional manner.
But they did not.
Now I am fearful that there is no lofty branch of government and no real checks and balances.
But maybe everyone will wise up and do their job once this matter settles down.
We need leaders and judges who love this country and the ideals upon which it was founded.
Again, all this is in my humble opinion.
Have a wonderful Christmas everyone.
And together, we will all have a good 2001. My dream of the Cubs in the World Series may also come true.
Earl in Barrow
