Posted by Jim on December 22, 2000 at 23:11:46:
In Reply to: Re: Fair is fair, I guess,too... posted by Peter the blacksmith on December 22, 2000 at 20:06:08:
Peter,
All are give the opportunity to register for the vote. Some do, some don't. Some try, but fail for various reaons (can't read the paperwork, can't remember their name, can't follow the simple directions on the form, etc.....). Those who register are given the chance to cast a ballot. Some do, some don't. Some try, but fail for various reasons (car breaks down on the way to the polling place, go to wrong polling place, too stupid to find polling place, etc....). Those who cast ballots correctly, get counted as a vote. Some ballots are executed properly, some aren't. Some people try to, but fail for various reasons (too stupid to follow simple directions, too prideful to ask for help from election officials, etc....).
All registered voters who properly executed a ballot got counted as a vote. All votes were counted (again, and again, and again). Bush won (again, and again, and again). Those who failed to cast their ballots properly were not counted, they are not "disenfranchised;" they simply didn't cast valid ballots.... they simply didn't VOTE.
And, by the way, the number of improperly cast ballots in this election was NOT abnormal. In fact, it was statistically less than in previous elections.
The election went exactly as it should have. It was close. So close, in fact, that many of the procedures and rules were questioned by various parties and in various forums (like the courts, the legislature, the media, etc....) as they well should have been, and as our system allows. The bottom line is that the system worked. Once again, the world's most powerful nation will undergoe a peaceful transition of power.
Situation normal. Time marches on.
KTRSD
-Jim