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The Election Crisis What a mess. Two candidates no one wanted in the first place are now locked in a dispute over votes that promises to invalidate the 2000 presidential election and perhaps the entire illusion of fair elections in the United States. Whichever candidate ultimately assumes office-supposing that one of them eventually does-will forever be seen by a majority of Americans as an illegitimate president. Was this political disaster caused by simple incompetence, by an exceptionally poorly designed ballot or by a last-ditch effort by the Bush campaign -- his brother Jeb is Governor of Florida -- to fix an election he was losing? The problem with blaming Bush is that if his campaign fixed this election they certainly did an extremely sloppy job of it that does Bush maximum harm before he's even inaugurated. The Bush dynasty loses almost as much status by winning in this way as if G.W. had clearly lost to Gore. If your goal is to destabilize the present system in this country and institute a coup, martial law or something else even more drastic this could be a very effective first step. As demonstrations erupt across the nation, recounts spread to other states and elected officials begin to publicly choose sides things are likely to get much more chaotic and devisive. There is one person who stands to immediately benefit from this morass and that is President Clinton who has made it clear he'd have liked a third term. If the election result is not resolved by January, Clinton may remain as President indefinitely. The Presidential orders he has signed for FEMA and other contingency plans which involve a suspension of the Constitution could go into effect for seemingly legitimate reasons. No Constitutional crisis? Get ready for a bumpy New Year. Robert Lederman
The Bush campaign acknowledges that Gore won the popular vote. As of tonight, the margin of victory for Bush in Florida stands at only 250 votes. No reasonable observer can argue that the flawed ballot in Palm Beach County Florida did not throw at least a couple thousand votes away that were intended for Gore. So, where does this leave us? If Florida is awarded to Bush, and he takes the presidency, we will have a President who did not win the majority of votes cast. This alone will throw a tremendous cloud over his entire term. Moreover, the sense that this election was "stolen" will poison the nation into the foreseeable future. For the first time since the Civil War, half the nation will not acknowledge the President as the legitimate executive authority in the United States. When people do not recognize authority as legitimate, they very often defy that authority. This divide will give rise to all sorts of mischief in the ensuing years. Our Constitutional Republic will be sorely challenged and at the risk of being overly dramatic, might not survive. A house divided against itself cannot stand. I did NOT vote for Gore, but he is the legitimate successor to President Clinton. The only honorable course of action for Bush is to concede the election predicated upon the popular vote count and the acknowledged vote irregularities in Florida. If he does this, Bush would be well positioned to win the next Presidential Election as he will have demonstrated a maturity, integrity and obedience to the principles of our republic that we deserve in a President. Ray Goforth
In discussing the errors made by networks in declaring victories, Dan Rather from CBS News stated that (polling) was a science and that as with any science, mistakes are made. It seems to me that broadcast media especially is getting involved with "sciences" quite often. Mr. Rather even said that he thought (media) would make few mistakes in the future. That's not reassuring. I would much prefer that entities that I turn to for information stick to truths, which is not a science. It's an absolute. Propaganda is a science. Is the current state of journalism a reflection of the current state of politics, or is it vice-versa? Has journalism drifted toward propaganda in proportion to how our constitutional republic has drifted to democracy? I'm becoming quite weary of a whim being the rule rather than the rule being the rule. And now, at this moment on this Saturday afternoon, CNN is airing the official explanation of the manual counting procedure to be used in the hand count of ballots. What we're being told by this government official is how each ballot will be interpreted. Again, a science is being used. And as Mr. Rather stated, there can be mistakes in science. I heard Pat Buchanan say that when we have an election, it's a snapshot of our positions. I tend to agree. Any additional exposure will surely only distort the picture. Maybe you don't realize how scary this all looks to an average citizen who has a clear understanding of the history of 1930's Germany, and how that political landscape changed to the great detriment of the world while the vast majority of all those involved thought good was being done. What was it that blinded them? Why was it that only with history could they see? Shrug me off as you will, although I'd prefer you not wait for history. R. L. Root Voter Endorsements It is now, and rather suddenly, a commonplace that Ralph Nader is a "spoiler." But he may be guilty of something far more serious. He can be fairly accused of wanting to debate (gasp!) real issues: embargoes, increasing income disparities, real health care reform, the yawn-inducing scandal of soft dollar campaign financing, the list goes on. In more innocent times, candidates' views on such matters would have been exposed for public examination. It is useful to be reminded why this no longer occurs. The original sponsor of our presidential debates was the League of Women Voters. In 1988 they withdrew from this effort to promote meaningful public dialogue. Here is what the League of Women Voters said at the time: The league is withdrawing its sponsorship of the presidential debates because the demands of the two campaign organizations [the D an R National Committees] would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter. The candidates' organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and answers to tough questions. The League of Women Voters has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public. The result is the depressing, mind numbingly dull charade of the current season.
Irene Custer (Chicago)
After every election more and more libertarians put bumper stickers on their cars: "Don't Blame Us -- We Voted Libertarian." Will this be the year that enough people vote for the Party of Principle and realize that voting for the lesser of two evils will guarantee the same politics of favoritism, corruption, and waste as usual?
Dagny Sharon (Tustin, California)
However, The Kingdom Of God is beginning to like Bush's tax plan. The best way to keep the politicians in Washington from spending the peoples' money is to not let them have it in the first place. Secondly, we're not Christians, we're Spiritists. We are doing the Work we are doing because we are friends with Lord Peter who now rules Heaven, and owe him many favors. What we are is internationally known psychics, well known for the accuracy and clarity of the information we give. For the last year we have been working with the Spirit of John Lennon, formerly of The Beatles. He has channeled over 30 songs to us, to help with The Cause that we are fighting, and experts around the world have said that this is undoubtedly his music. Having told you these things, we will tell you the most important thing that we have to say. Jesus has abandoned mankind, and left Earth. He has clearly stated that if Al Gore and Hillary Clinton are elected to the offices they seek, He will never return, and mankind will slowly perish, as the Earth dies.
Speakers Gerald & Linda Polley (Fargo, ND)
I just a message on my voice mail informing me that I had just been nominated to serve on the Republican Presidential Committee. Would I please call 877-819-3228 immediately? When I called and asked who had nominated me, the woman who took the call told me that the nomination had come from the Republican Congressional Committee. And I didn't even know those guys even knew that I was alive. "So who on the committee nominated me?" I wondered. The woman wasn't sure. She did know that the committee thought it would be invaluable if a key business leader like myself would lend his name and agree to serve. "You know I never thought of myself as a key business leader," I said. "Well that's the way we think of you here." Wow. She explained that there would be no time commitment, so exactly what that service might entail was a little vague. But there would be a press release, announcing my appointment to my local paper. And agreeing to serve would give me a chance to meet key Republicans like the Speaker of the House, "perhaps even Governor Bush," and give them my thoughts. So I'd have access to them on the issues that concerned my business. They'd also appreciate it if I could contribute from $300 to $500. "But if I can't come up with a contribution just now, I can still lend my name to the cause and be on the committee and meet Governor Bush, right?" "No." No amplification, just a flat no. "So my name won't help you without the money?" "We need your name AND the money." "But without the money you won't use my name." "Are you a Democrat?" she asked suspicously. "Would the Republican Congressional Committee nominate a Democrat to serve on the Republican Presidential Committee?" That's when she hung up. I'm not sure how that might effect my status on the committee. I expect I'll hear from Governor Bush himself in the next couple of days. We key business leaders shouldn't be wasting our time dealing with subordinates anyway.
Barry Maher Never Say Die Could you forward any informaiton you have on the Clinton use of drugs during the Govnorship in Arkansas? Plus Al Gore's useage question while in the Congress.
Patrick Scott I just received a copy of the incredible and wonderful article written by Toby Rogers and Nick Mamatas. Why isn't, at least, the Bush-Nazi connection, common knowledge? Of course, having just read the article I can answer my own question. Or why hasn't this article been used as a pamphlet to be handed out wherever a Democrat or Liberal is running? At least then it might have had a larger audience. The authors may have to delete the first couple of paragraphs but it is the remainder that shoves in the knife. I will send this to everyone on my address book but basically I am "preaching to the choir." By the way, thanks for the information on Nat Hentoff. I don't pick up the Village Voice that often now but he sure was a good reporter. After reading about his approval of the burning of Hatfield's book and the stupidity of his ideas, I shall never bother reading anything of his again.
"Victoria Roy" I was reading your article, "Who Is George W. Bush?" and was fascinated about the section about Prescott Bush financing Adolpf Hitler. Is this true? Please respond ASAP. If this is true, it could influence my decision on which candidate to vote for.
Colleen Locke Any truth to background on G.W. Bush family linked with Nazi business interests?
"M" Your online newspaper strikes me as very controversial. I first became familiar with it after receiving a mass e-mail on the internet which quoted your paper's "Who is George W. Bush?" article. I was just wondering if the allegations are true that Prescott Bush, the grandfather of George W. Bush, helped finance Adolf Hitler from the Wall Street bank, Union Banking Corporation? Is this information true? Did it come from reliable sources? It seems bizarre to me that the mainstream media has not picked up on this. Does your paper run false stories? I have tried to get comment from the Bush campaign, but they have all said they don't know about it and haven't responded after I gave them your webpage to look at. Did you contact the Bush campaign to get their response?
Jon Cain With 20 footnotes, the Rogers/Mamatas article is remarkably well documented and credible. Our article has been available to the Internet at large since January 30, and the reprint of the controversial book with this intro has been available for almost a year, so it's difficult that no one on the Governor's team knew about these well-documented allegations. -- Editor Middle East Arab World Faces Revolt The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Biased , ignorant and political illiterate people should not write unless they know the facts lest they become agents of evil. I challenge you to accept an article from me which will document the Goebbels-like material flowing from the poison pen of Ian Urbina. (Alexander Chockburn is a separate case. He is a self confessed unrepentant Stalinist who defended the butchery of millions in Russia by the GPU). What Urbina tries to covers up: The Palestinians in Israel have the highest standard of living in the Arab World. The freest Arab press, outside of London, is in Israel. Palestinians are not kept by force to live in Israel. They do not flee to the land controlled by the Palestine Authority or any other Arab nation. The Syrians butchered 20,000 Arabs in Hama. Algeria is one massive killing field. Afghanistan is a gigantic mortuary. Democracy is being strangled in Iran. Poison gas has been used by the Egyptians and Iraqi on fellow Arabs. But Urbina and you are as silent as a grave. Urbina is too cowardly and intellectually bankrupt to give a balanaced report on the true current situation and you have no sense of shame. Every flyspeck on Israel's escutcheon is magnified a thousand times. Israel has been under siege for over 50 years by the Arab dictators and the Stalinst Empire with the help of fascists. Yet Israel survives and prospers in spite of the forces of evil and reactionaries like you. I have written a large article documenting the above and much more. Will you run it without censorship ?
Harry Stillman Last Chance to do Something About Global Warming A United Nations-sponsored panel of scientists says global warming is more serious than previously predicted, and the primary cause is industrial pollution. It doesn't take a climate scientist to understand that, if we want to avoid an 11 degree Farenheit raise in Earth's surface temperature by the end of this century, preventative steps must be taken now. President Clinton will be attending the Climate Summit at The Hague, starting on November 13, to discuss climate changes in the 21st century. This is his chance to emerge from office with a reputation as the Environment President. He must immediately draft tighter legislation for all industries, reducing greenhouse emissions. Because this is a problem not just for the United States, but for the entire world, he must also propose legislation to the United Nations for reduction of all industrial emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases,worldwide. We can not afford to wait! Casey Robbins Billions Stolen From Indian Trust Fund I find it appalling that this can happen in this day and age. Being a Virginia Monocan Indian trying to be Federally recognized and being told no we can't because the state is afraid we will open a gambling casino, what a laugh. We can't be federally recognized but the government can keep our legitimate money and not tell us or give it to the ones that need it. What kind of Democracy is that?What really bothers me in all of this, is that we Native Americans do not ask for governement monies to pay back for all the wrongs we suffered, unlike the Jews and Afro Americans, all we ask is that we be given back what is rightfully ours to begin with. Thank you for listening. Mrs. Jane Curry Cocaine Exposure Doesn't Harm Infants, Study Says I skimmed through your article and was dismayed what your studies concluded. Our adopted cocaine exposed son was placed with us at 15 days old. He has been raised with the same discipline, expectations and love that our 3 birth children were, yet he is the only one that shows physical aggression to peers, lack of respect to adults, lack of organizational skills and lack of peer interaction. You explain how this child is so different from our others and so like the other cocaine exposed children I know and love if it isn't due to the exposure before birth to cocaine. Lori Switzer That article contains a prominent link to another story in the same issue, where it was reported that cocaine exposure irrepairably harms infants. We published them as a pair because both studies appear to be well performed, yet came to exactly opposite conclusions. More From Non-news Sources, Please I'm pretty disappointed in the content of your site. I just ran searches on AIDS, vaccinations, and a couple more topics I research a lot and found that you really don't have anything I can't find in the Dallas Morning News. You're about a dozen years behind the times in AIDS reporting, for example. Why not go onto some of the "dissident" sites and find out what's really going on rather than keep reporting the same old pap the government news sources are dishing out. But the Eric S. Margolis article on gas prices is great! I'm surprised that everyone has overlooked the obvious -- that our sins are coming back to haunt us.
Gene Franks (Denton, Texas) Arctic Drilling One of the most reckless ideas being proposed to deal with the current spike in gas and home heating oil prices is to let multinational oil corporations drill in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 95 percent of Alaska's oil rich North Slope is already available for current or future exploration. Drilling the last 5 percent -- the only protected portion of America's Arctic coastline -- would be like damming the Grand Canyon for hydropower or tapping Yellowstone's Old Faithful for geothermal energy. While America does need a more aggresive energy policy, drilling the Arctic Refuge would do nothing to lessen our dependence on oil imports or reduce prices at the pump. With less than 3 percent of the world's oil reserves, Ameica would be import more than half its oil even if we plundered every national park, wildlife refuge, and coastline. Besides, prices are set by global supply and demand factors, not imports. When Alaska's giant Prudhoe Bay oil field came on-line in 1977, average U.S. oil prices actually doubled within four years. Let's hope that our political leaders think of future generations (and listen to this one) when they vote on this issue.
Adam Kolton (Alaska Wilderness League) Sweatshop Help |