The 2000 election dispute began for good reason. There was an uncertainty of the number of votes due to failing machines; under, over, and double votes; and a ballot that looked like Tic-Tac-Toe. In addition, there were other complaints coming from the African American community which testified that many people were turned away at the polls and denied their votes. Should Al Gore have simply walked away? Do you count your money when a banker hands you a withdrawal? I should hope so. What if at first glance something doesn’t add up right, do you just place the money in your wallet and walk away? Highly doubtful. I doubt Dick Cheney would walk away from the table without counting his Halliburton profits. It was quite evident Al Gore had reasonable cause to question the suspicious activity in what would become the most contro­versial election in presidential history.

There were three main factors why Gore did not win the Electoral College due to a stalled count of the popular vote. The first was due to the chief election officer, Secretary of State Katherine Harris, who put up a bureaucratic wall and aided Bush in his appeals. Harris is a known Republican with close ties to George W. Bush’s brother Jeb. She is the one who allowed the butterfly ballots, and also the one who certified the official votes of Florida. Incidentally, Harris was also the head of the Bush campaign in Florida.

The second factor was the state legislature that certified the electors was dominated by conservative Republicans. In addition, many state employees appointed by Jeb Bush had ultimate control over voting districts and regulations, as well as other entire departments. For instance, the Florida Department of State paid the Boca Raton company Database Technologies Inc. a $4 million contract to seek out improperly registered voters. Instead of doing what they were supposed to do— finding improperly registered voters— they made registered voters in certain African American counties not eligible. The result was a jumbled up state database and the disenfranchisement of thousands of African Americans in Florida. Coincidentally, the parent company of Database Technologies Inc. is Choice Point, a company whose CEO donated over $100,000 to the Republican Party only a couple of years earlier.

The final factor was the five Federal Supreme Court judges who basically ignored the law for this one particular election.[i] With overwhelming evidence, Judges Scalia, O’Connor, and Thomas have close ties to Bush and Vice President Cheney, and Judges Kennedy and the late Justice Rehnquist have had radically conservative pasts. Scalia’s two sons just happened to be employed by the Bush campaign. One of Scalia’s sons would later be appointed to the Labor Department by Bush.(iii) It also doesn’t help that Judge Scalia is good friends with Dick Cheney; they’ve been spotted together in restaurants as well as on the infamous duck hunting trip in 2004. Thomas’s wife also worked for the Bush camp reviewing resumes for Bush appointees. Even without hunting trips with Dick Cheney, family ties, and all of the other odd “coincidences” as the Republicans have called them, speed is still not more important than justice in a democratic presidential election.

 [ send green star]

When Bush claimed victory the next day, Gore contested the new results. The Gore campaign requested a recount of 4 counties (four Democratic counties), which all reported widespread voting problems. Out of Florida’s 6,157,738 ballots, over 175,000 were under/over votes, and another 100,000 ballots were rejected due to malfunctioning voting machines. 27,000 votes in Duval County alone were thrown in the garbage. According to The Washington Post, at 10:00 p.m. on election night, Al Gore was leading Bush in Volusia County by 83,000 to 62,000 votes. One-half hour later, Gore’s vote total had been reduced by 16,000 to 67,000 and an obscure Socialist candidate saw a sudden surge to 10,000 votes in a precinct with only 600 voters. These numbers of lost votes don’t even include the thousands of Democratic voters who were denied their right to vote because of registration purging or alteration and intimidation.

In the midst of the debacle, Gore said in a speech to supporters,

“This is America. When votes are cast, we count them. We don't arbitrarily set them aside because it's too difficult to count them. In the end, in one of God's unforeseen paths, this election may point us all to a new common ground, for its very closeness can serve to remind us that we are one people, with a shared history and a shared destiny. So this extraordinary moment should summon all of us to become what we profess to be: one indivisible nation. Let us pledge ourselves to the ideal that the people's will should be heard and heeded, and then, together, let us find what is best in ourselves and seek what is best for America.”

Unfortunately, due to corruption the votes were not counted and America did not get what was best. [excerpts from Broken Nation, 2006]

 [ send green star]

Wasn't there a list of Felons from Texas that were used in Florida too?  If the name matched or in some cases even similar, they were not allowed to vote.  I recall hearing this or reading about it.  I don't want to start a rumor, there's enough hard evidence!  But i'm curious if anyone else know the truth to this.

In Oregon we have vote by mail and we handwrite the ballots.  I will oppose any electronic voting machines.  I believe Barbara Boxer is leading the charge against them in Cali too!

I do wish Gore had fought more.  Are his reasons addressed more in Broken Nation? 

 [ send green star]

Katherine Harris had several plans of action in place before the election even began. First Harris removed all ex-convicts from the database of eligible voters for 2000 based on an old confederate state law.[i]  The only problem was they didn’t just delete ex-convicts; they also deleted all names that were similar to the names of the ex-convicts. For example, if the ex-convict’s name was Jerome Tyson, every Tyson in the state had a problem when they went to vote. It just so happens that most of the deleted names were African American and therefore most of the other unrelated names were also African American. Racism at its worst here in the 21^st century of America.

 ...In addition, many state employees appointed by Jeb Bush had ultimate control over voting districts and regulations, as well as other entire departments. For instance, the Florida Department of State paid the Boca Raton company Database Technologies Inc. a $4 million contract to seek out improperly registered voters. Instead of doing what they were supposed to do— finding improperly registered voters— they made registered voters in certain African American counties not eligible. The result was a jumbled up state database and the disenfranchisement of thousands of African Americans in Florida. Coincidentally, the parent company of Database Technologies Inc. is Choice Point, a company whose CEO donated over $100,000 to the Republican Party only a couple of years earlier.

 [ send green star]

Great ballot system there in Oregon. Everyone should adopt this. This is something I'd like to research more and perhaps create a petition for other states to model their systems on Oregon's successful process.

NY is currently being sued for not updating to electronic machines.

 [ send green star]

I had an interesting conversation with a Dem who I consider very middle of the road.  It’s his belief that to compete with the Neocon spin machine, we need to turn up the heat like they have.  It’s why they’re winning and we need to fight fire with fire! 

 Immediately, I said I can’t stand behind a “Swiftboat” type campaign.  I’m not going to play dirty just because the other side is.  BUT, the other side has given us so much fodder, evil techniques shouldn’t be necessary anyway.   And here we have it…  “the South resurrected an OLD CONFEDERATE STATE LAW!!!”  Surely, there’s a talent on the Democratic side to turn THAT into a commercial for us.  I think I could write it myself!!  Ha ha…  That alone should appeal to ALL Americans, particularly those interested in civil rights!!!

  Portugal won against The Netherlands today for world cup!!   What a rough game though...WOW!  Looking fwd to England V Portugal

 [ send green star]

This voting machine issue is just RIDICULOUS.  We’re a nation of computer GEEKS who know how easy it is to manipulate computers/data, where’s the controversy?  Why is this so difficult to combat???  All of a sudden, it’s on the news that another state is installing E-machines.   My guess is that Portland would riot if they even tried it here!   (Anyone remember WTO in Seattle?)

If ALL the Dems boycotted an election would they have to redo it addressing the issue?  Or would the R-Pubs win and they’d get what they want anyway???

 [ send green star]

William, yes that was disgusting: "...they needed one senator to sign the petition and no one would. Perhpas we should give some of the blame to those U.S. senators, of both parties. " Amen!

I don't think we need to Swift Boat anyone - the Truth should be enough to bury them!!!!

 [ send green star]

Correction though, The Bush Co. has been "fixing" the voting machines since 1996 when Jeb Bush took Florida, which then enabled his brother to take the white house. If you recall Jeb was previously demolished at the polls when he ran for governor the first time. In 96 they used electronic voting machines for the first time and what do you know, Jeb wins!

We seriosuly need to do something about the voting machines. Writing and calling your representative sand senators is a start. Anyone see any petitions going around about election reform? We may have to start our own!

 [ send green star]

Holy Cow!  How is that "bit" about Jeb in '96 not common knowledge?  I've never heard that before and I TRY to stay up on this stuff...

Seriously, how do we get our media back?  That seems to be the key to everything.  If our citizens don’t even KNOW about the fraud and abuse going on, how are we to convince them to stand up and make changes?

On the Thom Hartmann Show on AirAmerica they were discussing this topic.  And I believe it was in San Diego, a Republican lost an election according to the initial results to a politician who was expected to come in like 10^th.  At the recount that the repub demanded, he actually won overwhelmingly!!  Best yet, the “winning” supporters had this guy quickly sworn in and they are using the same argument that Bush used (saying its now a precedent) that it would cause him “irreparable harm if the office were to be taken from him”!!! 

The speaker this morning was saying we need to SEIZE this example to push this issue.  If we wait for November and then cry FOUL if the same nonsense happens, the Neocons will accuse Demos of “crying over spilt milk”.  But if we use this Repub example, our point will be clearer…  

Wish I knew the city for sure, and best yet, the names involved… Anyone know???

 [ send green star]