Presidential Death Wish? Who are the last people in the world an intelligent politician would disenfranchise? By: Vindictive | 27November2000

Three weeks ago, had someone put a gun to my head and forced me to choose between two evils -- the not-so-slimy, dim bulb George W. Bush; or the more slimy, brighter Al Gore -- I probably would have chosen Gore. It seemed to me, as dangerous as the world is, that it would be slightly better to have a capable person in office, even if I wouldn't trust the bastard to drop a cash deposit off at the bank for me. (On the other hand, a moron wouldn't have gotten so far unless he knew to surround himself with intelligent people. ) Or I might have flipped a coin.

Then election day finally came. The people who could stomach doing so cast their lots. The race was so close, it quickly became apparent that the process of counting votes is embarrassingly sloppy. The ballot-counting machines had a margin of error greater than the difference in counts between the candidates. Hand counting could be influenced by the political interests of those doing the counting.

When it became apparent that there was going to be a problem determining an accurate tally of votes, which of the two major party candidates attempted to initiate talks with the other, to find some kind of universal standard they would both support for counting all votes as accurately as possible?

Gore did...but only if the entire state of Florida was recounted by hand.

Republican protesters bussed in from other parts of the country have now successfully intimidated the Miami-Dade county canvassing board into giving up on a hand recount of their ballots.

George W. Bush and Al Gore are both guilty of being more interested in doing whatever is necessary to gain power than they are interested in determining what the voters actually decided. Nearly three weeks after the election, both political parties are still trying to influence the ultimate outcome by deciding whose votes should not be counted, i.e., by selectively disenfranchising citizens. We will never know exactly how many votes any presidential candidate actually would have received if every qualified citizen had his/her choices recorded properly. Furthermore, neither candidate feels it is in his best interest for us to find out.

I have decided, however, that had I been forced to choose between the two major party candidates on November 7th, and if I had made my choice on the basis of intelligence, I would probably have chosen incorrectly.

On November 15th, a Tallahassee attorney named Mark Herron -- one of those helping the Democrats with their post-election lawsuits -- sent a five-page memo to other Democratic attorneys in Florida. It contained tips on how to lodge official protests against overseas military absentee ballots, in order to have them disqualified on any technicality possible, real or imaginary.

Armed with this information, Democratic lawyers and operatives went though computer printouts of servicepeople who had voted in the past, matching names with party affiliation, so they would know which ballots to scrutinize. As a result, over 40 percent of these military absentee ballots were disqualified. Since only Republican-affiliated ballots were reviewed, it is safe to assume that all of the ballots tossed out came from voters who had voted for Republicans in the past.

When that news got out, the Democrats had a bit of a public relations problem, so they sent vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman -- Doctor Jekyl to Gore's Mister Hyde, the theoretically principled one that balances the dirtbag -- to do the Sunday talk-shows. On NBC's Meet the Press, the trained monkey said "The vice president and I would not tolerate a campaign that was aimed specifically at invalidating ballots from members of our armed services..." Lieberman said he wasn't aware of a Democratic strategy to protest overseas absentee ballots. When asked about Herron's memo, Lieberman responded that it wasn't intended to be focused on military personnel.

Perhaps not, if we ignore references in the memo to 'Armed Forces', 'Army Post Office', 'Fleet Post Office' and 'Military Post Office'. If he "would not tolerate" these actions, he would have been talking to Democratic operatives in Florida, not to talk show hosts. In other words, Joseph Lieberman is a liar!

Don't let that upset you too much. Being a liar is a prerequisite of running for national office.

Would George W. Bush's campaign have tried to disenfranchise citizens who also happen to be active duty military, if the military vote traditionally favored Democratic candidates? Possibly, but only if ex-POW John McCain left the country without a forwarding address.

The Democrats had already proved themselves hostile to the voting rights of soldiers. Last year, under the leadership of a Democratic president, the Defense Department issued a directive to all military commanders. It stated that no DOD facility could be used as a polling place, even though some had been used for that purpose for decades. In spite of the fact that there is no history of American voters being intimidated by people in uniform, and all 50 states ban electioneering near polls, the stated reason behind the directive was that it was supposed to prevent intimidation of voters by military authorities. Congress heard about this directive and passed a bill in July to prohibit DOD from closing any polling places during the current election season. Without that bill, servicepersons stationed on remote bases in the Alaska tundra or the Utah desert would probably have been unable to vote at all. A bill has been introduced that would permanently bar the Pentagon from closing polling places on military bases, but the Clinton administration is opposing it and is stealthily attempting to bury it during the lame-duck session.

As a person with opinions that usually fall between libertarian and anarchist, I have long believed that if I could skin nearly any politician, I would find a dictator underneath. It has been sad, but entertaining to watch the unmasking of George W. Bush and Al Gore from pre-election sweet, citizen-loving, supporters of fairness and democracy into their truer natures.

Two major characteristics separate servicepeople from most civilians: (1) They know how to follow orders, and (2) They are trained to use weapons to defend democracy from dictators. Al Gore is the presidential candidate of the party that has succeeded in disenfranchising thousands of overseas military voters. He has done nothing to stop it. Either he does not realize the possible consequences of allowing this to happen (i.e., he is an idiot) or the man has a death wish. Gawd help him if he becomes president and just one soldier momentarily forgets the importance of following orders.

If George worked at it, he could prove himself to be more moronic than Al. First, he would have to take away the voting rights of the Secret Service...

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), November 28, 2000

Answers

Well, clearly AG doesn't understand the application of force. Sheesh this guy was OUT THERE in the FIELD, and forgets that, by pissing these guys off, he has pissed off the folks with the REAL GUNS!!

You or I may quietly be cleaning and oiling our AK-s or our M-1's or Glocks, but THESE guys are quietly oiling their . . . . . . . . FA- 18's or Bradley Fighting Vehicles or, or BATTLESHIPS!!!

SHEESH!

NT

-- night train (nighttr@in.lane), November 29, 2000.

If a shooting war started over this mess, I wonder which side the military would be on?

-- Ooops (Ooops@slipofthetongue.com), November 29, 2000.

Not really knowing who is more intelligent, Bush or Gore, I chose based on what they're policies were..BUT..I have noticed that Bush is making good choices on whom to surround himself with as far as a cabinet..and I think that will make up for anything he himself doesn't know. He's had some very good advisors for his ("go away gore") post election speechs, that's for sure..they're well written.

The military has always stood behind whomever favors a strong military, usually the Republicans. If there were a civil war here in the US..I think they would remain defenders of the country, in that they would put down any attempts to overthrow Gore, were he to be elected somehow. I can't imagine our military helping such a cause, because, we are still a land of laws..and the average citizen still follows them, even when they don't go your way.

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), November 29, 2000.

It stated that no DOD facility could be used as a polling place, even though some had been used for that purpose for decades.And this is bad why?

Be aware that if the US Armed Services is on ALERT, they allow no unauthorized personell on base. This would deny people who were on the rolls to vote at a polling place on base the right and oppertunity to do so.

This story makes it sound like they do not allow it overseas. Well DUH! People overseas vote by absentee ballot for their home of record. There is no way a polling place could exist overseas on a base or anywhere else. The ballots for each individual would have to be from the area they are from, or where ever their "home of record" was. It would be impossible to provide those ballots any way but by absentee.

But then, this is just more "fuzzy" logic being spread to imply wrongdoing where there is none.

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), November 29, 2000.

Florida law specifically mentions APO and FPO postmarks. Check it out. Look here

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm? App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0101/SEC62.HTM&Title=- >2000->Ch0101->Section%2062

and scroll to the bottom.

-- Pam (Pam@j.o.e), November 29, 2000.

Sorry. I'm obviously doing something wrong. One more time.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm? App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0101/SEC62.HTM&Title=- >2000->Ch0101->Section%2062

-- Pam (Pam@j.o.e), November 29, 2000.

Will this work?

View Statutes Search Statutes Constitution Laws of Florida Order Select Year: > 200019991998199719961995

The 2000 Florida Statutes Title IX ELECTORS AND ELECTIONS Chapter 101 Voting Methods And Procedure View Entire Chapter 101.62 Request for absentee ballots.--

(1)(a) The supervisor may accept a request for an absentee ballot from an elector in person or in writing. One request shall be deemed sufficient to receive an absentee ballot for all elections which are held within a calendar year, unless the elector or the elector's designee indicates at the time the request is made the elections for which the elector desires to receive an absentee ballot. Such request may be considered canceled when any first-class mail sent by the supervisor to the elector is returned as undeliverable.

(b) The supervisor may accept a written or telephonic request for an absentee ballot from the elector, or, if directly instructed by the elector, a member of the elector's immediate family, or the elector's legal guardian. For purposes of this section, the term "immediate family" has the same meaning as specified in paragraph (4)(b). The person making the request must disclose:

1. The name of the elector for whom the ballot is requested;

2. The elector's address;

3. The last four digits of the elector's social security number;

4. The registration number on the elector's registration identification card;

5. The requester's name;

6. The requester's address;

7. The requester's social security number and, if available, driver's license number;

8. The requester's relationship to the elector; and

9. The requester's signature (written requests only).

(2) If a request for an absentee ballot is received after the Friday before the election by the supervisor of elections from an absent elector overseas, the supervisor shall send a notice to the elector acknowledging receipt of his or her request and notifying the elector that the ballot will not be forwarded due to insufficient time for return of the ballot by the required deadline.

(3) For each request for an absentee ballot received, the supervisor shall record the date the request was made, the date the absentee ballot was delivered or mailed, the date the ballot was received by the supervisor, and such other information he or she may deem necessary. This information shall be confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and shall be made available to or reproduced only for a canvassing board, an election official, a political party or official thereof, a candidate who has filed qualification papers and is opposed in an upcoming election, and registered political committees or registered committees of continuous existence, for political purposes only.

(4)(a) To each absent qualified elector overseas who has requested an absentee ballot, the supervisor of elections shall, not fewer than 35 days before the first primary election, mail an absentee ballot. Not fewer than 45 days before the second primary and general election, the supervisor of elections shall mail an advance absentee ballot to those persons requesting ballots for such elections. The advance absentee ballot for the second primary shall be the same as the first primary absentee ballot as to the names of candidates, except that for any offices where there are only two candidates, those offices and all political party executive committee offices shall be omitted. Except as provided in s. 99.063(4), the advance absentee ballot for the general election shall be as specified in s. 101.151, except that in the case of candidates of political parties where nominations were not made in the first primary, the names of the candidates placing first and second in the first primary election shall be printed on the advance absentee ballot. The advance absentee ballot or advance absentee ballot information booklet shall be of a different color for each election and also a different color from the absentee ballots for the first primary, second primary, and general election. The supervisor shall mail an advance absentee ballot for the second primary and general election to each qualified absent elector for whom a request is received until the absentee ballots are printed. The supervisor shall enclose with the advance second primary absentee ballot and advance general election absentee ballot an explanation stating that the absentee ballot for the election will be mailed as soon as it is printed; and, if both the advance absentee ballot and the absentee ballot for the election are returned in time to be counted, only the absentee ballot will be counted.

(b) As soon as the remainder of the absentee ballots are printed, the supervisor shall provide an absentee ballot to each elector by whom a request for that ballot has been made by one of the following means:

1. By nonforwardable, return-if-undeliverable mail to the elector's current mailing address on file with the supervisor, unless the elector specifies in the request that:

a. The elector is absent from the county and does not plan to return before the day of the election;

b. The elector is temporarily unable to occupy the residence because of hurricane, tornado, flood, fire, or other emergency or natural disaster; or

c. The elector is in a hospital, assisted-living facility, nursing home, short-term medical or rehabilitation facility, or correctional facility,

in which case the supervisor shall mail the ballot by nonforwardable, return-if-undeliverable mail to any other address the elector specifies in the request.

2. By forwardable mail to voters who are entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Voting Act.

3. By personal delivery to the elector, upon presentation of the identification required in s. 101.657.

4. By delivery to a designee on election day or up to 4 days prior to the day of an election. Any elector may designate in writing a person to pick up the ballot for the elector; however, the person designated may not pick up more than two absentee ballots per election, other than the designee's own ballot, except that additional ballots may be picked up for members of the designee's immediate family. For purposes of this section, "immediate family" means the designee's spouse or the parent, child, grandparent, or sibling of the designee or of the designee's spouse. The designee shall provide to the supervisor the written authorization by the elector and a picture identification of the designee and must complete an affidavit. The designee shall state in the affidavit that the designee is authorized by the elector to pick up that ballot and shall indicate if the elector is a member of the designee's immediate family and, if so, the relationship. The department shall prescribe the form of the affidavit. If the supervisor is satisfied that the designee is authorized to pick up the ballot and that the signature of the elector on the written authorization matches the signature of the elector on file, the supervisor shall give the ballot to that designee for delivery to the elector.

(5) In the event that the Elections Canvassing Commission is unable to certify the results of an election for a state office in time to comply with subsection (4), the Department of State is authorized to prescribe rules for a ballot to be sent to absent electors overseas.

(6) Nothing other than the materials necessary to vote absentee shall be mailed or delivered with any absentee ballot.

(7)(a) For the purposes of this section, "absent qualified elector overseas" means:

1. Members of the Armed Forces while in the active service who are permanent residents of the state and are temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the United States and the District of Columbia;

2. Members of the Merchant Marine of the United States who are permanent residents of the state and are temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the United States and the District of Columbia; and

3. Other citizens of the United States who are permanent residents of the state and are temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the United States and the District of Columbia,

who are qualified and registered as provided by law.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, there shall appear on the ballots sent to absent qualified electors overseas, in addition to the names of the candidates for each office, the political party affiliation of each candidate for each office, other than a nonpartisan office.

(c) With respect to marked ballots mailed by absent qualified electors overseas, only those ballots mailed with an APO, FPO, or foreign postmark shall be considered valid.

History.--s. 2, ch. 7380, 1917; RGS 369; CGL 430; s. 1, ch. 25385, 1949; s. 5, ch. 26870, 1951; s. 32, ch. 28156, 1953; s. 21, ch. 29934, 1955; s. 2, ch. 59-213; s. 32, ch. 65-380; s. 1, ch. 67-33; s. 2, ch. 69-136; s. 4, ch. 69-280; s. 2, ch. 70-93; ss. 1, 2, ch. 71- 149; s. 5, ch. 73-157; s. 39, ch. 73-333; s. 2, ch. 75-174; s. 21, ch. 77-175; s. 40, ch. 79-400; s. 2, ch. 83-16; s. 6, ch. 83-251; s. 1, ch. 85-226; s. 4, ch. 86-199; s. 4, ch. 87-363; s. 2, ch. 87-538; s. 28, ch. 89-338; s. 20, ch. 90-360; s. 587, ch. 95-147; s. 3, ch. 96-57; s. 25, ch. 96-406; s. 13, ch. 98-129; s. 32, ch. 99-2; s. 6, ch. 99-140.

Note.--Former s. 101.02.

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Eureka!

-- Pam (Pam@j.o.e), November 29, 2000.

Ah Cheri you are correct but the issue was more for CONUS and the Nat'l Guard and Reserve Armories that have stood as polling places in some pretty out of the way places fer years. Plus it was highly convenient fer the civilian contractors who lived in the general neighborhoods of the bases to vote on base, and for the bases to serve as polling places fer the families of the service personnel (thinking of certain suburbs of VaBeach/DamNeck/Fentress/and the (oh fratz the base that the SquEALS are based at on Shore Drive where the families live across the street...)

Night Train

-- night train (nighttr@in.lane), November 30, 2000.