To the WSWS:

Thanks for your intelligent coverage of this travesty. Please press on. It's remarkable and frightening how much of the beast is just underneath the surface in America. Bush promises to bring decency back to the White House. At this moment he is up to his smirk in mud. The Bush coup must be investigated. A land deal in Arkansas is nothing. The Bush boys were raised by the former head of the CIA. Jeb promised to deliver Florida. How did he do it, and will he get away with it? Everything they are guilty of they are now accusing Democrats of, in a state run by the brother of the hollow Republican candidate.

If he succeeds in his coup, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Newt Gingrich, Jesse Helms, Trent Lott—will all step up to the podium. I suppose that's fine—we just have to be there to engage them. But they are the voices of alienation—and the economy has thrived because of inclusion. There will be serious race problems with a Bush presidency—and that is just for starters. We can never lose sight of the fact in all of this that G.W. Bush is an embarrassment. The thought of his speaking for the country is beyond depressing. What can stop the Bush Coup at this moment?

BCD
19 November 2000

I am so infuriated about what the Bush campaign is doing by trying to obtain this election by fraud and cheating ... they make me sick! I Come from a working class family with strong values. I am insulted by the Republicans that they say Democrats have no family values and are an immoral group of people. I am a Democrat, with family values, a substitute teacher, Sunday school teacher, a mom and a wife of 13 years. It just infuriates me.... I think the Republicans are a group of spoiled aristocrats that use religious values and morality as a way to brainwash millions of uneducated, misinformed, working class Americans to join their party.... How sad that these same people will be the ones that will be so affected by the control of the Republicans who really care less about the working man and his struggle for a living wage, and a better environment for their children. It is all a big game of manipulation led by wealthy Republicans like Pat Robertson.... What can I do as a working class mother to enlighten other working class people to what is happening to our country? Is there anyone I can write to express my views?

KS
18 November 2000

Hi,

I found Barry Grey's story “The US election: the conspiracy begins to unravel” most informative. Here are some other things that Mr. Grey might be interested to know.

Apparently, there is a state law in Florida, which only permits a voter to be in the voting booth for five minutes. If you go to the official web site for the Supervisor of Elections for Palm Beach County and look at their faq page at:

http://www.pbcelections.org/faq.htm

you will see one of the questions is: “Is there a time limit in the voting booth?” and the answer is “Yes. Florida law allows the voter 5 (five) minutes in the voting booth.”

I have asked several friends in Florida when this law was enacted. No one could give me an exact date, but everyone seemed to think the law was passed sometime during 1999, which, if true, would have been under the administration of Governor Jeb Bush.

Now keep in mind that there were 33 measures on the Palm Beach County ballot. That would be less than 10 seconds per measure for the voter to read the issue and mark their ballots.

This five-minute time limit would seem to favor those who are well educated and quick thinking and disfavor those who are less well educated or those who are older and slower who may simply need more time to correctly complete their ballots. The only other states that I am aware of that impose time limits in the voting booth are Wyoming (five minutes) and Colorado (ten minutes).

My question would be: Why was Florida trying to rush its citizens through the voting process?

Also, regarding this Florida law that states the votes (including manual recounts) must be certified by November 15 makes no sense whatsoever. New Mexico's votes don't have to be certified until November 28 and they have many less votes to count than Florida. My question to Florida would be: What's the rush? Didn't anyone ever teach Florida that haste makes waste?

Texas Governor George W. Bush has claimed that it is okay to have manual recounts in Texas because all the counties that use the punch card systems have the same guidelines for trying to determine the intent of the voter, whereas Florida has no set standards for the counties to follow.

First of all, even if this was true, my question would be: Whose fault is that? Why doesn't Florida have standards for all the counties to follow? That's Florida's problem, but just because they don't seem to have their act together is no reason for the rest of the nation to suffer.

Secondly, these are the standards to be used by the counties in Texas who use the punch card systems in trying to determine the intent of the voter. Pay special attention to subsection D items 1-4.

127.130. Manual Counting

(a) Electronic system ballots that are not to be counted automatically and the write-in votes not counted at the polling places shall be counted manually at the central counting station.

(b) If the automatic counting of electronic system ballots becomes impracticable for any reason, the manager may direct that the ballots be counted manually at the central counting station.

(c) The procedure for manual counting is the same as that for regular paper ballots to the extent practicable. The manager is responsible for the manual counting of ballots at the central counting station.

(d) Subject to Subsection (e), in any manual count conducted under this code, a vote on a ballot on which a voter indicates a vote by punching a hole in the ballot may not be counted unless:

(1) at least two corners of the chad are detached;

(2) light is visible through the hole;

(3) an indentation on the chad from the stylus or other object is present and indicates a clearly ascertainable intent of the voter to vote; or

(4) the chad reflects by other means a clearly ascertainable intent of the voter to vote.

(e) Subsection (d) does not supersede any clearly ascertainable intent of the voter.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 728, § 52, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

I obtained the above information from the following web site:

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/el/el012700.html

James Baker has been so fond of making fun of these people holding ballots up to the light, yet that is one of the criteria used here in Texas when trying to determine the intent of the voter. Our process in Texas sounds exactly like what Florida is doing and would appear to make Mr. Baker look like a hypocrite.

So we have Florida trying to rush its citizens through the voting process. Next we have George W. Bush's first cousin rushing to call Florida for Governor Bush. Then we have various counties in Florida being rushed through the recounting process. Sounds like the Republicans are trying to pull a fast one.

All these lawsuits and accusations being thrown about are simply smoke screens to cover up something very sinister.

Anyway, this is just some information I thought you might be interested in. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider it.

A concerned voter in Austin, Texas
18 November 2000

It's great to have found a web site where Truth is written. I was directed to you by a mention on Mike Malloy's radio program (Mike Malloy is the only voice worth listening to on radio or television ).

Keep up the good work; I will read the articles on your site every day.

JB
Bardstown, Kentucky
18 November 2000

Your coverage of the US election has been excellent. Thank you for the investigation, analysis and insights. I miss you on Sundays!

JC
Orlando, Florida
18 November 2000

See Also:

Florida presidential recount: Bush campaign makes appeal to military and extreme right
[20 November 2000]

Court slows Bush grab for power: America at the knife-edge
[18 November 2000]

George W. Bush's three principles: lies, fraud and theft
[16 November 2000]

The US election: the conspiracy begins to unravel
[14 November 2000]

US election crisis reveals deep feelings about fairness and democratic rights
[17 November 2000]