We'll hold Elections When the Crisis is Over
"Such guidelines do not currently exist"
Dr. DeForest B. Soaries Jr. Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens, Somerset, New Jersey & Chair, United States Election Assistance Commission
Guidelines for postponing the November Presidential election that is. It never has occurred to any one to think along those lines before in the history of this country, but It occured to the Rev. Soaries. I came across this story Sunday. A Yahoo
U.S. Mulling How to Delay Nov. Vote in Case of Attack
Reuters wire story and a MetaFilter post
Scary pointing to the former, both stemming from a story Michael Isikoff (of all people)
MSNBC - Exclusive: Election Day Worries was breaking for Newsweek. It seemed out of the box (or do I say "on preview") to be a two round story so I pulled down these pages but didn't read them. I then made a little note for myself which went something like this:
What is the Argument:
- elections can be held but might invite a terorist attack
- an attack has occured and the physical infrastructure of upcoming national election
has been damaged
- an attack has occurred, elections can be held as they were as in Spain, but atmosphere
of reaction is perceived and some view it prejudicial to right choice and outcome (as in Spain)
Then yesterday and today I looked around for more stories and sat down and read through the lot
If the third possiblity of my scope note above, seems uncharitable, for you I dug out one of my favorite Justice Scalia quotes to illustrate: [from] GEORGE W. BUSH ET AL. v. ALBERT GORE, JR. ET AL.ON APPLICATION FOR STAY [December 9, 2000] [531 U.S. 2000]
The counting of votes that are of questionable legality does in my view threaten irreparable harm to petitioner, and to the country, by casting a cloud upon what he claims to be the legitimacy of his election. In other words continueing to deal with this issue only serves to cast doubt on one parties assumption of victory. However in just the previous sentence he admits that the question before them is whether these votes are legitimately questionable precisely whether either party is entitled to an presumption of victory. One of the principal issues in the appeal we have accepted is precisely whether the votes that have been ordered to be counted are, under a reasonable interpretation of Florida law, legally cast vote[s]." Voting is a pregnant and highly suspect activity that can cast clouds on the legitimacy of his election.
What is the story here? The story on Sunday was that this Soaries person who was appointed to the United States Election Assistance Commission by President Bush last year after losing a run for a New Jersey Congressional seat the previous year (and was appointed chair on their first meeting), approached Ridge via a letter (sent in April- AP) who in turn asked DOJ Office of Legal Council to give guidence last week. In one of those articles I recall that Rice was 'cc'd' on that original letter. The story on Monday was Dr. Rices line. In a interview for CNN she said: No one[base ']s thinking about postponing the election....
That[base ']s the view of the president, that[base ']s the view of the administration . Similarly DeForest B. Soaries Jr. denied having a plan to postpone November elections. Though he admitted seeking to establish a process to do so (MSNBC in a follow up article)
Officials to meet on election plans
This same article quotes AEI "Scholar" Norman Orenstien to the effect that if just one area were not able to hold elections on the same day as all others this "distorts the results of the election". Yet Fox will declare victors before all votes are cast. By Tuesday the Administration was backing away from even this position. Reuters has Soaries saying Individual states may suspend or reschedule elections if disaster strikes, but that would not change voting in other states after a meeting of his commision Tuesday
U.S. Won't Delay November Elections, Official Says.
Adding We should get the word out that if something happens in a state that is not yours, you should vote . Another commission member in the same Reuters report helpfully adds he believes the constitution gives the states power to reschedule elections and/or switch to electors rather than direct vote if needed
This story surfaced on the weekend after Ridge held a press conference to say the chatter was whispering of Al Queda attacks to disrupt Fall elections. An Alternet story on this angle
AlterNet: Terrorism Threatens the Ballot Box
quotes officials hinting strongly that they think the attack will occur in or around Washington.
I can't tell if the Rev. Soaries is just an over eager member of an semi independent bi-partisian committe who accidently sandbagged the administration on this, or whether this was a planned flagpole ceremony so they could get a quick headcount of who might salute. At least I'll be able to get a seat on the subway the week of the election, I have a feeling a lot of folk will be out-of-town. Hey Al Queda I'll be at Adelphi Elementary - Riggs road, just you, me, and a Diebold touch screen. When you think about it; though, if God has already chosen GWB, why hold an election? It just seems so unnecessary.
11:30:41 PM  ;;
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