For our international khukuri friends...

Joined
Jun 23, 1999
Messages
110
If you're watching what's been going on with our presidential election, and are wondering
why Americans are having such a hard time counting ballots, here's a non-media
rundown...

The election turned out very close, so close that the state of Florida ended-up as the
fulcrum of the election.

After Bush was declared the winner of Florida, the Democratic party called their offices
in Florida and told their campaign workers to protest the design of the ballot used in
Palm Beach county as “confusing.”

They did this despite the fact that the ballot was designed by a Democrat, approved by
both political parties, and printed in local newspapers prior to the election.

Here's what the ballot looked like.
Do you have a problem understanding it?

View



Once our liberal media got the ball rolling, Democratic voters from across the county 'got
the hint' and turned out for public protests complaining that they were confused by the
ballot and voted the wrong way.

People proclaimed that they wanted a "re-vote" and numerous lawsuits were filed in Palm
Beach county courts to challenge the legitimacy of the vote...all based on the ballot
above.

Florida law states that it is the responsibility of the voter to know and understand the
ballot, and voting process.

Since this didn't seem to be a very viable path to the changing the results of the election,
the Democrats took another route and demanded "hand counting" of the ballots.

Before I explain hand counting, understand this...

1. The ballots were counted once, and Bush won.

2.Because the election was so close, Florida law triggered an automatic recount, and
Bush won in the recount.

The problem with hand counting starts with the type of ballot (as above).

When you vote, you punch out a dot of paper for the candidate of your choice. A machine
then reads the holes to tally the result (Note: some ballots have square punch-outs, or 'chads').

The Democrats are arguing that some of the dots weren't completely removed from the
ballot, and therefore the ballot wasn't counted by the machine. Therefore, a hand count is required to assure accuracy.

Now the problem...

The more the ballots are driven around in trucks, put in bags, taken out of bags, manipulated, and handled, the greater chance there is for ballots to be 'altered' (read: extra dots, or chads falling out).

All this said, during a hand count, the interpretation of the ballot is left open to the people who are doing the counting.

This brings us back to the ballot above...

If there are two votes on the ballot, it's supposed to be rendered invalid. However, the
Democrats are arguing that if a ballot has the 2nd and 3rd holes punched, it should be
registered as a vote for Al Gore because the voter was confused.

Again, interpretation is left to the people doing the hand count.

Further, some of the dots may only be dented and not punched-out at all. The hand
counters could also be given the right to interpret the 'intent' of the voter.

And today...
“Republicans contend Palm Beach County Commissioner Carol Roberts poked, twisted
and manipulated ballots during a Saturday hand recount of four precincts...”
Read it here: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/htx/ap/20001115/el/recount_palm_beach_2.html

So far, Bush leads Gore by 300 votes.

However, there’s another variable in play, which we won’t know the result until Friday:
‘Navy flying home lost absentee ballots’
Marine captain: “Majority of the pilots aboard are registered voters in Florida” http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_exnews/20001115_xex_navy_flying_.shtml


Khukuris Rule!

P.S. There are representatives from both the Democratic and Repulican party present during the hand counting. However, they're working 14 hour days to get it done.
I'm not even going to get started on worker fatigue.



[This message has been edited by Chris S. (edited 11-15-2000).]
 
An addition to Chris's excellent post:

1) The deomcratic party hired a PR firm THE NIGHT OF THE ELECTION to call voters in Palm Beach County and "suggest" to them that the ballot was unfair and that they had been "disenfranchised" - and to call their congressperson to complain.

As a recent email to me put it, England ought to revoke our independence!
smile.gif


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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
BELGRADE--Serbian president Vojislav Kostunica deployed more than 30,000 peacekeeping troops to the U.S. Monday, pledging full support to the troubled North
American nation as it struggles to establish democracy.

"We must do all we can to support free elections in America and allow democracy to gain a foothold there," Kostunica said. "The U.S. is a major player in the Western Hemisphere and its continued stability is vital to Serbian interests in that region."

Kostunica urged Al Gore, the U.S. opposition-party leader who is refusing to recognize
the nation's Nov. 7 election results, to "let the democratic process take its course."

"Mr. Gore needs to acknowledge the will of the people and concede that he has lost this
election," Kostunica said. "Until America's political figures learn to respect the institutions that have been put in place, the nation will never be a true democracy."

Serbian forces have been stationed throughout the U.S., with an emphasis on certain trouble zones. Among them are Oregon, Florida, and eastern Tennessee, where Gore set up headquarters in Bush territory. An additional 10,000 troops are expected to arrive in the capital city of Washington, D.C. by Friday.

Though Kostunica has pledged to work with U.S. leaders, he did not rule out the
possibility of economic sanctions if the crisis is not resolved soon. "For democracy to take root and flourish, it must be planted in the rich soil of liberty. And the cornerstone of liberty is elections free of tampering or corruption," Kostunica said. "Should America prove itself incapable of learning this lesson on its own, the international community may be forced to take stronger measures."

wink.gif
 
B-o-r-i-n-g ! ! !
Couldn't they just do it like on MTV, a deathmatch? That would be a lot more fun, particularly for us outsiders. I suggest a televised fight with both contender's armed with sythes!
Failing that, how about a civil war? It's been absolutely ages since you guys took politics seriously enough... Just imagine! 270 million people, split equally, using every available technology. Brilliant!
(the comment "split equally" was just an unintented pun there. You kukhuri owners have a major headstart, however!)
Just give it a thought!
Your cheery old friend,
David

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"Kaphar Hunno Bhanda Marnu Ramro"
 
Ha! I didn't really miss it, I just pretended... The temptation to suggest that the US is breaking down was just to hard to resist, even if'n ut made ma look dumb.
Your absurd friend
David
 
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