Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Questions for the Bush & Kerry Supporters

The presidential election is obviously going to be close. The polls have consistently shown Bush ahead in the popular vote, but as we've arrived at this day, that lead has been slipping. In the past day or so, polls have been showing Kerry ahead in the projected Electoral vote.

We could be facing a most interesting scenario should Bush win the popular vote, and Kerry win the Electroal vote and the Presidency.

After four years of Democrats wailing about how unfair it is that a man can become President via the Electoral College while losing the popular vote, can we expect:

1. Democrats would now say that the process works and is fair?
2. Republicans would keep their mouths shut after four years of telling Democrats that it was fair in 2000?

I'm afraid that the closer this thing is, the worse the country will be for it. I can't imagine either Bush or Kerry coming away with a whole lot of confidence from the people, let alone a mandate. No matter who wins, it appears that there will be lawsuits and bickering a-plenty. No matter who wins, the other side will say 'selected, not elected'. I see the printing of 'Re-defeat Kerry' stickers happening tonight, hitting websites tomorrow morning.

There was something honorable in Richard Nixon's withdrawl from the process in 1960 after John F. Kennedy defeated him by a razor-thin margin. Nixon backed away immediately, conceding to Kennedy on the grounds that a challenge would have been bad for the country.

I already know that it is too much to ask of either the Bush or Kerry camps to have as much honor as that. Yet another reason to do the King Solomon thing, and vote Libertarian!

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