Balance of Power
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by Daniel Lorente
Class of 2004 |
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Election Strife
It came as no surprise to many people that the election came to such a deadlock. Nevertheless, the events that have transpired since Election Day are nothing short of unprecedented. Both sides are arguing over the results, with the Gore camp claiming that a hand-recount would only be fair. The Republicans claim that a hand recount would spoil the election's integrity.
In Florida, hand recounts are not all that uncommon, but this is a very special situation. The people involved in the recount are not looking to see which hole was punched on the cardboard ballots. Instead, these people are looking at ballots on which people voted for two candidates or didn't vote at all, and trying to determine, using their infallible and "wise" judgment, what candidate the voters "intended" to vote. As of this writing, the Republicans have taken their case to federal court to try and stop this recount. Although the Republicans do indeed have a strong case, the Florida canvassing boards are already proceeding with their recounts. On top of that, the federal judge to decide this case was appointed by Clinton.
We, as citizens, are living through history right now. The very future of elections may be changed by this incident, as the incident itself points to flaws in our election system. In the constitution, there is nothing supporting repetitive recounts or revotes. Further recounts may threaten our electoral system. This includes the recounts the Republicans are threatening in Iowa, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.
One fact is for certain, and that is that this whole mess may last much longer than anticipated. Ideally, we should know who our next president will be by November 17th, but if both sides decide to go to court over the final results, the process may be extended considerably. One fact remains, and that is that this must be resolved before December 18th, when each state's electors are slated to vote for the president.
You may have noticed that this column is much shorter than usual. Due to the ever-changing nature of the recount, I cannot elaborate or give any more information. The reason for this is that by the time the paper gets printed on Tuesday, the whole situation may have changed, and the federal judge will have given a ruling on the hand recount in Florida. I encourage everyone to follow this story carefully on the news, as this is one of America's defining moments. We also encourage anyone on campus to email technews@wpi.edu to give their opinion or write a letter to the editor. Look here next week for an extended article on this issue.
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