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Politics

Journal FortKnox's Journal: Last Political Entry for a while... [Updated] 15

Journal by FortKnox
I'm in Ohio (yes, this whole dealio is partly my fault). Bush won by a margin large enough that even if all the absentee ballots and provisional ballots were all for Kerry, he'd still lose the state. Its over. Kerry shoulda done the honorable thing and conceded. Instead our already flawed electorial system (not a big fan of electorial colleges) is getting hit with yet another undemocratic practice[1]: Lawsuits.

Is all the presidential elections from this day forward going to be 'the loser will throw lawyers at the closest battleground state and try to change the vote'? And if your nominee won that way, would you be happy with it? Its a disgrace... do the honorable thing. You had a good run, didn't get the votes, so concede.

[1] the other 'undemocratic' practice that makes me upset is voter challenges. I know why they are there, but the way they are being used (intimidation) is very undemocratic and an absolute disgrace to the democratic way.

[Update]: I also wanted to point out what bltzu said: Nothing's gonna change. Our political system is made so that one person can't royally screw us over.

Looks like Kerry just conceded. Honorable thing to do, IMHO. I commend him for doing it.
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Last Political Entry for a while... [Updated] More

Last Political Entry for a while... [Updated]

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  • How hard iss it to get a picture ID with your name and signature on it in Ohio? Thats all you need to confirm that you are the person on the voter roll at precinct X, at least here in the fair commonwealth to your south.
  • They don't challange the voter directly, just the election offical. That's a far cry from voter intemidation. I'm to lazy to spell thigs correctly today.
    • No, you can challenge the voter directly, without proof.

      I could sit outside where you were going to vote, and tell the official in the office "I challenge bofh31337's rights to vote" and they basically have to do a significant check to make sure that you can A.) vote legally, and B.) vote in the precinct you are voting at.

      There were challengers posted at highly affiliated party locations just pickin people out.

      It wouldn't be bad if it required the challengers to provide proof up front. Its meant to b
      • Yes, they are telling the offical. As a challanger, you are not allowed to talk with the challanged voter. I went to be a challanger in this election and was told that. I was not able to because of something else going on.

        Where was it used for voter intimidation? I'd like to see a news report about that, because I havnt seen any so far.
  • Checking to make sure dead people did not vote. For either party, that is a good thing. Besides, since when is showing a picture id a hardship? Funny how people are all gung ho about voting, but when they use that list to pull people for jury duty, they can't be found...

    Last two homes - within a quarter of registering, I got to help with the less sexy branch of gov.
    • Its a whole innocent until proven guilty thing. If the challenger was required to provide proof, I'd be all about it... but just going up to random people and challenging them... or worse, having a crowd of challengers walking through the line, pointing people out and reporting them... its a scare tactic.
      • My understanding is that if the voter is challenged, they are allowed to cast a provisional ballot. IF they are found eligeable, thier vote counts. IF they are found ineligeable, the vote doesn't count.
    • FYI:
      Jury Duty lists aren't taken from voter registration lists. That's an old urban myth. They're taken from local tax records.

      -Ab
      • Then my home county [thurston.wa.us] fell for it too. Oh, and I was called after I had changed my voter registration (which I did quickly, because I care), but before I changed my driver's license info (which I didn't bother to do until it needed to be renewed) and I have no idea what an Aidenticard@ is.
      • Jury Duty lists aren't taken from voter registration lists. That's an old urban myth. They're taken from local tax records.

        I received two jury summonses while I was still renting, so that can't be it. (The only local tax records here would be property-tax records, which renters don't directly pay. Nevada has no income tax.)

        • State tax shouldn't matter. It's local (county/parrish) tax office (at least here).

          It might be a PA thing. They get your original location every January when you pay your $10 occupation tax (right-to-work tax). They also keep up with it because of the school and local tax (which even renters and free-loaders have to pay).

          I'm in the same boat as you, as my local municipality has no local tax, but I still have to pay the .05% school tax and te occupation tax.

          -Ab
      • Ah, thank you for busting that one for me. Just a timing thing for me but it seemed like a connection. Nothing like starting a new job, and telling them you cannot come in for the first week or so because you are on a double murder case. (Wimper)
  • Unlike most others who were raising a hue and a cry over how Bush is going to fuck us over, this was a wonderfully refreshing, well thought out mature post.

    Good one, FK.
  • Kerry just conceded in a phone call. You are right that they each sent lawyers, just in case, they are needed. But in this case, it's over, Kerry has conceded.
  • I never liked the whole "concede the election thing". It's foolish and rather undemocratic.

    The votes will be formally counted in DC in a few days/weeks, and THAT is the appropriate time for concession.

    If we trust the polls on Election day, why not call for a concession on November 1?

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