Posted on 09/27/2004 7:27:50 AM PDT by Phlap
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A repetition of problems that plagued the 2000 US presidential election is likely, former US president and veteran elections monitor Jimmy Carter said, charging that "basic international requirements" for a fair vote are missing in Florida.
Reforms passed in the wake of the debacle have not been implemented due to lack of funding and political disputes, Carter observed in a hotly-worded opinion piece in Monday's Washington Post.
"The disturbing fact is that a repetition of the problems of 2000 now seems likely," he said.
"Some basic international requirements for a fair election are missing in Florida," including non-partisan electoral officials and uniformity in voting procedures, he said.
Florida's top election official four years ago also chaired the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign in the state, and her successor is showing "the same strong bias," Carter charged.
"A fumbling attempt has been made recently to disqualify 22,000 African Americans (likely Democrats), but only 61 Hispanics (likely Republicans), as alleged felons," he said.
Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood has also appeared eager to get independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader (news - web sites) on this year's state ballot, "knowing that two-thirds of his votes in the previous election came at the expense" of Democrat Al Gore (news - web sites), Carter went on.
"She ordered Nader's name be included on absentee ballots even before the state Supreme Court ruled on the controversial issue," Carter said.
Florida's governor, President George W. Bush (news - web sites)'s brother, has "taken no steps to correct these departures from principles of fair and equal treatment or to prevent them in the future," he said.
"It is unconscionable to perpetuate fraudulent or biased electoral practices in any nation," Carter wrote.
"With reforms unlikely at this late stage of the election, perhaps the only recourse will be to focus maximum public scrutiny on the suspicious process in Florida."
The Carter Center has monitored more than 50 international elections, most recently in Venezuela and Indonesia.
Carter, a Democrat, led a bi-partisan commission charged with recommending changes to US electoral processes following the 2000 vote, ultimately decided by the US Supreme Court, which halted recounts of contested ballots in Florida after a weeks-long draw.
LOL
He should just sit down, shut up and be happy that because of Clinton, he's not considered the worst president in US history. (Although he is).
He made an ass out of the whole country in the late 1970's.
.....Some basic international requirements for a fair election are missing in Florida.....
Strangely believe it, there are no international requirements applicable in Florida.
Carter, not intent with being the worst president of the past 100 years, now wants to assure he is also the worst ex-president ever. Odd, the media did everything in its power to build him into a bigger-than-life figure who was "reinventing the job of ex-president." What a friggin joke.
Who knew? Billy was the brighter brother.
There he goes again...
Has Carter not picked up on the fact that he is the worst President in the 20th century if not in all of American history?
The guy is a dolt with no clue.
Go back to running Habitat for Humanity. Thats your only success.
Any vote that does not elect Kerry is deemed bigoted, biased and unfair by the likes of the maggot Carter.
That's right, Jimmah, there's too dang many DEMOCRATS in charge of the voting districts! They're the ones who exacerbated the problems in Palm Beach County in the 2000 election!
Billy was the most sane of the Carter clan.
In Florida we are required to have two forms of ID in order to vote.
This is the EASIEST country in which to enter a fraudulent vote that I have EVER seen, Peanuthead.
Blindfolded I can tell this already, Carter will declare--
Venezuela's elections are credible, American elections are not.
Carter is "internationalist" scum. Everything America does is bad and wrong, everything the U.N. does is good and right.
Only a fool (or a Dem or a Carter) would think that the U.N. or the international community has America's best interests at heart.
The U.N. is out to weaken and destroy America, that's why they support Kerry! That's why they gave this idiot a Peace prize! Not because they LIKE us, it's because they HATE us!!
Stupidity really pisses me off.
In fact, the U.S. Constitution leaves the matter up to the individual states:
Article II
Section 1. The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same term, be elected, as follows:
Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector.
"Uh yeah, Jimmah, umm, the Palm Beach, Broward and Dade elections officials were all Democrats, all proven to have been trying to create Gore votes out of thin air."
Excellent point. I was thinking, "here we go again". Their guy can't win legitimately so it's time to start the whole disenfranchised voter argument again. These people are pathetic. Mark my words, they are laying in wait and we will have another election 2000.
The only explanation I can think of is that Carter fell off the roof of one of his Habitat for Humanity houses and landed on his head.
Liberal Dork Awards 2004
And he gave away the Panama Canal back to it's rightful Owners, the Panamanians. Or was it Hutchison Wampoa, which just so happens to be a front group for the Chinese Red Army? It's the Chinese. Carter gave away the Panama Canal to the Chinese Red Army. Thanks, Jimmy. We'll remember you every time our ships have to sail an extra 8,000 miles to get to the next world hotspot.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.