[chiller]

As I remember, it should have been the Florida State legislators who stepped up - according to Florida law - to resolve the issue. They chickened of course, probably fearing the never used provision would be made to look like tampering.

It didn't need to go to court, but once it did there was no stopping it.

[KDD]

The heavily majority Republican Florida State legislators were quite prepared to vote but the USSC took the case before the deadline for the vote arrived and the State legislators never had to take a vote. If they had the outcome would have been the same.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

As I remember, it should have been the Florida State legislators who stepped up - according to Florida law - to resolve the issue. They chickened of course, probably fearing the never used provision would be made to look like tampering.

It didn't need to go to court, but once it did there was no stopping it.

Basically SCOTUS said that if the same situation arose again, they would not take the case because in fact it was up to the legislature of Florida to do it.

The legislature should have assembled, called Secretary of State Harris to testify before it, and then named the Bush slate of electors.

Actually, she had - pursuant to the law - already named them; the legislature should have simply closed out the time for the SCoFla to hear challenges and mandate recounts.

And, lest we forget, the "objective journalists," broadcasting under license from the FCC, tampered with the vote as surely as if they had campaigned for Gore within the polling places of the Florida Panhandle - costing Bush thousands of votes.

[Congressman Billybob]

Actually, the Florida legislature was prepared to act, and name the Presidential Electors from that state. It was going to act if the legal effort to overturn the official Florida vote seemed like it would succeed. The US Supreme Court, by straightening out the Florida Supreme Court, made that action unnecessary.

There is noting unusual or out of line for a legislature to name a state's Electors. In the first few Presidential Elections, that was the usual way of doing it. And the Constitution permits that latitude to the state legislatures.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column: "What If the French Had Pulled a 'Murtha' in 1781?"

[Real Cynic No More]

As far as the Florida legislators not stepping up, I recall differently than you. They were prepared to assign electors for Bush. But the USSC made that unnecessary. At least that's what I recall.

[Rummyfan]

I remember seing Bill Bennett on O'Reilly, in the first days after election day, saying this would have to go to the Supreme Court to get resolved. As with all things liberals are involved in, adjudication would be necessary. Dang if he wasn't right on. The SCOFLA legislated from the bench in an outrageous manner.

[lepton]

As I remember, it should have been the Florida State legislators who stepped up - according to Florida law - to resolve the issue. They chickened of course, probably fearing the never used provision would be made to look like tampering.

That only came into play 6 days before the electoral college. The legislature was all ready to go.