A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....09-18-03...."California Recall Ruling is more than you think"

JohnHuang2;Dutchess;Billie | JohnHuang2

[dutchess]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

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California Recall Ruling is more than you think

by JohnHuang2

Three weeks before voters too dumb for punch-card balloting are scheduled to punch their ballots in "California's historic recall, a federal appeals court (Monday) postponed the Oct. 7 election, ruling that the use of older punch-card ballot machines would disenfranchise those voters, especially poor and minority citizens," the Washington Post reports this week.

Deep-thinking analysts note deep-thinkingly that postponement enhances Gray Davis's "chances for keeping his job."

'Darn! Where was that Court when I needed it?' Saddam Hussein wonders wistfully.

"A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the American Civil Liberties Union that the use of punch cards in six urban counties would subject voters there to a greater likelihood that the ballots would be misread or discarded as happened during Florida's election fiasco in the presidential vote in 2000," added the Post. If poor and minority voters in these six urban counties vote next month, poor and minority voters will be disenfranchised.

Liberals now believe the use of older punch-card ballot machines is inherently racist.

The machines hotly deny the charge.

But there's more to this ruling than that. Far more. This decision is more than just politics and law. In fact, it may have escaped most pundits, but it appears the Court has broke new ground -- trailblazing into scientific discovery.

The Court says the voting system Californians have used for decades is no good and it would be terribly unfair to recall a governor who's no good under such a system. Why is it suddenly no good and unfair? Well, something really freaky happened in these six urban counties since last November, the ruling suggests: In these counties, poor and minority voters, whose I.Q.s were adequate in November for using 'older punch-card ballot machines' to re-elect Gray Davis, have since suffered a drop of 30-40 I.Q. points on average. Man, I hate when that happens! No one has yet pinpointed a cause, but the steep I.Q. drop has rendered poor and minority voters in these six urban counties unable to read punch-card ballots, the court decision suggests. Moreover, three weeks is hardly enough time to expect poor and minority voters, with diminished intelligence, to locate polling stations in these six urban counties, much less decide whom to vote for, or whether or not to recall the wonderful governor. Moreover, given their severe physical disability, dead voters will certainly need more than a month to trudge to the booth (though there's always the absentee ballot).

In its wisdom, the Court understands how grossly unfair it is to expect California to build democracy and hold elections sooner than war-torn Iraq, especially with this hideous affliction sweeping these six urban counties. In ruling that poor and minority voters in these six urban counties are too stupid to vote, the Court has come under fire for racism.

The Court hotly denies the charge, noting that while it believes minority voters in these six urban counties are currently too stupid to vote, the Court didn't think they were too stupid to vote last November. It isn't 'racist' to say there's a massive intelligence failure among poor and minority voters in these six urban counties, says the Court.

But therein lies a silver-lining: If the Court ruling withstands legal challenge, "the most likely date for the recall would move to March 2004 -- when every county in the state is scheduled to have the newer electronic touch-screen ballot machines in use." Pause for a moment and think about that, folks. Touch-screen ballot machines are trickier to use than punch-card ballot machines. Far trickier. This suggests the Court sees the condition of diminished intelligence and capacity among poor and minority voters as only temporary, ending sometime around next March -- just in time for the next elections! Isn't that wonderful? But more than that, by March, poor and minority voters in these six urban counties will actually be smarter than they were last November! Indeed, moving from simpler, punch-card balloting to high-tech touch-screen balloting -- a system these six urban counties have never used before -- should be a cake-walk.

In a related development, Democrats, citing "security experts," charge that high-tech touch-screen balloting is no good either because the system can be easily rigged. "Worms and viruses already have crippled computers around the world. Now computer security experts warn that hackers could cripple democracy itself," screams the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "They say hackers," especially racist hackers out to disenfranchise poor and minority voters, "could rig the touch-screen voting machines that states are buying to replace error-prone punch cards like those that tainted the 2000 presidential elections," the paper adds. Democrats like Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio demand an investigation into the racist touch-screen system.

"Kaptur fears that hackers," especially racist hackers with links to evil Republicans, "or even the voting machine companies themselves, could conspire to rig elections" -- a claim the voting machines immediately challenged.

To drive her point home convincingly, Kaptur powerfully provided no evidence for the charge. The voting machines declined to be interviewed for this article.

You may reach Rep. Marcy Kaptur via email at: MarcyKaptur@LaLaLandForDemocratsWhoBelieveInBlackHelicopterConspiracyTheories.gov.

Summing up, a Left-wing court in San Francisco postpones an election because it thinks black and latino voters in six urban counties are too stupid to use punch-card ballots to vote but they weren't too stupid to use punch-card ballots to vote for Gray Davis back in November, so the court decides voters too stupid to use simple punch-card balloting are smart enough to use high-tech balloting they've never used before but the high-tech balloting is better because it has a lower error-rate which is almost the same as the error-rate with punch-card balloting which is already below the national average, but that's not the point because, says the court, punch-card balloting is unconstitutional, but that doesn't mean politicians elected by punch-card balloting are unconstitutional, it's just that recalling politicians by punch-card balloting is unconstitutional and disenfranchises voters voting under such a system, based on the Constitution's 14th Amendment which produced the Bush V. Gore decision which liberals slammed at the time as election theft that disenfranchised minorities in Florida but Bush V. Gore is indispensable, say liberals, as a safeguard to keep minorities from being disenfranchised and thwarting election theft....

I hope it's all clear now.

---

Meanwhile, the chaos in Baghdad continues. A 41-year-old bystander was "killed by a stray bullet early Friday when an off-duty police officer exchanged gunfire with and wounded two men who he claims tried to steal his sport utility vehicle outside a downtown nightclub," NBC5.com reports. The Chicago Tribune says violence intensified over the weekend, with five men "killed in shootings Saturday and Sunday in" Baghdad, "according to police."

Oops! The Chicago Tribune and NBC5.com reports were local crime stories out of Chicago, not Baghdad. Apologies if my getting Chicago confused with Baghdad caused any, er, confusion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sky is Falling! Sky is falling! Part III

"Americans are expressing rising dismay with U.S. casualties in Iraq, declining confidence in the Bush administration -- and growing doubt whether the war was worth fighting," ABC News reports.

"Bush's own ratings have suffered in tandem with these concerns," says ABC News. "His approval rating for handling the situation in Iraq has fallen by 17 points since the end of April, from 75 percent then to 58 percent now. His overall job approval rating is down to 59 percent, matching its lowest since Sept. 11, 2001, in ABCNEWS/Washington Post polls.

Oh, no! I goofed again! This ABC News report dates back to July! July 11 to be exact, its headline blaring, Rising Doubt: President Facing New Challenges of Credibility and Casualties.

Okay, lemme try again...

"President Bush's job approval rating has dropped to 52 percent, close to the lowest level of his presidency, says a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll, released Friday," The Associated Press reports.

AP: "'We're right back where we started,' said Frank Newport, executive editor of The Gallup Poll. 'The public perceives the economy is poor. We don't see any sign of consumer pickup in our data. There's little question that Iraq is not helping and is probably hurting (Bush)."

The "poll of 1,025 adults was taken Monday through Wednesday" of last week, "after the president's nationally televised address on Iraq," the AP notes.

However, after plunging Monday, Tuesday and early Wednesday of last week, Bush's ratings have since bounced back, the dramatic rebound beginning in the afternoon hours of Wednesday, September 10. During the early morning hours that day, the President's job approval rate was 52 percent, as CNN-Gallup reported. But by early Wednesday afternoon, the President's job approval rate soared to 58 percent, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post Poll. The morning-to-afternoon turnaround in Bush's numbers seemingly caught most analysts, who predicted the Bush meltdown would continue, by surprise.

But wait! A Fox News Opinion Dynamics Poll, taken Tuesday and Wednesday (Sept. 9-10), indicates the Bush rebound began in earnest on Tuesday, not Wednesday, a whole day earlier than I thought two minutes ago in this column. hmmmm. Since the CNN-Gallup and Fox News Opinion-Dynamic survey periods overlap, this raises serious questions. Was there ever a 'Bush meltdown' last week to begin with? CNN-Gallup pegged Bush at 52 percent early last week. The pundits wrote Bush off for dead. Fox News Opinion Dynamics pegged Bush at 58 percent early last week. The pundits said that poll doesn't count because the pundits wrote Bush off for dead. But CNN and Fox can't both be right. Then, to complicate matters even further, ABC News-Washington Post, in a poll conducted Wednesday-Saturday (Sept. 10-13), pegged Bush at 58 percent. By my math, that's 2 against 1.

"We're right back where we started," said "JohnHuang2," executive spammer of Free Republic. "The public still perceives the Democrats as poor alternatives. We don't see any sign of political pickup in our data for Democrats. There's little question that Iraq and the War on Terror is not helping and is probably hurting them." ;-)

Anyway, that's...

My two cents...

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 09-15-03...Military Monday 09-16-03...This One's For You T Man 09-17-03...Florida - The Sunshine State

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[WVNan]

Back here reading Maggie. Your mention of the blizzard of 78 reminded me again that Jack was in Ohio for some kind of business meeting during that blizzard. He couldn't get out of the motel for days and to top it off he had his first attack of Gout while confined. He didn't know what it was, but it hit him in the wrist and when he finally was able to get out of the motel, he drove home to Montgomery, Ala with one hand, suffering horrific pain in the other.

[WVNan]

LOL. Love the Marine story Dansy. That's the way to handle kids.

[LadyX]

"Here I am in the middle of the storm. What if I should die and The Thin Man should acquire a conscious and realize that his last post to me was so cruel? How could he live with himself."

The Thin Man:
"Now I feel terrible! Please forgive me.

I guess I've just developed a conscience."

Dunno, dear Thinny - - s'pose she is just trying to let you know she is at least conscious of the fact you exist, always striving to help us improve ourselves??

It is obvious she is not quite herself this day, thinking it is Tuesday rather than Thursday - trying to NOT think of the approach of Isabel - the Metro not running - can't get to Starbucks - who knows her burdens?
Need to cut her some slack, maybe.

Sheesh.....the agony of it all must really weigh you down....

{{{ Gentle Hugs for our Fragile The Thin Man }}}

[WVNan]

Maggie, why doesn't your friend Bernie sign on at FR? He sounds like he would be a natural Freeper.

[LadyX]

Was hoping for you to appear, Nan.
Assume you have not had much effect from Isabel that far over....

Yes - I was in Tiffin, Ohio for the Blizzard of 1978, dutchess, trapped FOUR days inside, by law! There had been three major snowstorms the week before that.
Hubby is not a game player, and was desperate for something to do with his hands...our daughter was a teenager who had just been taught how to crochet (I sewed and knitted and embroidered, but did not crochet), and she showed him how.

It saved the sanity of all three of us! LOL
He advanced immediately to doing full-sized afghans, and made them for all the adult females in the family over the next few years, and soft baby ones for grandchildren.

Best of all, he did a beautiful yellow and white one for his bedridden mother in Florida, with a cross in the corner.
It was beside her all her remaining days.

[LadyX]

Afraid not, Nan. He is still active in his insurance business - in church things - the whole peninsula's development and attendant affairs - on the Board for the Free Medical Clinic in Morehead City, helping to finance that and also volunteering as a clerk in it.

He barely has time for personal e-mail, and has Deane screen it all for him, so busy with work. They care for her widowed mother who lives nearby in Jacksonville, NC and is 87 years old - and an elderly uncle with a wife who has Alzheimer's. Describes that as the Love Story of the Century - 83, and insists upon caring for her by himself, rubbing her feet daily and soothing her, etc.

Nice to know good persons, isn't it? They truly are.

[Aquamarine]

Been out running around north Georgia all day taking care of business. Have been unfazed by Isabel here so far except for a pleasant breeze.
Looks like the storm is coming your way Nan, better batten down the hatches!

Good job on the opening post today John and Dutchess!

[WVNan]

I remember you telling me about that. I think that's so wonderful, even though I have a bit of trouble visualizing Bernie crocheting. LOL.

[dutchess]

I forgot Maggie that you were in that blizzard too...Nan??? hubby was and dansy...weren't you too? What a small world!

[WVNan]

Hope we don't get much from it Aqua. So far we only have some clouds. No rain or wind. If we're lucky it will go north and our picnic/campout will go forward unfazed. Aqua, see Freepmail for a correction I need to make.

[dutchess]

Hey Ohio and WV friends...next week right now we'll be writing up each of our "after lunch" report. I'm really looking forward to our "visit"!

[Molly Pitcher]

That's right dutchess! Was thinking abou that earlier...

The outer bands of rain from Isabel are drawing closer, and showing up on the local radar now...coming up from the s.e.

Think I'll stay put tomorrow until the winds die down, but am off now to an evening with friends.

Everyone take care!

[LadyX]

"I forgot Maggie that you were in that blizzard too...Nan??? hubby was and dansy...weren't you too? What a small world!"

Wish I'd known all of you then!

[WaterDragon]

I'm with you. I don't like grits in my coffee either. :)

LOL! Commas ARE important!

[MEG33]

You tell the best stories!

[FreeTheHostages]

Actually, I did get to Starbucks. ;) But I am without cable, so do pity me.

[MEG33]

Now that's extreme deprivation ..especially when news is jumping concerning my well being!Stay safe.

[lonestar]

Are you feeling better???

I felt better today but right now my nose is stopped up. My throat isn't as sore so I feel better, thanks.

[dixie sass]

Free, I've been out most of the day and not near at tv. Are you and the rest of the crew okay? What has happened? Someone told me that y'all got hit.

Worried about all of my D.C. FRiends.

Dixie

[LadyX]

You now have Freep Mail.....smeared with buttered fingers, naturally...:))