Democrats dust off old rule (WA, Rossi vs. Gregoire)

The News-Tribune ^ | 10 December 2004 | KENNETH P. VOGEL

[GVnana]

What a stupid, stinking mess!

[Just Lori]

If they DARE to attempt this, the backlash will be enormous! Many dems are saying that if they could vote again, it wouldn't be for Chris.....er I mean Christine....er WHO is she?

[Just Lori]

If those does happen, the RNC needs to jump on this big time and make sure the whole nation knows. This should become a big national story.

It SHOULD be one NOW!

[loboinok]

As I now see that by the State Dems, I wonder what is going on!?!

Which is why I don't press.I know they will convince you far easier then I could.I was Dem for nearly 35 years.We Republicans aren't perfect but you can't get much closer. ;^)

[ClintonBeGone]

Good story.

[Paul Ross]

Respondents in two recent polls narrowly favored Gregoire conceding..

Keep this in mind though. I fear that JosefK is a rare bird, who puts country before party. The reasoning could well go in Democrat circles, that, hey, 99% of our folks will stick with us no matter how unethical we get...and as long as we are the ones in the catsbird seat to actually "count the votes" we get to say what the final count is. E.g., Ends justifies the means.

[JosefK]

FYI: My blog at http://josef-a-k.blogspot.com has the latest update.

[StJacques]

"I'm afraid you're underestimating how far left of left WA democrats really are. Most FL Dems never had the ideologue frame of mind these idiots have."

Point taken Veto. The "Left Coast" is genuinely out of line with mainstream American political opinion. But I do note that, without splitting the fractions of percentages here, a Republican like Rossi is capable of garnering 50% of the vote, which must mean that there are a significant number of Washington voters who will cast a critical eye on the outcome of the election if it is decided unfairly.

[JosefK]

New thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1299345/posts

[JosefK]

New thread - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1299630/posts

[AuH2ORepublican]

"But Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, predicted politics would prevail.

Party leaders “would allow some Democrats to vote ‘no’ – the ones in marginal districts,” he said. “But there would be just enough votes to put her in.” "

---

Sabato is wrong on the math. The Democrats have a 26-23 margin in the state senate, so if only 2 Democrats vote for Rossi it would result in Rossi winning (I can't imagine that any Republican state senators would vote for Gregoire if Rossi comes out ahead for the third time in the hand recount). Given the fact that Democrat voters are heavily concentrated in a few areas (especially in Seattle and Tacoma), and that the state was split about 50-50 among Rossi and Gregoire, I would guess that there are at least 3 or 4 state senate districts that voted for Rossi and that have a Democrat senator. As Sabato pointed out, Democrat senators from marginal districts (and especially from districts that voted for Rossi) would be unlikely to vote for Gregoire after she loses the hand recount. The fact that two Democrat state senators---enough to give Rossi the majority---have already indicated that they do not think that they would vote for Gregoire if it went to the legislature means that at least in the Senate it appears that Gregoire won't be able to cheat her way in.

[A CA Guy]

If the Democrats really try this, they will lose far more than they gain over the next 5 election cycles at least.

Republicans and other conservatives are just beginning to speak out about the crime and racism that is all through the Democrat party. The more they make a show of this stuff, the more power they lose for decades.

[justshutupandtakeit]

That is almost completely false. If you follow the lives of our Founders almost every one of significance would qualify as a professional politician. They served many terms as justice of the peace, judge, state legislator, governor, Pres., VP., Senator, Representative or ambassador. It was extremely rare to find an office holder who had not served in a series of progressively more powerful offices just like now.

Look at Washington, Madison, Monroe, Jefferson, Adams all with decades of public service. Then, like now, rich men made up the bulk of officials. Then, like now, public office imposed a financial burden upon those serving.

The myth of the "non-professional pol" is nothing but nostalgic fantasy.

[William Terrell]

Years of public service != professional politician. A professional politician make his living in politics.

[justshutupandtakeit]

More baloney. Most of these parasites have other, more lucrative jobs that pay far better than the picyune salaries paid to elected officials.

Surely you don't believe they limit themselves do you? Those that actually live only on those salaries are rare and probably very good public servants.

[William Terrell]

Most of these parasites have other, more lucrative jobs that pay far better than the picyune salaries paid to elected officials.

Really? What Congressmen have other jobs that they live off of during their tenure? Many of them get money other than their "salary" in shady ways, but still related to the office they hold.