Washington Post calls Bush moves to postpone US elections “appropriate”

[Karmadillo]

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jul2004/wash-15j.shtml

The major daily newspaper in the US capital has endorsed the Bush administration’s review of possible actions to suspend the 2004 elections in the event of a major terrorist attack inside the United States. The Washington Post published an editorial on July 14, headlined “Tuesday in November”, which presents the preparations initiated by the Department of Homeland Security as “useful” and “appropriate”, and casts them as a legitimate exercise in contingency planning.

The whole approach of the Post is saturated with contempt for those who are alarmed about the implications of such an action for American democracy. The newspaper dismisses such concerns as “a few suspicious, even hysterical reactions, and talk of stolen elections.” Even the length and positioning of the editorial—a brief four paragraphs, placed second on the page under a comment on the gay marriage amendment—were meant to convey that nothing monumental was under discussion.

While counseling caution, the Post editors do not express any principled objection to a decision to call off the elections. Instead, they devote the bulk of their abbreviated comment to advising the Bush administration on how to counteract those who are suspicious of its political motives. They urge that Congress, not the executive branch, take the lead, possibly by appointing a bipartisan commission headed by such figures as ex-senators Bob Dole and George Mitchell, to study the issue.

<edit>

The fundamental truth, which the corporate-controlled media seeks to suppress, is that the US government is a far greater threat to American democracy than Osama bin Laden. Al Qaeda is a small band of stateless terrorists who can murder innocent people, but are incapable of imposing their reactionary vision of an Islamic fundamentalist state even in the Middle East, let alone in the United States. The Bush administration, however, directs the most powerful imperialist state, using its powers to attack the living standards and democratic rights of the American people while enriching the wealthy elite that constitutes Bush’s principal social basis.

more...

[porphyrian]

1. Washington Post is a Piece of Shit - n/t

[Ilsa]

2. The terrorists have already won

if they can affect our elections by getting them cancelled or postponed.

[leesa]

9. The terrorists are in the WH

ALL the other terrorist stuff is just a hoax they use to control us. Same way they used the threat of "communism" to keep us controlled and to steal land and resources from other countries.

[GainesT1958]

3. Next time Bob Woodward is on a talk or interview show...

Someone needs to confront him with this--even if he didn't write the editorial, his employer did.x(

I'd love to see Al Franken try and interview him about this yellow journalistic outrage!:mad:

B-)

[mstrsplinter326]

6. I don't understand the contempt for Bob Woodward at DU

He wrote one of the most scathing books about Bush. He went on all the Sunday morning talkshows and beat the living piss out of the Bush administration.

And seeing as how he is America's most important journalist of our 225+ year history, I would say his word carries weight and he should be treated as an ally.

Granted I don't know much more about his recent articles and positions, and maybe he's written some fluff like the article above.

[nodictators]

10. "Scathing"? His book was #1 on the reading list on the GWB website

Woodward is a Repub! His "he said, she said" reporting makes a travesty of verifiable Truth. Exactly where do his quotes come from? A fly on the wall? Or, whatever Woodard wishes?

Many of his hearsay claims have been denied or refuted.

And Woodward's "Bush at War" was a puff-piece for Bush.

[KC21304]

20. You can't be serious.

Woodward was approached by Bush to write the book. The purpose was to show that Bush and not Cheney is running the show and Woodward obliged.

He dutifully reported that the entire time he interviewed Bush, 2 1/2 to 3 hours I believe he said, Cheney was nowhere in sight. Now how hard was it to have Cheney disappear for those few hours ?

Of course Woodward did report some embarrassing quotes from Bush which couldn't be avoided but Bush's mission was accomplished. We all have been set straight that Bush is his own man, except for the instructions he gets right from the man upstairs of course.

I believe Woodward was used to some degree but I guess he has made out quite well in the deal.

[mstrsplinter326]

4. Stolen Elections!?!?

"a few suspicious, even hysterical reactions, and talk of stolen elections.”

Hmmm... why would anyone talk about stolen elections??

Gore:
50,996,039
Bush:
50,456,141

[GiovanniC]

18. Yes, Can You Imagine?

Stolen elections -- hmmph. All those reactionary, hysterical crackpots... why, the last time a presidential election was stolen was... the LAST presidential election.

But the reason that it's a stolen election has nothing to do with the popular vote. It has to do with the electoral votes, particularly of Florida. It has to do with recounts showing Gore won Florida -- and its electoral votes, but the Supreme Court not allowing those recounts to occur.

[LeighAnn]

5. When will this nightmare be over?

So sick of it.

[BeFree]

12. The nightmare will never end

As long as we remain divided, despots will continue to rule us with an iron fist.

Just remember... always lurking and ready to pounce, are elite republicans in sheep's clothing. False prophets, all, they rely on lies and deception to rip asunder our abiding allegiance to "Liberty and Justice for All".

[aden_nak]

7. I Call The Washington Post Article “Douchebaggery”

<snip>

Douchebaggery, I say!

<snip>

[amber dog democrat]

8. The WP is not a defender of representative government

of the people, for the people and by the people.

In this instance they are shilling for corporate fascism.
and this WAS a stolen election. The WP is showing its true colors.
I guess they won't be losing access to the White House for this stance.

[Hoping4Change]

11. As michiganvote pointed outed out in another thread how is it

that elections in Afganistan, Iraq, etc (countries that are constantly beset by constant violence) are slated to go ahead?

[Jacobin]

13. Billmon has it right on this issue:

http://www.billmon.org/


Scroll down to July 12

snippet:

I'm trying very hard not to be overly paranoid about this - which isn't easy considering the cast of characters involved. I don't know anything about Soaries or his political connections, and considering the administration's past patronage practices, I probably don't want to know.

But before rushing to the conclusion that this is the opening move in a plot to overthrow the Constitution of the United States and make George "Baby Doc" Bush president for life (Shrub: Well, it would make things easier...)
******

I think it should be obvious to just about everyone that the guy with his finger on the trigger shouldn't be the chairman of the Federal Election Assistance Commission. But in a government that's completely controlled by one political party, it's hard to see how any mechanism can be devised that will be both nonpartisan and accepted as nonpartisan by both sides. That's especially true in the wake of the Florida fiasco and the political ruthlessness it revealed, not least on the bench of the highest court in the land.

Chickens. Home. Roosting.

(I love this blog)

[Zynx]

14. All that would be needed would be a court injunction extending voting hour

s for an aflicted area incase that area would have difficulty in going forward with an election.

[mmonk]

15. moves to postpone elections

will lead to violence in the streets and a truckload of lawsuits. There are too many people in this country that no longer trust the administration and even though those that would rebel violently are few, they are there nonetheless. It would lead to a possible crisis.

[mmonk]

16. It's funny the administration

told the people to shop and travel and go about their regular routines after 9/11, but some are ready to postpone the democratic process.

[TexasSissy]

17. Postponing the elections is...u-n-a-c-c-e-p-t-a-b-l-e.

[hatrack]

19. Washington Post referst to Bush boot-licking as "journalism"

Fuck 'em.

[Beacho]

21. Parties to treason

no 'ifs', 'ands', or 'buts'