will an election be held in 2004? will it be fair?

[Minstrel Boy]

Just wondering what the mood is today, particularly after the chill of Tommy Franks' promise/threat.

[HawkerHurricane]

1. I must believe...

That despite dirty tricks, the candidate with the most votes will win, and that 2000 was a one time only aberation, never to repeat. To believe otherwise would lead to dispair.

"I laugh because I must not cry, that is all." - Abraham Lincoln.

[Minstrel Boy]

2. I'm cautiously pessimistic

about the chance of this cabal respecting something as quaint as "the will of the people." But to wallow in that well-founded suspicion is potentially self-defeating. Perhaps the alternative is "informed pessimism": realize what they're capable of and don't concede the benefit of the doubt, and work like hell as if it could make a difference.

[spotbird]

3. You know since Gen. Franks said that if there were a WMD

attack the US might have to end democracy, anything seems possible.

Up until I read those comments I thought the election would certainly be rigged, they are hardly even bothering to make a secret of it. Now I think that if it will be a landslide and they can’t fix it well enough then anything is possible.

[saoirse]

9. That was a "trial balloon" if there ever was one

It would backfire like a sonofabitch, though.

[Silverhair]

10. Take off the tin foil hat.

What do you think would happen if a major city or two got nuked by terrorists. Do you really think things would just go on like usual? That's what Franks was talking about. In the event of a Hiroshima scale terrorist attack, the public will DEMAND that the gov't DO SOMETHING. And calling a UN converence to condemn the attack and throwing a couple of missiles at a patch in the desert won't satisfy the survivors. For martial law to be accepted meekly, the public has to want it. You can't just declare it - IT JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.

[leftofthedial]

4. there has not been a fair national election in the US

since 1980.

[LastTime2BeFree]

7. What do you mean?

Were not 1992 and 1996 valid or did WJC "steal" it as those pre and post of him?

[noonwitch]

5. The GOP will certainly be up to dirty tricks

but perhaps the people will be onto them by then, and vote Bush and his cronies out. It depends on a lot of things.
1. Minority voters must get out and vote, even more so than they did in 2000. They are a much more powerful voting block than perhaps they realize. The GOP knows that-that's why they had so many purged from the rolls in Florida last time around. I hope this backfires into a massive minority turnout in 2004, especially among black voters.
a. Arab-americans voted overwhelmingly for Bush in 2000. I highly doubt that will happen again.
2. If unemployment is high, and wages are down, lots of swing voters will be voting democratic.
3. If we are still losing soldiers in Iraq, more voters may start questioning the wisdom of having sent them there to begin with. It is certain that if Bush is re-selected, he will use them to invade another country like Iran or Syria. They'd be sitting ducks in either of those countries, too.
4. If reliable evidence surfaces regarding 9-11, bin Laden/Bush connections and proof of a LIHOP situation, some of his own will turn on him and the public will be repulsed beyond belief. If someone in his own administration turns on him (like Powell), he will lose.
5. There's always the hope that Bush's keepers will forget to watch him closely and he will make some gaffe that will cost him dearly.
6. The dems have to run a good candidate who can fire up the vote. So far, Dean and Clark are the only ones generating a big response from voters. Dean has a real appeal to young voters, and that is a good thing. I think that the GOP is underestimating both of these candidates, and I hope that they continue to do so. I still think that Dean/Clark or Clark/Dean is a winning ticket.

I pray daily that Bush will be defeated, for the sake of our nation and the world. If we invade another country, the British may not back us at that point. It could cost so many more lives than even Iraq has cost, both our sons and daughters in the military and innocent civilians.

[bryant69]

6. Another question for those who answered #3 or #4

If you answered number 3 are you still involved in politics? It would seem kind of pointless to me. Or is it about making a statement?

If you answered number 4 are you trying to get out of the states?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Melodybe]

8. Americans will not hanve another election stolen

We would revolt and there is far too many of us from them to do anything!