If the U.S. Constitution is still in effect, the results of the 2004 Presidential Election are not yet official ! No one really knows who will be the next President of the United States !
Despite what the major media may say, the OFFICIAL results will not be OFFICIAL until January 6, 2005 !
The presidential election system in the United States is somewhat complex. American voters do not DIRECTLY elect the president and vice-president. Instead, there is an intermediary stage, whereby the vast electorate votes for “Electors” who are pledged to certain candidates and who then vote for them, in accordance with the popular vote.
While there is much valid criticism of the Electoral College system in the United States, in this instance, it may prove to be a welcome asset. There is still time for Courts to hear all the legal cases challenging voting procedures.
The U.S. Electoral College website states:
2004 Presidential Election
General Election Results
The major news media have reported that George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney will have sufficient electoral votes to be elected President and Vice President for the fifty-fifth term, 2005-2009.
· The electors for the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates will meet on December 13, 2004 in each of the States and the District of Columbia to cast their votes for President and Vice President.
· On January 6, 2005, the Congress will meet in joint session to conduct the official tally of electoral votes.
· The Presidential inauguration will take place at noon on January 20, 2005.
http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/2004/results.html
http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/index.html
The Presidential Election of 2000 was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Perhaps, the election of 2004 may be decided by the “lower” courts and not even have to go “higher”.
Despite what President Bush, Senator Kerry, the House of Representatives or the Senate may think, they are ALL subject to “the will of the people” and - despite all indications - the U.S. Constitution is still the “Supreme Law” of the nation. It has withstood the test of two centuries and remains a safeguard against tyranny.
The U.S. Contitution states:
Article. II.
Section. 1.
Clause 1: The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows
Clause 2: Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
Clause 3: The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President. (See Note 8)
Clause 4: The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Constitution.html
Fortunately, it is still up to the “American people” to decide who will represent them. There is still time to make sure that ALL votes be validated.
There is an old theatrical saying that “the show isn’t over until the fat lady sings.” Well, we have two months before we’ll know who will take the Oath of Office on January 20, 2005. Maybe it’s time to tune the instruments.
Of course, there will be little change in American Foreign Policy if Senator Kerry is elected. He skillfully outmaneuvred all Peace candidates within the Democratic Party, such as Congressman Dennis Kucinich, as well as “third party” candidates, like Ralph Nader and Bill Van Auken who were denied access to official status in most states, by both the Republican and Democratic Party machines.
No references to the illegality of the Iraq invasion and occupation were even mentioned and prison camps like that at Guantánamo Bay were totally ignored. So also was the notorious “School of the Americas” which also brings shame upon the nation. Also ignored were the still unanswered questions of 9/11 and the so-called “War on Terrorism”.
Nevertheless, for the sake of “an honest election”, one hopes that the Courts will allow validation of ALL votes.
Also, in order to dispel the criticism that both major parties are under the control of transnational corporations, it might be wise to implement Campaign Finance Reform.
Perhaps, then – if the U.S. Constitution is still in effect - the rest of the world may once again view the United States as a real Democracy, with all it’s inherent complications.
It must be remembered that when the United States was initially incorporated as a nation, regulated by its Constitution, it was classified simply as a republic – a nation without a monarch. The goal of Democracy and Universal Suffrage came much later – after many difficult struggles. Obviously, there is still much work to be done.
Paul V. Rafferty
Please continue for related websites and articles …
Despite what the major media may say, the OFFICIAL results will not be OFFICIAL until January 6, 2005 !
The presidential election system in the United States is somewhat complex. American voters do not DIRECTLY elect the president and vice-president. Instead, there is an intermediary stage, whereby the vast electorate votes for “Electors” who are pledged to certain candidates and who then vote for them, in accordance with the popular vote.
While there is much valid criticism of the Electoral College system in the United States, in this instance, it may prove to be a welcome asset. There is still time for Courts to hear all the legal cases challenging voting procedures.
The U.S. Electoral College website states:
2004 Presidential Election
General Election Results
The major news media have reported that George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney will have sufficient electoral votes to be elected President and Vice President for the fifty-fifth term, 2005-2009.
· The electors for the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates will meet on December 13, 2004 in each of the States and the District of Columbia to cast their votes for President and Vice President.
· On January 6, 2005, the Congress will meet in joint session to conduct the official tally of electoral votes.
· The Presidential inauguration will take place at noon on January 20, 2005.
http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/2004/results.html
http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/index.html
The Presidential Election of 2000 was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Perhaps, the election of 2004 may be decided by the “lower” courts and not even have to go “higher”.
Despite what President Bush, Senator Kerry, the House of Representatives or the Senate may think, they are ALL subject to “the will of the people” and - despite all indications - the U.S. Constitution is still the “Supreme Law” of the nation. It has withstood the test of two centuries and remains a safeguard against tyranny.
The U.S. Contitution states:
Article. II.
Section. 1.
Clause 1: The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows
Clause 2: Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
Clause 3: The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President. (See Note 8)
Clause 4: The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Constitution.html
Fortunately, it is still up to the “American people” to decide who will represent them. There is still time to make sure that ALL votes be validated.
There is an old theatrical saying that “the show isn’t over until the fat lady sings.” Well, we have two months before we’ll know who will take the Oath of Office on January 20, 2005. Maybe it’s time to tune the instruments.
Of course, there will be little change in American Foreign Policy if Senator Kerry is elected. He skillfully outmaneuvred all Peace candidates within the Democratic Party, such as Congressman Dennis Kucinich, as well as “third party” candidates, like Ralph Nader and Bill Van Auken who were denied access to official status in most states, by both the Republican and Democratic Party machines.
No references to the illegality of the Iraq invasion and occupation were even mentioned and prison camps like that at Guantánamo Bay were totally ignored. So also was the notorious “School of the Americas” which also brings shame upon the nation. Also ignored were the still unanswered questions of 9/11 and the so-called “War on Terrorism”.
Nevertheless, for the sake of “an honest election”, one hopes that the Courts will allow validation of ALL votes.
Also, in order to dispel the criticism that both major parties are under the control of transnational corporations, it might be wise to implement Campaign Finance Reform.
Perhaps, then – if the U.S. Constitution is still in effect - the rest of the world may once again view the United States as a real Democracy, with all it’s inherent complications.
It must be remembered that when the United States was initially incorporated as a nation, regulated by its Constitution, it was classified simply as a republic – a nation without a monarch. The goal of Democracy and Universal Suffrage came much later – after many difficult struggles. Obviously, there is still much work to be done.
Paul V. Rafferty
Please continue for related websites and articles …