ZAC Presidents was/ Re: Longer Lug Bolts?

[isham-research.freeserve.co.uk at pop.pol.net.uk]

>   I've been VERY curious what the non US listers have thought of
> our election.  I'd love to hear a couple comments from those of
> you that care to offer them.

The impression I have is of a dramatic contrast between the strength
of the constitutional provisions and the carelessness of those charged
with implementing them.

First of all - there are no "tanks around the presidential palace" or
the like - this isn't a banana republic.  Also all of those involved
realise that Bernstein and Woodward (or their successors) will be
watching every blink of every eyelid and it's all officially whiter
than white.  In many respects the chaos publicly reinforces the
fundamental strength of the underlying constitutional process.

And whoever decided that the inauguration would be two months after
the votes were cast was a GODDAMN GENIUS!!!  Prescient, or what?

But - at the implementation level - those directly concerned with
recording and tabulating the wishes of the electorate sure seem to
have fallen down on the job.  Slapdash hardly seems to cover it -
every time the magnifying glass of scrutiny of a close vote moves
over a portion of the poll, it's as if a stone in a streambed were
turned over - things scuttle into and out of the light.

In my opinion the American electoral system has failed bigtime - not
in a constitutional sense, and not as the fault of any of the
contenders - but simply administratively.  Vote collection systems
have been implemented without much consideration for their effect
on the probity of the votes they're designed to collect.

All opinions are personal.

-- 
 Phil Payne
 UK Audi quattro Owners Club
 http://www.isham-research.freeserve.co.uk/quattro
 Phone +44 7785 302803   Fax: +44 7785 309674