We Need a Massive Uprising!

I agree that something must be done about this. It is unbelievably shocking that the people of the U.S. will just let the Republicans get away with this. I am upset every day about what has happened, and am not sure what to do. I am supporting the Democratic party in every way I can, but we need a massive uprising against Bush in order to get rid of him. It is difficult to achieve such a thing in a country as big as the U.S. but where there's a will, there's a way.

Sincerely,
Cathy Daniels, Bellevue, WA

Hearings and Action

I have no doubt the Constitution was shattered with the Supreme Court decision...

John Machado

Supreme Court Flunked Constitution 101

I agree that now that the Democrats control the Senate they should go forward into the stolen election. I have written a few of them on this topic. Seeing as how I was one of those disenfranchised, I'm mad and I get madder every time I read or hear about the selection. I listened to some of the testimony for the Civil Rights Commission Report and I was appalled. This is America, where our vote IS supposed to count. I still can't believe what happened and I am so ashamed of my fellow Americans for allowing this to continue. I understand some of those who did support Bush, but I'm talking about the majority of Americans who have done nothing. I urge anyone listening to start an investigation into this selection by the "Supreme" court. I think they failed Constitution 101.

Rick & Gerry Coats

A Special Thanks to Constitutional Expert David Kairys

Hello, Friend -

You article is most informative and confirms what I have thought all along. As to my position, I am angry, I am so very frustrated becuse nothing seems to be happening with respect to a much-needed investigation as to the Supreme Court's crime.

Be advised that I am willing, at the very least, to sign and send a Petition to the Democratically-controlled Senate to begin hearings on this matter. Having said that, however, I confess to having no idea how to begin such a petition or a movement of sorts.

It is time for George W. Bush to be forced out of the presidencey, which he has no legal right to hold, along with his cabinet and his appointees. It is time, and we, the American people, have a right to insist on it.

Thank you for your words and for your expertise.

Tori Looks Twice

Will Democracy of the U.S. As We Know It End with Bush?

At the very least, we must thoroughly investigate the blatantly partisan political manipulations by the U.S. Supreme Court, which illegally gave George W. Bush the White House. And now we even have a quid pro quo, with Scalia and Rehnquist's sons receiving White House nominations - after their fathers took such outrageous actions. A full-scale investigation is a minimum. I believe every member of the U.S. Supreme Court who voted to usurp their constitutional powers by preventing a full and fair count of votesd should be impeached, thrown out of office...and put in jail where they belong. When will someone of courage stand up and demand such?

An investigation is also warranted into Tom DeLay's possible illegal use of public officials and public money to illegally (and successfully) put a stop to the recount of votes in Miami-Dade. If answers are not found, it can only be assumed that democracy in the U.S. ended with the illegal installation of George W. Bush to the presidency, with the help of his corrupt friends and family, including the most corrupt Supreme Court in U.S. history.

W. Dean, Syracuse, NY

Hitler and Bush: Disturbing Similarities

Does anyone besides me see the similarities between the installation of Hitler and the installation of the crackhead Bu$h? They bypassed the constitution and all other avenues in order to get the crackhead in office. No one but Vince Bugliosi has written anything to say he is outraged and so should we all. I think the Democratic Senate needs to investigate this and let us hear about how this miscarriage of democracy was carried out. Someone needs to let the nation know. Bad thing about the media, though: it's owned by the conservanazis.

The people will prevail. Expose the crackhead for what he really is. A puppet of Sieg Heil Limbaugh.

Doug Vizena

After Election 2000, We're No Longer Proud to Be Americans

I proudly brought my daughter to the voting poll on November 7. I showed her how to use the "punch ballot" and we talked about the importance of voting. We had similar conversations many times, but she would be voting in the next presidential election and I wanted to be sure she would feel confident about going to the polls and casting her VERY IMPORTANT vote.

I remember how elated we both were when it was announced Gore had won in Florida. She went to bed knowing how important it was to vote and how rewarding it is when your party and candidate is the chosen winner.

Ever since that night it seems like a never-ending nightmare began. The "Proud to be an American" feeling has left her heart and MINE. We both are now cynical of all the politicians left and right. Why are the Democrats letting this illegal and unjust Presidency continue?

Bush, both of them, Harris, and the Supreme Court should all be in jail for what they have done. Anything less than that is teaching ALL children that it is OK to be crooks, thieves, and liars as long as you have enough money to buy everyone off.

NO MATTER YOUR PARTY AFFILIATION, YOUR CHILDREN SHOULD BE PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN. IN THE FUTURE, HOW WILL ANY PARENT OR TEACHER BE ABLE TO SAY THIS IS A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY AND IN OUR COUNTRY EVERY VOTE COUNTS? WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO HIDE THIS HUGE LIE AND WE SHOULD NOT. JAIL THE GUILTY SO WE CAN GET BEYOND THIS NIGHTMARE OF INJUSTICE. MAYBE IT WOULD BE WORTH ALL THE TRUST THAT OUR CHILDREN HAVE LOST, IF THEY TAKE FROM THIS LESSON THAT CRIME DOESN'T PAY, AND THEY LEARN THAT EVERY VOTE WILL COUNT...EVENTUALLY.

Florida Mom

Death Knell for Democracy

I think this whole episode was a death knell for our democracy - virtually and spiritually. If the Democrats don't do something about it, our country is doomed to a combination of "Repug-Nazi" rule and cynicism and hopelessness on the part of the populace.

Mary

Investigate, then Impeach

The democrats must begin an investigation into the background of the decision in order to establish motive (i.e., O'Conner allegedly stating that she would only retire if a Republican were elected, Scalia stating that he would leave the country if Gore were elected, etc.) If motive is verified, then the text of the decision is sufficient to convict for removal. I have read Bugliosi's book and it is good but it is only an outline. An in-depth research project is needed to impeach the per curiam decision. Prior decisions need to be dissected for contrary propositions of law authored by the Felony Five. Legal inconsistencies coupled with anomalous conclusions in Bush V. Gore with a verified motive would convict.

This court has committed the most heinous affront to our Constitution ever. Rivers have run blood red fighting for the precious right to vote and this court has pissed on us all. I am a lawer willing to donate money and time to assist anyone willing to embark on a project to educate, investigate, study, and lobby a resolution to this horrible indictment on our American constitutional democracy.

Joseph T Leman
508 S. Thornton Ave.
Dalton, GA 30720

Through Stolen Election, Bush "residency", Needs Still Go Unmet

I still want universasl health care, and I voted.

Katie Bretsch

Want to Remember What a Real President Looks Like? Look at Photo of Clinton

The Presidency of the United States of America has been Stolen!!! The crimes of Jeb Bush, Katharine Harris, and George W. Bush are unforgivable and abhorrent. The crimes of the gang of 5 in the U.S. Supreme Court against our United States Constitution is considered treason and they should be tried as such. It is the duty of the United States media to inform the public. Every American must know that a horrific crime has been committed and everyone involved must be brought to justice. If the media in this country is incapable of doing its job of keeping the public informed, perhaps they need to hang up their notepads, go home, and let someone else report it for them. The media has made a mockery of American Democracy and principles. First, malicious reporting about our President William Jeffereson Clinton and now non-reporting of crimes committed by people who sit on America's Judicial Seats. The media obviously finds favor in men who steal the Presidency of America and squat in OUR White House versus men who are elected. Just in case the media does not remember what real, elected President looks like, they would be wise to refer to a photo President William Jefferson Clinton.

Ballard Tammy

Appeal to Tom Daschle

Dear Senator Tom Daschle:

Realizing that Democrats have such a slim majority in the U.S. Senate is all the more reason that Impeachment proceedings for the five corrupt justices that put Bush in our White House should begin at once. He is trying to fill our courts with radical wingnuts. They must not only be stopped, but the five criminals that put him in the position to attempt to do so, must be brought to justice at once. These radicals must be stopped now, before America becomes a regime of Fascists.

Ballard Tammy

Why don't we just get over it?

It is impossible to get over something that continues to have a negative impact on our lives everyday, and will continue to do so for years to come. High gas and electric prices with two oil robber barons in the White House, but there is no cause and effect there. A huge tax cut for the wealthy when we have the richest cabinet ever, but there is no coincidence in that, is there? Just ask the media. What do you mean the media is controlled by huge corporate interests that benefit from this administration? They would still report the truth wouldn't they? Even if it meant they wouldn't make such immmense profits. You say arsenic in the water, strip miners don't want to clean up the mess they make, loggers want to cut down the trees in our National Forests and make roads in pristine lands, no problem, we cut funding for the EPA. CO2, what is that? There is no such thing as global warming. It's fuzzy science! More coal burning plants and oil wells on ever shore, that's our motto. What do you mean, air pollution? No such animal. It's fuzzy science! We don't need to develop alternative energy sources, that wouldn't make our corporate donors huge amounts of money so they could continue to contribute millions to our campaigns. So we slash funding for research and development. The results of this destruction of our environment will take years to see the full consequences of, but the effects will be felt by Republicans and Democrats alike. Dirty air, poisoned water, and climate change effects every one on earth, regardless of party affiliation, so we will ALL have to try and get over that. As to the damage done to our democratic process and the trust lost in our Supreme Court, how can anyone ever measure that?

Madelyn Bennett, Yipsilanti

Conservative Offers a Different Point of View on Florida Debacle

The assertion that the Bush election represents a "crime" is hardly warranted. The fact is that the Republicans followed the law both in letter and in spirit. What strikes me as most outrageous about this whole affiar is that Katherine Harris was castigated for doing just that. Let's review. When all was said and done, it came down to the question of the legaility of rejecting the certification of the updated vote totals in those three counties in which a manual recount was still pending at the time of the deadline. The seminal issue revolved around the following law -

"102.112 Deadline for submission of county returns to the Department of State:

(1) The county canvassing board or a majority thereof shall file the county returns for the election of a federal or state officer with the Department of State immediately after certification of the election results. Returns must be filed by 5 p.m. on the 7th day following the first primary and general election and by 3 p.m. on the 3rd day following the second primary. If the returns are not received by the department by the time specified, such returns MAY be ignored and the results on file at that time may be certified by the department.."[emphasis obviously added]

The spirit of this law strikes me clearly as intending to assure timeliness in election returns with provision for extraordinary delaying circumstances. The problem is that those circumstances are not clearly spelled out. Moreover, the decision, in any event, is the Secretary of State's. I can find no law which required her to wait.

Assume that every vile thing ever conceived about Katherine Harris is true. Assume that she even actually wanted Bush to win! Her decision to exercise her discretion in favor of not extending the deadline was hers to make as a lower court judge properly ruled. One might be tempted to assert that, given that some hand recounts had yet to be completed, she ought to have given them more time. I can accept that possibility. What I can not accept is that she had a legal obligation to do so, much less that the Florida Supreme Court had any constitutional right to order her to wait. Law 102.166 governs manual recounts. Nowhere does it say anything such as "The need to complete a manual recount overrides the provisions of statute 102.112 (1)." Indeed, even if it had, who is to make the decisions as to how much leeway to give? You don't have forever. The Court usurped the powers of both the legislature and executive by imposing a date of their own. This was the first time I had ever seen what an activist judiciary looked like and it wasn't pretty. If you had a problem with what she did, you 1) Change the law and/or 2) vote her out of office. That would have been the proper, democratic thing to do.

What to do from here: Appoint judges who will interpret the laws rather than imposing their own views. If unelected judges are permitted to impose their own ideas of "fairness" upon us irregarless of the laws then laws and even the Constitution itself are practically meaningless.

Mark Beyrau
We appreciate Mr. Beyrau's respectful, intelligent and civil tone in contributing to this forum. Alas, more often, the "other side" offers no intelligent argument, but instead repeats weary catch phrases. However, we might also note that at the same time, Mr. Beyrau's contribution is being given far more respectful consideration here at Democrats.com than any of the other letters in this forum would have received at the hands of editors at our counterpart conservative web sites. C.S.

Rebuttal: Supreme Court, Not Florida Court, Guilty Not Just of Judicial Activism, But Treason

While I commend Mark Beyrau for the civil tone he use in his post, I feel I must respond to his comments because he left out a number of crucial facts. I used to live in Florida and I volunteered on numerous election campaigns there so I'm very familiar with the disputed territory as well as Florida election law. With respect to the Florida Supreme Court, Mr. Beyrau fails to point out that the Florida legislature gave the Florida Supreme Court the authority to settle a disputed election, which is precisely what the Florida Supreme Court did. This is not judicial activism. In sharp contrast, It's the Rehnquist 5 on the U.S. Supreme Court who are guilty of the most blatant case of judicial activism in the history of our country. The U.S. Constitution doesn't give the U.S. Supreme Court the autyhority to settle a disputed Presidential election. Congress has never given the U.S. Supreme Court this authority. The Rehnquist 5 took this authority for the U.S. Supreme Court in an act of treason that trampled the clear will of the American people who chose Al Gore to be their President. I strongly recommend that Mr. Beyrau read Vincent Bugliosi's book, "The Betrayal of America" that details the Rehnquist 5's treasonous behaviour.

With respect to Katherine Harris, Ms. Harris approved the loose standards for the purging of felons from Florida's voting rolls knowing full well that legally registered and highly likely Gore voters would be purged. She was well aware of the massive numbers of compaints from lawfully registered vcoters who had wrongly been purged and did nothing to correct this disenfranchisement. While accepting the returns from 23 heavily Republican counties in central and north Florida who had conducted secret, election day hand counts with no observers from the political parties present, of absentee ballots that the machines couldn't read which favored the White House thief by more than 2 to 1, Harris did everything she could to thwart the hand counting of ballots that the machienes couldn't read in the heavily decomratic counties in South Florida wihich heavily favored Al Gore. Florida has a very clear intent of the voter law which requires that all votes where the intent of the voter is clear be counted. Harris failed to enforce this law by failing to make the county cavassing boards count all of the votes. Harris clearly has the authority to make the county canvassing boards follow Florida's election laws and procedures. When there's only 1/2% difference in the numbers of votes between candidates, Florida's election law very clearly required a machine recount. Eighteens of Florida's 67 counties never conducted this mandatory recount in the 2000 Presidential election and Harris never used her authority to enforce this law. In addition, in such a close election, every Florida candidate has the right to request a hand count. At the state level, candidates could choose what counties they wanted to hand counts in. Never before was there the efforts to block a hand count, which Florida election law specificially provides for as Katherine Harris undertook in 2000 to the point that she basically ran out the clock. Because she was determined to deliver Florida for the White House thief and she knew that if all of the votes were couted, Al Gore would win. I find Mr. Beyrau's complaint about the November 14th deadline by which the counties are supposed to submit their results to the state most hollow. Hawaii didn't submit its list of Presidential electors for the 1960 Presidential election to Congress until January 4, 1961! Contrary to Mr. Beyrau, in a democracy, there must never be a time limit on the counting of votes. Katherine Harris also violated numerous Florida election laws regarding absentee ballots by accepting military ballots where the signature on the ballot didn't match the signature on the request form, there was no postmark on the ballot, and ballots that weren't propertly notorized. These ballots heavily favored the White House thief because the media has refused to tell the American people about Bush being AWOL from the Texas Air National Guard at the height of the Vietnam War because he refused to take a physical that included a drug test. There's a considerable amount of evidence that the Bush campaign illegally solicited absentee military ballots after election day and Harris accepoted these illegal ballots because they so heavily favored the White House thief.

In conclusion, there's no doubt in my mind that Katherine Harris deliberately behaved the way she did in order to rig the election for the White House thief as she was the Florida co-chair for his campaign while all of this was going on. She should be in jail for this crime. There is also no doubt in my mind that the evidence clearly shows that the Rehnquist 5 committed treason in their ruling in order to ensure the appointment of the Presidential candidate they personally supported. They should also be in jail.

Nancy Kuhn

Truth As I See It

The Prince is not and never will be presidential material(though he makes a great dictator);The Regent(Cheney) is illegally in office(check the amendments concerning his place of residence); and if we could look under the robes of the Supreme Court Five, I'm sure they have S.S.(does not stand for Social Security) tattooed somewhere on their bodies. Evict the resident; impeach the black-robes; and toss the rest of the extremists into a leaky boat pointed in the direction of a frigid, deserted island. Only then will we be able to call this America once again.

D.Reynolds

Current Supreme Court Did More Damage than Charles Manson

Dear Fellow Americans,

Vincent Bugliosi called it perfectly. The current make-up of the Supreme Court is worse than Charles Manson, having appointed Bush to the White House, and undermined the process of a free society.

When the U.S. bombed Iraq a few months ago, I remember thinking, "Well there's an unelected regime attacking another unelected regime."

By the way, the "news media" is slowly getting the clue about the the crime of December 2000. The truth is even starting to dribble into the Chicago Tribune.

Also, I recommend we all keep an eye on pop culture. Remember, film/TV/etc. creators have to please that mass audience dollar so what gets made and reacted to is a good reflection of what the American people really thinks. How many months after the end of Big Dog's "impeachment" (really, sex police show trial) before Ken Starr-type villans showed up in "the Contender," "Quills" and who knows where else? (A friend of mine told me a similar character showed up in "Law and Order" on NBC). Eventually, someone will lampoon the Thomas, Rehnquist gang of "justices," maybe spoofing them as a slimy board of directors of a mythical corporation who arrange the installation of a middle-aged, pampered piece of jumped-up frat boy trash as a CEO.

Kevin Miller

Were the Clinton Investigations Part of the GOP's Larger Election 2000 Plot?

The other day, I asked a lawyer I know if she thought that the Senate, now that the Dems are in control, would call for an investigation of election 2000 and that if they did, how she thought it would fly. She said she thought that Senators, even Dems would be pretty leery of pushing because of the public's "investigation fatique." "The Ken Starr stuff caused a real overdose on investigations," she summarized.

I thought about this and, after reading the David Kairys article and parts of Vincent Bugliosi's book (OK, I admit it-- it was in my lawyer friend's bathroom, so I skimmed!), it seems that the GOP plot to take this election was pretty far-reaching, well-organized and well thought out. These guys are real Machiavellis when it comes to this sort of stuff. After all, they learned from Nazi-trained operatives back in the 1950s. I suspect now that PLAN A was: find a way - any way - to impeach Clinton. If this looked as if it wouldn't work too well, then go for PLAN B: drag the country trough a mind-numbing, endless investigation, creating major "investigation fatique" as my friend put it. Then, with your operatives in place in key states and on the Supreme Court, stand by for PLAN C: to steal the election through hook or crook. Then, if you happen to lose control of the Senate through the election (this of course didn't happen the, but just a few weeks back with Jeffords) and anyone calls for an investigation of ANYTHING, you can invoke election fatigue and appear all civic-minded: "We simply CAN'T put the country through another investigation." In fact, you can set this whole mood up by spreading your buzz phrase: "Just get over it," implying anyone who questions the election is just trying to bog everybody down (like Ken Starr didn't?).

Well, I say we can't let these Nazis manipulate the nation like this. If we have to go through FOUR YEARS of investigations, so be it! I'd rather go through four years of elections and get to the truth and get rid of the criminals now in office than face 40 years of a fascist government.

I say INVESTIGATE! INVESTIGATE! INVESTIGATE!

In solidarity with all free Americans, Adrian D.

Americans Now Subject to Taxation without Representation

I too am aghast at the extreme court actions. As far as democracy, that is a system of government run by the people. We don't have that. The resident in the White House is not elected. It seems that divine Providence moved in where Democrats feared to tread in the heroic action of Jeffords. The people tell them we don't want Ashcroft, and for whatever expedience they do what they want, not what the people say. Yes, they have a chance to do something now. As long as they are having investigative hearings, they are not passing more laws. I think we are all better off when they aren't there.

Interesting that the Senate changed balance without an election and so did the White House this year. Maybe this is the beginning of revolution. It's been too long. If only people had enough courage to boycott the government by not paying them. But alas, there is more fear than anything in the country.

I am not going to get over it. I am not going to participate until I see my representatives participating. They want me to give mopney and time to get them elected, and then they ignore us. We are illegally taxed because we are not being represented - the parties are. So I am taxed without representation.

Thanks for this chance to vent. We do too care.

Georgia Gandalf

Republicans are the Party of Dirty Work

It was said the Reagan/Bush administrations had the most white collar sleaze and crime in our history. And remember the Constitution was violated then, too? I am furious that this stupid thief is being called the president. I will never call him that. There was an organized effort in Florida to cause people to lose thier vote. Why are the American people denying this worst theft in the history of our country? It was solely hate that brought the impeachment of President Clinton. That should be erased and Dubya impreached. The Republicans are the party of dirty work and "get even."

Mary Prizler

We Need Congressional Hearings

As an American citizen, I feel that I am entitled to know if the Supreme Court acted correctly in their decision to stop the vote count in Florida. I wish that there would be congressional hearings on this matter.