Posted on 01/20/2005 6:05:24 PM PST by Josef1235
Rochester Republican Dan Swecker’s boycott of an inauguration ceremony last week for Democrat Christine Gregoire and the inaugural ball that followed had nothing to do with any disrespect by Swecker for the office of governor. Making such an erroneous claim or suggestion about Swecker misses the point of his protest, with which a majority of his constituents likely concur. The 20th District state senator, who represents Lewis County and parts of Thurston County, believes as do many others that the election for governor was so deeply flawed the result was illegitimate. Calling for a delay in legislative ratification of a microscopic 129-vote reversal for Gregoire in the third count of votes, as Swecker and all his Senate GOP colleagues did, in fact shows more respect for the governor’s office than installing someone when the legitimacy of such an election is being contested in court. The Legislature wrongly abdicated its responsibility and jurisdiction over elections to the courts. It should have reviewed the long list of serious discrepancies, mistakes and flaws that make knowing who the winner really was impossible and authorized a new election. But the Legislature is controlled by the Democrats and they wouldn’t even allow a delay in official installation of the new governor, let alone look at the flaws and approve a revote. On the one hand, they concede election flaws in general and make election reforms a top priority this session, but on the other hand they excuse, dismiss, minimize or rationalize the discrepancies in the governor’s race, especially in King County, and claim that in the third count, in which King County switched the result to Gregoire from Rossi, election process mistakes were fixed and the result is legitimate. What’s legitimate about hundreds of provisional ballots that were counted without their validity ever being checked and the discrepancy of other hundreds exceeding the number of people who voted? And so on. Now it’s up to the courts to decide. They may or may not, in the absence of legislative responsibility, determine that the election was invalid, throw it out and provide relief for the people of this state, which the Legislature failed to do, by mandating a new election. Understandably, both sides on the governor’s election are motivated to varying degrees by partisanship, but as Swecker said in a commentary in The Chronicle Wednesday, “what nobody can question is that many citizens throughout Washington,” including many Democrats, “believe the election had numerous problems and that a revote is necessary.” The integrity of the election is very much in question as is the legitimacy of the installed governor. Respect for the office of governor demands a revote. That is the first election reform that should take place in a system that badly needs fixing, as so obviously revealed by the governor’s election flaws. We have no call to laugh at Florida any more.
Issue isn’t respect for governor office; it’s election validity
Rochester Republican Dan Swecker’s boycott of an inauguration ceremony last week for Democrat Christine Gregoire and the inaugural ball that followed had nothing to do with any disrespect by Swecker for the office of governor.
Making such an erroneous claim or suggestion about Swecker misses the point of his protest, with which a majority of his constituents likely concur.
The 20th District state senator, who represents Lewis County and parts of Thurston County, believes as do many others that the election for governor was so deeply flawed the result was illegitimate.
Calling for a delay in legislative ratification of a microscopic 129-vote reversal for Gregoire in the third count of votes, as Swecker and all his Senate GOP colleagues did, in fact shows more respect for the governor’s office than installing someone when the legitimacy of such an election is being contested in court.
The Legislature wrongly abdicated its responsibility and jurisdiction over elections to the courts. It should have reviewed the long list of serious discrepancies, mistakes and flaws that make knowing who the winner really was impossible and authorized a new election.
But the Legislature is controlled by the Democrats and they wouldn’t even allow a delay in official installation of the new governor, let alone look at the flaws and approve a revote.
On the one hand, they concede election flaws in general and make election reforms a top priority this session, but on the other hand they excuse, dismiss, minimize or rationalize the discrepancies in the governor’s race, especially in King County, and claim that in the third count, in which King County switched the result to Gregoire from Rossi, election process mistakes were fixed and the result is legitimate.
What’s legitimate about hundreds of provisional ballots that were counted without their validity ever being checked and the discrepancy of other hundreds exceeding the number of people who voted? And so on.
Now it’s up to the courts to decide. They may or may not, in the absence of legislative responsibility, determine that the election was invalid, throw it out and provide relief for the people of this state, which the Legislature failed to do, by mandating a new election. Understandably, both sides on the governor’s election are motivated to varying degrees by partisanship, but as Swecker said in a commentary in The Chronicle Wednesday, “what nobody can question is that many citizens throughout Washington,” including many Democrats, “believe the election had numerous problems and that a revote is necessary.”
The integrity of the election is very much in question as is the legitimacy of the installed governor. Respect for the office of governor demands a revote. That is the first election reform that should take place in a system that badly needs fixing, as so obviously revealed by the governor’s election flaws.
We have no call to laugh at Florida any more.
Don't you have a blog? ;o)
Wow.
This article isn't even middle of the road - it actually says it like it is!
The dims were so frantic to get GreGorevych into the Governor's mansion that they've stepped on the "sensibilities" of their own. Gotta love it when they eat their own ;'}
No matter how long she lasts, she will NEVER be legitimate!
The new gov seems like a hellbent to win at any cost shecat....not good no matter what, she should have pressed for another election as well.
Issue isn’t respect for governor office; it’s election validity
Rochester Republican Dan Swecker’s boycott of an inauguration ceremony last week for Democrat Christine Gregoire and the inaugural ball that followed had nothing to do with any disrespect by Swecker for the office of governor.
Making such an erroneous claim or suggestion about Swecker misses the point of his protest, with which a majority of his constituents likely concur.
The 20th District state senator, who represents Lewis County and parts of Thurston County, believes as do many others that the election for governor was so deeply flawed the result was illegitimate.
Calling for a delay in legislative ratification of a microscopic 129-vote reversal for Gregoire in the third count of votes, as Swecker and all his Senate GOP colleagues did, in fact shows more respect for the governor’s office than installing someone when the legitimacy of such an election is being contested in court.
The Legislature wrongly abdicated its responsibility and jurisdiction over elections to the courts. It should have reviewed the long list of serious discrepancies, mistakes and flaws that make knowing who the winner really was impossible and authorized a new election.
But the Legislature is controlled by the Democrats and they wouldn’t even allow a delay in official installation of the new governor, let alone look at the flaws and approve a revote.
On the one hand, they concede election flaws in general and make election reforms a top priority this session, but on the other hand they excuse, dismiss, minimize or rationalize the discrepancies in the governor’s race, especially in King County, and claim that in the third count, in which King County switched the result to Gregoire from Rossi, election process mistakes were fixed and the result is legitimate.
What’s legitimate about hundreds of provisional ballots that were counted without their validity ever being checked and the discrepancy of other hundreds exceeding the number of people who voted? And so on.
Now it’s up to the courts to decide. They may or may not, in the absence of legislative responsibility, determine that the election was invalid, throw it out and provide relief for the people of this state, which the Legislature failed to do, by mandating a new election. Understandably, both sides on the governor’s election are motivated to varying degrees by partisanship, but as Swecker said in a commentary in The Chronicle Wednesday, “what nobody can question is that many citizens throughout Washington,” including many Democrats, “believe the election had numerous problems and that a revote is necessary.”
The integrity of the election is very much in question as is the legitimacy of the installed governor. Respect for the office of governor demands a revote. That is the first election reform that should take place in a system that badly needs fixing, as so obviously revealed by the governor’s election flaws.
We have no call to laugh at Florida any more.
BUMPping
Fraudoire--name for present incumbent
Well said.
That grinch should prepare for check-out
Interesting, isn't it that this thread just didn't take off and get a lot of replies for some reason, but other threads do.
Probably because although I tried, the editorial didn't come out.
Or because I suck.
No, no, no, Josef, you don't suck. I'm just curious as to why some threads seem to just take off and generate hundreds of replies, but others just peter out quick. I thought this one would have legs. I can't tell you how many articles I've posted that I was passionate about and I thought others would be too and then they just die after 10 or 20 or 30 posts. Then, other times, they grow to 100+ posts. Interesting.
Thanks. I just don't have a big ego, that's all.
I too am curious about this...
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