Will the Florida Legislature Vote the Electors for Bush?

[patcox2]

Noone has mentioned this. Under the constitution, in the event of a dispute, the legislature of a state can simply vote on how that state's presidential electors should vote. In 2000, while the recount case was being argued, the Florida legislature had drafted the legislation and was going to do it if the recount had gone forward.

So all they need is some colorable claim to raise in a lawsuit (and they are already floating the claims, this ridiculous allegation that postal workers are refusing to deliver republican absentee ballots, for example) and then Jeb's legislature votes to give the electors to GWB. It wouldn't have to be a recount situation, Kerry could win handily, they would just bring a lawsuit based on these ridiculous allegations of democratic voter fraud, then, their legislature steps in.

They would do anything, anything at all. Blatant lies to raise a cloud over the legitimacy of Kerry's win, then exploit the muddied water in any way they could. The revolution-civil war-coup will start with a propaganda campaign to the effect that Kerry cheated, and that true americans will therefore take to the streets to defend the true president, Bush.

[patcox2]

1. Here is the headline from 2000

Florida lawmakers open special session; could OK electors Wednesday

December 8, 2000
Web posted at: 6:59 p.m. EST (2359 GMT)

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (CNN) -- With the disputed presidential race taking yet another sharp turn Friday, the Florida Legislature began a process that could end with the body picking presidential electors themselves for the first time in 132 years.

[6th Borough]

3. Hell, we sent THREE sets of EVs in 1877...

Look up that great American president, Rutherford B. Hayes. We're working on it;)

[6th Borough]

2. If you live in Florida, vote Kerry. Period. Enough damn scare tactics.

I swear, we're going to end up disenfranchising ourselves (along with turning away plenty of swing voters).

I knew there was a reason I created an account a few years back but decided to return to lurk mode.

[patcox2]

4. Scare tactics?

I am just voicing my fear, not trying to scare anyone. All the more reason to vote, in my mind. But I just don't see Jeb and W giving up easily, is all. Besides, pre-emptively calling someone on a tactic like this can prevent it from working.

[6th Borough]

5. It's been preemptively called for years now. It gets repeated every...

10th topic. People ARE watching out for chicanery.

Stating that Florida is unwinnable as a fact on a nearly constant basis WILL make it unwinnable. It has long gone beyond being smart and alert; now it's becoming an excuse for people not to bother voting at all. I mean, if it's hopeless...

I'm not singling you out. It just seems that I've hardly gotten a chance to engage in any thoughtfull coversations here (or just chit-chatting)...shit, it would be great if Skinner just pinned a "Florida is Winnable" message.

Because it's damn true.

One last thing...I hate to break the partisan spirit, but...shoosh, don't tell anybody...

Dems can play dirty tricks too.

It probably frustrates me the most for 2 reasons. A)I live in a the county that gave Bill Clinton the largest proportional margin of victory for all U.S. counties in the 1992 general election, and the largest proportional victory margin for Al Gore, in the United States. Even with the malfeasance.

Last I checked there were quite a few counties in the U.S.

It's so fucking blue down here you need to wear rose-tinted glasses.

2nd, I'm from Queens, then Jersey. New Jersey had a political machine every bit as tricky as Jeb's. I haven't been back for years, but I wouldn't be shocked if there was a little bit of Democratic hanky panky going on up there.

It happens, every 4 years, by both parties. It's a part of our system that has been with us from the beginning and shows no signs of going away (unless we were to give up on "secret" ballots, perhaps). Ever.

[Sinnerman]

6. The really think Kerry will take Florida

[6th Borough]

7. No guarantee, but it is far from impossible. /NT

[friesianrider]

8. I agree...we need to discuss possible scenarios...

If anyone here doubts the ruthlessness of the other side and their refusal to accept defeat - that's just naive.

The more we discuss it, the more we should energize ourselves to get out and vote so Kerry has a landslide victory :)

[onethatcares]

9. I'm thinking it is going to be Kerry,

the folks are out there, they're just waiting for Nov. 2nd no matter how much early voting goes on. We're already dealing with long lines, machines in test mode, thrown out ballots and every other trick. This is not your dads' Florida, it's time for a change.