Don’t We Deserve Better? - Preventing Irrevocable Damage

Posted on | November 18, 2000 |

written by Vicki Moore Tillard

I feel the stirrings of a broken heart. But that’s just silly isn’t it? After all, my life is good. I am happy and at peace in my world. So why do I feel so disheartened? Why do I wake up in the night with such a sense of dread and sadness I can’t sleep?

Could it be because the heart I fear is breaking is the collective heart of America? Our country is in trouble. The heart of this dear democracy is aching, perhaps breaking. The United States of America is crying out for succor and we who love her must stand by and wait and watch for the dangerous and divisive games to stop.

I awoke on November 7th, with a sense of election day excitement, a growing hope for victory by “our side,” a little trepidation about the possibility it wouldn’t go “our” way, and a lot of relief that the endless campaigning was finally over. Ten days later, I am no more certain about the election results than any other American-an unlikely, even unheard of, turn of events in the sophisticated, well-oiled political machinery of the most powerful country in the world.

Who would have ever guessed in the year 2000, with 100 million of her citizens voting, that the United States of America would be embroiled in a presidential contest where the country is literally split down the middle? If we can agree on not one single other thing, we must agree to pray God will guard us, give us strength, and guide us so this does no irreparable harm to these United States.

We are witnessing the most historical election in this country’s history. God bless America. She is an unbelievably strong and resilient country. We have endured some rocky times, many in the past week, and there is no doubt the waters ahead are troubled. But we must believe she will survive and emerge all the stronger. Any other possibility is too monumental and too frightening even to consider.

There are hundreds of millions of Americans in both parties sharing a common anger and frustration about this election fiasco. But I don’t believe even a tiny fraction of one percent of those same people know the real story of what is going on here. I don’t believe for one minute that most, or even many, people know about or condone the political manipulations going on in Florida. We, the silent millions of hurting Americans, believe one or the other presidential candidate is the right man for the job. We believe the system will work itself out to the “right” end, and we will not or can not fathom that in our great country there is really anything unsavory, illegal or God forbid, criminal, going on. God bless America. We the people continue to believe and maybe that will keep us sane and united in the days and years to come.

Is the law the law or is it up for debate? Has my standard admonishing to my children of “it may not be fair and you may not agree but it’s the law” been completely off base? Is there still right and wrong? Are not some things still black and white or must everything be viewed in shades of gray. Isn’t it our duty to obey the laws of our country whether we agree or not. May we plead “unfair” and be excused from the rules? I think not.

Some people are talking about a revote. How can anyone possibly think that is a viable option? An election is a snapshot in time-the exact circumstances of the moment can never, never be recreated. The only way to re-do the election would be to turn back the hands of time. To re-vote in Florida now would make the Nov. 7 election a primary where Nader and Buchanan were eliminated and the two remaining candidates square off. What about the people who have died since Nov. 7th and those who have reached the age of majority since then. Who gets to revote? Who could possibly determine a set of rules to guarantee a fair and accurate election?

On NBC’s Today Show this week, Matt Lauer posed a question about whether Katherine Harris should recuse herself. Why in the world should she? She was elected to the job as Florida’s Secretary of State. Part of her job description is to be the overseer of the electoral process in that state. Now that she is doing her job, she should not do it? She was directed, both by Florida law and by Florida courts, to use her discretion. Isn’t discretion a judgment call? Don’t we give that privilege to anyone we elect-to use his or her judgment, discretion, on our behalf? Who’s to say her discretion is right or wrong?

Senator Joseph Lieberman said it would be unfair to allow the Florida Secretary of State to decide the presidential election. So what would be fair? Is there another person who should call it that would be fairer, because if it goes to the courts, a person will call it?

Let’s be honest, there are as many people out there who want a recount as there are that don’t. Ultimately, it is going to come down to a human being-a Republican or a Democrat, a man or a woman, an elected official or a judge-making the final call. There is not a single, solitary person involved in any aspect of this fantastic epoch that isn’t partisan in some way or another. I imagine only God could tell us whose judgement is the “right” judgement.

The will of the people? Has not the will of the people been divined after 10 days of ballot counting with little change in the outcome? There is no doubt this is an inconceivably close election. But the electorate has spoken. Does the phrase “We the people” mean anything anymore? The U.S. Constitution says the Electoral College will determine the presidency. The Electoral College protects the heartland of America. Without it, why would any presidential candidate bother to campaign anywhere but the most populated metropolitan cities-New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles-and a huge portion of the United States would be ignored.

Where does a recount stop? If we recount three democratic counties in Florida, mustn’t we recount all the counties in Florida? And if we recount Florida, what about the other close states like New Mexico, Oregon, Wisconsin and Iowa? Where does it stop? With nearly 100 million votes to recount, how many hanging chads, dimpled chads or double chadded ballots are out there? By the way, if pro-life person votes and the chad is left pregnant, does that count as 2 votes?

Senator Fred Thompson said, “There are two choices and neither is perfect.” The first is to take the certified results of the election, which follow the letter of the law. The second is an objective recounting with no rules and protesters outside. Tim Russert said there is a margin of error in both machine and hand counting. You were promised a fair election, not a perfect election.

Perfect is not an option. So this has got to stop. We deserve a President elect and we will stand behind him if we know the system, and the law of the land, prevailed. Pray we don’t have to spend the next four years sorting through innuendo about criminal manipulations of our political process. That would surely split this great nation and cause irrevocable damage.

Vicki Moore Tillard

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Don’t We Deserve Better? - Preventing Irrevocable Damage

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