Trouble in Dariflo, Erimaca - Whose Job Is It, Anyway

Posted on | November 25, 2000 |

Once, in a land called Dariflo, there was an election. It was a contentious election between a Medocratic incumbant and a Pubrelican challenger, both of which were highly qualified for the job of Elections Overseer. The major focus of the job that the Medocrat held and the Pubrelican wanted, as ruled by the House of Lawmakers, was to oversee elections that took place in the land of Dariflo. The Pubrelican challenger waged a mighty battle and, when all was said and done, the people of Dariflo told her that they trusted her best do the job, and they gave her their votes. The Pubrelican challenger unseated her Medocratic opponent and, by the will of the voters, took the position of Elections Overseer.

Some years later a new election divided the people of Dariflo. This time the election was to decide who would be leader of the all the lands of Erimaca. When all the votes from across the lands were in it was so close that a winner could not be declared. It fell to the votes cast by the people of Dariflo to decide who would be the leader of all the lands of Erimaca, but even here, in these sunny lands, the vote was close to a tie. When all the votes were cast and counted, however, the Pubrelican candidate was found to be ahead by a slim margin. “Woghash,” cried the Medocrats! “Recount,” they screamed! “Revote,” some bawled! All was in disarray.

The law of the land called for a recount of all the votes cast in the land of Dariflo, and all sides agreed that it should be done. Over the next day, overseen by the elected overseer of Darifloidian elections, the ballots were put into the counting machines and counted again. When all was counted, the Pubrelican candidate was still the leader, but the Medocratic candidate was not happy, so he requested that the ballots in just a few parts of Dariflo be counted by hand. “Sorry,” said the elected overseer of elections, “but you can only count the ballots by hand if the counting machines made errors.” The Medocrats were angry, and they went to a Circuit Hold Wise Man and asked him to overrule the Elections Overseer.

The Medocrats argued that the Elections Overseer was a Pubrelican so she couldnâ€™t make a fair judgment in this close election between a Pubrelican and a Medocrat. “I can and will make a fair judgment in this matter.”

“The Elections Overseer must consider all, but the decision is hers to make as the people of Dariflo have elected her to do and the House of Lawmakers have given her power to do, though she cannot do so arbitrarily,” he declared!

“Well then,” said the Elections Overseer, “I have heard the reasons given for hand counting all the ballots, and I have compared them to Dariflodian law and previous rulings by Wise Men, and I donâ€™t believe that there is a purpose for a hand counting. So, when the military and the travelers votes have been counted, I will declare a winner.”

The Medocrats were angry once again, and they went back to the Circuit Hold Wise Man and claimed the Elections Overseer had acted unnaccordingly. “Arbitrary,” they yelled! “Partisan,” they cried!

Once again, the Circuit Hold Wise Man gave his opinion, “The Elections Overseer was elected to do a job, and the House of Lawmakers have ruled that the job is hers to do, and she did so justly and to the best of her ability. Her decisions were legal and not arbitrary. I wonâ€™t overrule her.”

The Medocrats were angry yet again so they went to the High Hold of the Seven Wise Men and asked them to overrule both the Circuit Hold Wise Man and the elected Elections Overseer.

The High Hold of the Seven Wise Men agreed to hear the argument and offer an opinion. “We have decided,” the wise men said, “and we decided to overrule the Circuit Hold Wise Man and the elected Elections Overseer, and the House of Lawmakers whose job it is to make the laws,” and they proceeded to give all involved new rules about how and when to count votes. “Overreach of powers,” the Pubrelicans cried! “Not their job,” they bellowed! “The House of Lawmakers is going to be ticked off,” they yelled! And so they were.

The Pubrelicans were so angry that they went to the Super High Hold of the Nine Wise Men and asked them to overrule the High Hold of the Seven Wise Men. “We will listen,” said the Super Wise Men, “but not till next week.”

And that is how things stand in the land of Dariflo, Erimaca. Weâ€™re waiting till next week.

To be continuedâ€¦.

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Trouble in Dariflo, Erimaca - Whose Job Is It, Anyway

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