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Democratic Voices


December 2000:

BUSH VS. GORE

This is the first of many columns by Stephen Crockett and Al Lawrence to be published in this newspaper. Stephen Crockett and Al Lawrence are the hosts of Democratic Talk Radio.

Democratic Talk Radio was started as a result of the Stolen Election that selected George W. Bush as the current occupant of the White House. Our nation just experienced the first anniversary of the December 12, 2000 Supreme Court ruling called Bush vs. Gore that made that selection possible.

In that U.S. Supreme Court ruling, a highly partisan majority of five Justices held that the Florida Supreme Court erred by "legislating" in an effort to fix the terrible problem of the 2000 Presidential Election in that state.

The majority held the view that there was an "equal protection" issue in the way the state court had addressed the issue. They also stated that there was no time left to fix the mistakes. The U.S. Supreme Court made the highly contested vote certification approved by the Florida Secretary of State, Katherine Harris, official.

All five members of this majority were active Republicans. Justices, Scalia and Thomas, both had members of their immediate families who held important roles in the Bush Presidential campaign organizations.

The majority opinion has been routinely and severely criticized by legal scholars as the worst ruling made by the U.S. Supreme Court. The dissenting opinions reveal why law professors regardless of their political views almost universally hold this view.

The dissents came from two Republicans and two Democratic Justices. The dissenting Justices held that the U.S. Supreme Court should never have accepted the case. The Florida Supreme Court had jurisdiction and did not exceed their legal authority. The role of any State Supreme Court routinely calls for them to reconcile conflicting provisions of different state laws. The U.S. Constitution and specific legislation by the Florida State Legislative should have made the Florida Supreme Court the final judicial authority. They also held that there was no substantial equal protection issue at stake as defined by the U.S. Constitution and federal case laws.

The dissents stated that there were Constitutional procedures in place to handle disputes about the Florida Supreme Courts handling of the issue. The Constitution gave the final say to Congress in resolving disputes after states submitted electors. They held that authority and ignoring the established Constitutional procedures.

The dissenting opinions held that the deadline emphasized by the majority was not the final deadline. They cited other specific dates and deadlines in the Constitutional procedures that applied. The dissents were scathing.

Both the majority opinions and dissents are available online at the official U.S. Supreme Court website. Another easy, quick read on the issue is available in a short book by Vincient Bugliosi, titled "The Betrayal of America: How the Supreme Court Underminded the Constitution and Chose Our President".

Democratic Talk Radio was born on December 12, 2000 as a result of this ruling. This column was born exactly one year later.

The injustices that put Bush in the White House began the term of the worst Administration in the history of the American nation. Our future columns will give extensive details to support that statement.

December 12, 2000 changed American politics forever. Average citizens by the tens of thousands became activists, trying to restore democracy and save our nation. Over 1,000 anti-Bush sites can be found on the internet where corporate media does not control the message. Activists like Carolyn Kay (MakeThemAccountable.com) gave up their professions to become full-time, unpaid crusaders for democracy and the common man.

We started an internet-based and broadcast radio program. We faxed 15,000 plus "letters to the editor" to media outlets in all 50 states. We started several web rings including the hugely popular Democratic Activists Online. We contacted grassroots activists in all 50 states to share ideas and information. It is our firm belief and desire that the average American will retake our government from the control of Big Business interests and the Tyranny of the Bush Wing of the Republican Party.

         Sincerely,
           Steve & Al
           Stephen Crockett and Al Lawrence
        December 2000



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