Below is a selection of recent letters on the US election crisis.
First of all, thank you for your excellent continuing coverage of the post-election situation.
Regarding today's “Anatomy of a right-wing riot” see the Salon.com article “Courting controversy” on November 22 about the threats to the Florida Supreme Court and others. Then, consider the ridiculous comparisons between the Bush storm troopers and the Jesse Jackson rally (probably held with a legal permit). The amnesiac television commentators seem to have forgotten that Jackson had to be protected from the same kind of violent mob that we saw in Miami.
JC
Orlando, Florida
25 November 2000
I just don't understand how the Republican Party has the power they do. When we are talking about the Republicans' behavior it seems to me it is not a whole lot different from the Mafia. What has our country come to? Intelligent people are not even thinking clearly, e.g., “Why are you so against Gore? Well, he worked with Clinton! So that doesn't mean he is like Clinton. Yes, I know but look what Clinton did with Monica! But that was Clinton, not Gore. Well!” These people do not have an answer.
This is high school stuff, for heaven's sake. There are intelligent people. They would not like to be accused the way they are accusing Gore. They would be mortified if anyone thought the same about them.
It also seems as if the media is all right-wing. Somehow the Democrats don't ever seem to have a break, everything they say gets twisted. I'm glad to finally be able to read a few articles that at least are printing the truth.
I am truly fearful for our country with people out there thinking they way they are. What has happened to us? I wouldn't want the Democratic Party to behave the way the Republicans are, but I sure wish someone would bring out the truth. I can only pray that the person who is the most truthful and truly interested in our country and its people will prevail.
It's a scary thought to think a person like George Bush could be running our country when the man's brains have been fried by cocaine and alcohol. I also don't think I want a man to run the country who has been a dependent most of his life, not to mention the fact that he has all the good ol' boys from Texas backing (running) him who just can't wait until he gets in the White House to get all these favors returned at our expense.
I guess I don't understand how come all these things have not come out about Bush. This brings me back to the Mafia theory—the power they must have. Pretty scary.
26 November 2000
Hi. I have been receiving your newsletter for about a week now, and I must tell you how pleased I am to have it. A case in point is the letter of this morning, in which you revealed information about the Bush tool Gov. Racicot of Montana. I had never heard of him before the last several weeks, and was wondering about him. He was obviously selected by the “Shrub” to demonize the election recount process. Through your very well written article, I was able to confirm my suspicions about this hatchet man.
It is so refreshing to learn things that are routinely suppressed in the corporate-owned propaganda organs dominating the US. Thank you very much, and please keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
JG (in Florida!)
27 November 2000
Some of us are very much aware of the historical implications of this attempt to overturn the election and of the role of the press, which is and was very wrong. We are encouraging Gore as a symbol of the Democratic Party not to concede no matter how many mealy mouthed people plea with him to do. It is now that we must take a stand when we have some hope, not after those awful people get entrenched.
HW
25 November 2000
Contrast the treatment of Republican operatives “exercising their democratic rights” to the manner in which demonstrators against both national candidates were treated. The demonstrators at both conventions made no attempt to storm the convention halls, but were attacked, harassed and spied upon. This bunch of right-wing, white-collar geeks sent to conduct street battles in Florida won't have any charges pressed against them for their violations of the law.
There will be those on the Democratic side of this argument who will now say this was the reason we needed to support Al Gore more firmly, but this is turning reality on its head. We have been witness to an incident which provides clear evidence as to why Gore and his Democratic Party machine are completely incapable of defending democratic rights, or any of the gains made by decades of political struggle. This event proves clearly why “left” Democrats need to be lending support to real political struggle, as opposed to the slogans of the so-called Democratic Party.
MP
25 November 2000
Following your coverage of the Yank election farce with rare approval. I seem to be in a near vacuum here when I suggest the Republican not-so-behind-the-scenes manipulation of the vote is little short of a putsch; a takeover with the help of a controlled press. Likewise I am encouraged to see the word “fascist” come out of the woodwork, for that, surely, is what lies ahead on this course. What is perhaps the most frightening is the brazenness of the Republican's play: Bush's utter lack of grace, etc. ... which suggests a monstrous self-confidence.
Keep it up; you're a voice in the wilderness.
OF
28 November 2000
Dear WSWS:
I wish to applaud your remarkable coverage and analysis of the US elections and the attempts of the Republican Party to hijack the presidency. I cannot find a single formulation in all of your articles (and I have read all of them very closely) with which I would disagree.
Often I have wondered what form a broad-reaching fascist movement in America might take. Quite naturally, I have always assumed that a group of ultra-right Republicans might break away under a Pat Buchanan, for instance. However, I believe you are dead on in your assessment that we must now dispose of the—as you put it—“complacent” conservative label. A clear transformation of the Republican Party has taken place from which there is no turning back. This is mirrored by the rightward move of much of the American middle class, as evidenced by the shrill voices that inhabit talk radio and television political programs.
Could these people actually believe that “fairness” is represented by the certification of an election by a party hack while the margin of mathematical error is far greater than the difference in counted votes? That is not to mention the uncounted votes! Even so-called “objective” sources have accepted as a fact that Bush has won and Gore must prove his case, just as during the election campaign the ridiculously mislabeled “liberal media” accepted as conventional wisdom the suggestion that Gore had to overcome the “character issue” while a millionaire slacker and his daddy's oil-rich, Jew-hating friends got a free ride.
I am hoping that you will collect and publish all of your articles on the recent turn of events, as you have done in the past. I'm certain that I could find many people who would buy copies of such a journal, and it would surely become an important historical document. Another valuable propaganda tool might be the publication of an in-depth investigation into the present-day Republican Party with biographical portraits of some its most sinister members, including Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (or is it House leader DeLay), a member of the Council of Conservative Citizens (nee, White Citizens Council).
Thank you for your astonishing work.
Fraternally,
AR
28 November 2000
Dear Sir,
I am a registered Republican, but I maintain my freedom to vote for different parties and have done so for several decades. The votes are not fully counted, yet. The voters never knew that if the point did not dislodge the chad, their vote would not be valid, and they were never informed that the removal of the chad can be manually accomplished or that they can obtain another ballot.
The popular vote went to Gore, by a good margin, and way better than when Kennedy won it. Bush challenged the validity of hand counts, in the federal Supreme Court. The experts on the voting machine and its surviving inventor said the machine was flawed and could be making these errors and prevent the recording of the chads, as we are finding in Florida. Therefore a manual count and inspection is essential.
According to all international standards, including in Britain, Gore is the winner. If Florida is fatally flawed and removed from the equation, still Gore leads in both the popular vote and in the electoral votes. Gore agreed to settle, if Florida was counted and the votes declared. There were obstructions to the count and the two major counties, Dade and Broward, were not included in the count. One was due to Republican supporters who attacked the counting booth and the other county rejected by the Bush campaign chairman who is also wearing the hat of the secretary of state, Ms. Harris.
The person who orchestrated the incomplete certification is Harris, her boss is Bush, yes, the brother of the George W. Bush. They want to crown, before the mandate and therefore without a mandate.
If all votes that need to be counted are counted accurately, and if Gore wins, Bush should concede and vice versa. When Slobodan Milosevic did this in Yugoslavia, most of the world denounced the act. Bush cannot pronounce this guy's name, but appears to follow his path and like it.
Some of the cronies are repeating one unified slogan and do not want to think rationally. All Republicans are not like this. They are handing over the houses to the Democrats by this kind of action.
If Gore won, Bush, his brother and Harris were willing to get the Florida legislature to change the electors. Bush was planning to use the thin margin in the House of Representatives to get himself elected. It appears that he has lost Florida. Gore won by one of the largest number of popular votes in the history of the USA. He is perceived as a very capable man. Many want the economic strength to continue. Bush has some limited regional experience and shows exceptional difficulty grasping subject matter. Can the USA and the world gamble?
If we finally elect him, even with an unpopular vote and a minority of votes and on a polluted, inaccurate count, we shall still accept him and support him. Can you imagine the effect on him. This won't be a personal matter like with Clinton, it is a functional disability and could prove very costly. In addition he has a vice presidential candidate with very questionable medical and other history. This can be a real crisis in a critical situation.
M
28 November 2000
Hi,
The recent events in Florida are frightening. The media reaction to the election, while not surprising, may be even scarier than the disenfranchisement of thousands.
I appreciate coming to a web site which has approached this election with honesty. It is far too rare, now, to come across any form of media that is interested in the pursuit of truth and democracy. After weeks of right-wing-biased information and cruel slander of minorities and elderly Americans in Florida, it is somewhat heartening to read stories which do not attack, do not belittle, and show some compassion for the decent men and women of the United States. I believe truth supersedes all political affiliation and bias; your web site, while based on a strong political background, impresses me because it presents a truly accurate account of the election.
Thank you.
CS
23 November 2000