Suspending November elections

Is it just that I am paranoid or do I sense that the November elections will be postponed if not canceled outright? It seems the Bushies are floating these trial balloons and outside of the Internet, few people are giving it much attention. the major media is not giving it much attention. Perhaps thats what they want to see.

A lot of us are really worried about it too. With good cause. Do a search in LBN or GD using the key words 'suspend' 'cancel' and 'election.' I see you're a paid member, so you can search the archives too. People have been discussing it for a long a time, and the news the past few weeks has only heightened fears.

And welcome to DU. :hi:

I really started thinking about this topic about a year ago on the heels of Bev Harris and the whole vote rigging topic. It is amazing the road Bush has taken us on. I can't believe that people are actually considering the possibility. Who would have ever thought.

The trial baloon didn't fare so well according to the polls I've seen. They are already on to the next trial baloon: Iran had a hand in 9/11. Lets get 'em!

I have seen it in the major media too but not very much. Of course it would help if I had cable. Nonetheless, I talked to a some well informed people at a cocktail party the other night and they didn't seem to think suspending the elections over just a threat of an attack would be that big of deal. the scary part is they had not even starting drinking yet!

There's no reason to do it. Another terrorist attack would probably not effect enough people to cancel the National election for logistical reasons.

Its just a real stupid idea and we should be very suspicious of the reasons they are floating the balloon.

And welcome to DU!!

:hi:

in Florida, Ohio, & NH simply award their electors to Bush* by
legislative action, and cancel the Presidential elections in those
states. The Republican governors of those states would sign, of course.
Perfectly legal, and we can't do a cheneying thing about it,
except try to scrounge up 51 more electoral votes somewhere else.

We cannot retaliate in kind, since every state with a Democratic
legislature and governor is a blue state anyway, with the possible exception of New Mexico.

Can't forget about the electors. Another possiblility is Bush usiong FEMA. They have some very scary powers. Of course all of this begs the question, what do you think people will do if this comes down?

Hell no, you're not imagining it. It's in the talking points, the suits are sending up trial balloons. I read one today that professed that the Administration is assembling a "bipartisan" commission to make recommendations about a Fast Reaction plan if there's a big terrorist act a few days before the election.

Interestingly, the CONSTITUTION sets the date for a Presidential election, not Congress. "The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November." That's when the election is. Period.

I can't escape the thought that "moving," "postponing" or "cancelling" the November election would be the first act of the Bush Dictatorship.

Anyone remember Oliver Cromwell? He cancelled elections and declared martial law too.

Publius

i was talking to my wife about this the other night and she said it reminded her of 1972 in the Philippines when Marcos declared mnartial law. Not unsimiliar to our situation. Instead of terrorist, he used the threat of communist and had the baking of a huge American military. There was some elction time violence which gave Marcos a very convenient reason to blame communist,suspend the presidentail election, declare martial law and start his error of terror and cronyism. Sound familiar?. She came of age during this time. She told me about attending an anti-Marcos rally in the late 70'w with a college classmate. He friend was active which of course meant she was taken away and held in prsion until 1986 when Marcos was overthrown.

Recall that the Constitution empowers the President to suspend habeas corpus in times of civil unrest or insurrection. That means he can arrest anyone, anytime, without charge, without the right to counsel, and jail anyone for any period of time.

Lincoln did it during the Civil War. Of course, GWB has done it too, with the post-9/11 'GROSSFAHNDUNG" ("gathering up" in Nazi Germany).

But GWB hasn't had the cojones to admit it.

"The Congress may determine the Time of chusing (sic) the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States."

The Constitution says nothing about first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. :shrug:

Sorry, mates. Will get back to you. . . . . .

Congress can do what they want with the presidential election date. The only stricture seems to be that a presidential term shall be four years.

I guess he could start calling himself "LORD PROTECTOR," like Cromwell, and appoint Cheney president.

Good call, JavaJive.

The Constitution only requires Congress to set a date.

Article II, Section 1: "The Congress may determine the Time of choosing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States."

The law that specifies the date is 3 USC 1: "§ 1. The electors of President and Vice President shall be appointed, in each State, on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, in every fourth year succeeding every election of a President and Vice President."

3 USC 1 can be changed like any other law by following the usual procedures.

We really are in uncharted territory with this misadministration, aren't we? I'm no kid, and I can't remember anything as nuts and dangerous as this bunch in my lifetime.

And welcome! :hi:

January: Tet Offensive. (The beginning of the end, though no one knew it yet.)

March: Martin Luther King assassinated.
April: LBJ leaves race
June: Bobby Kennedy assassinated.
August: Democratic Convention, Czechago. "A police riot."
November: RICHARD MILHOUS FUCKING NIXON IS ELECTED PRESIDENT.

I think 2004 is going to make '68 look like childs play before its over.

Cointelpro, infiltrating anti-war protest organizations; the National Guard in Berkeley (Ronald Reagan's order); 500,000 troops in Nam; LAPD stops Bobby Kennedy ballistics tests in Ambassador Hotel ballroom; antiwar activists' tax returns audited and re-audited.

What comes first, do you think?

One suspended election would srupass all that. It would mean an end to what we have left of this democracy.

And as bad as all of that was, this administration has the potential to surpass all of that. And kill many, many more. And destroy what is left of our democracy.

I've thought about it since your first post. This group IS different. Nixon, Martinet that he was, actually wouldn't burn the tapes (despite Pat Buchanan's advice to do so) because Nixon remembered being a lawyer, and you're not supposed to destroy evidence.

The current cadre has redefined torture, abrogated the Geneva Convention, suspected habeas corpus at Guantanamo and invaded another country on a pretext. Only reason they've gotten away with it was Saddam was such a bastard.

These are dark times, dark times.

I need a drink.

This bunch has no compunctions at all about anything. If they can't get something through Congress? No problem-Bush writes an executive order. Can't get the wackjobs that he puts up for judge approved? No problem-he does a recess appointment. Want to get out of an inconvenient treaty? Again-no problem, he just gets his lawyers to find out how to twist it so that he can actually have his people torture detainees. The list is endless. Look at the stuff from just the last week: children raped and tortured, children, for crissakes; war profiteering, oops-looks like we attacked Iraq, we should have attacked Iran, (and then look at the polls about this and half the sheep in this country think he should go after Iran, how, I would like to know? Do we have any soldiers left?). I mean, it's a nightmare. Every day there is something new to make your head explode.

I'm not diminishing the events of 1968. They were awful and frightening. But I never got the feeling that the country as a whole entity was going to cease to exist. Now, I get the feeling that it might.

and thanks for the welcome!:hippie:

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

That's the meme for this subject.

BTW, I don't understand how terrorists could strike everywhere in every city and every state and cause a suspension of elections. The logic of this eludes me.

The Bushies want a low turn out.
They have all but promised us that there would be an attack on or before election day. If there is no attack before, how many people will just assume that it will happen that day? And, If the administration says the purpose is to disrupt elections, where will the people feel is unsafe?
So, even though it is unspoken at this time, the Bushies are saying, "Stay home; Do not vote; the polling places are unsafe today."

republican idiots, so if turnout is low, it will be Bushco that suffers.