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| Author: Posted: Sep. 8, 2002 | This Page Viewed: 7,016,758 |
Question of the Week: 14 - 11/6/2000 The Unresolved US Election Did YOU vote? Which candidate did you vote for? How do you feel about the political wrangling going on right now in Florida? Will/Should either candidate concede for the good of the country-or should either/both fight it out until we all scream for mercy? How do you think either candidate, if declared the winner, will be able to bring the country together given the inference that the election results now point to an America that is almost equally divided into one camp or the other? And the BIG question-What, if any, impact will the final results have on the Pagan communities? |
| Reponses: There are 263 responses posted to this question. | Reverse Sort |
| Ok You Asked For It. ( Gets Out Large Soap Box And Megaphone... | Nov 9th. at 9:38:01 pm EST |
| John Miner (Stark Raven ) (Raleigh, North Carolina US) | Age: 48 - Email |
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OK you asked for it. ( Gets out large soap box and megaphone ) I voted for Gore. He might not be the most solid choice going as a manager but his platform is good and sympathetic to my personal beliefs. The main reason I did not even consider Bush is the fact that he does not recognize the Wiccan religion as valid. Many people have worked very hard to get Wicca listed as a recognized religion, the government has stated that it is a religion and taken steps to uphold the rights of Wiccans to practice their beliefs. I feel this was a hard fight, many Wiccans and Pagans have devoted mega hours to making this a reality. Senator Barr from North Carolina has stated he would work to get Wicca removed as a nationally recognized religion. Governor Bush has told him he would not veto the bill !!! I personally fear this and if it should ever come to pass, would cry for the lost hours of our devoted fellow Pagans that have worked so hard to achieve the dream of liberty and freedom. I do not desire to step back into the Dark Ages, with that in mind it was impossible for me to vote for anybody but Al Gore. There are times to make a statement by voting for independents, it is my belief this was not one of them. Pagans had a lot on the line in this election, we needed to rally to the sympatetic camp. The electoral College was created to insure balance of the election. How it would ever achieve balance is beyond anything that I can conceive, it has far outlived its usefulness, I am for abolishing it before the next Presidential election. Should WPB get to revote? It is your civic duty as an American to read and understand the Ballot. There have been dubiously worded Ballots on many elections in the past, I say if you didn't execute the ballot correctly its your problem, learn from it, be better prepared next time, and don't be ashamed to ask for help if you need it. Should Gore concede? Heck NO, I wouldn't ONE more Goody: There should be a news black out on all election results from the time the first booth opens in Maine, till the last Booth closes in Hawaii. Up to the second Media reports can skew an election. |
| I Voted For Ralph Nader, And For The Most Part I Don't... | Nov 9th. at 9:39:30 pm EST |
| Bryony Ravenwillow (Independence, Missouri US) | Age: 32 |
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I voted for Ralph Nader, and for the most part I don't regret it. I was disappointed that he didn't get the 5% of the vote that would have qualified him for federal funding in 2004, but seeing how close it is between Bush and Gore right now, maybe it was for the best. After all, if Nader had gotten his 5%, then Bush would have been declared the winner, and pagans everywhere would be preparing for a rocky four years. I believe that the people of Palm Beach county should be allowed to revote. 19, 000 ballots were thrown out because there were two presidential candidates voted for. In the same county, only some 3500 ballots were tossed because of double voting for senate races. Even Pat Buchanan is now on record saying that many of the votes he received in Palm Beach county were probably meant for Gore, and possibly in numbers sufficient to give Gore the presidency. If Buchanan can say that, then there must be something wrong. The election process is not infallible, mistakes are made, and in a race as close as this one has proven to be, those mistakes could be the difference between who wins and who loses. The thought of Bush taking the White House on a technicality gives me chills. I am strongly against Bush, and not only for his anti-pagan views. I truly believe that if he wins the election he will only be a figurehead, making the policy decisions the NRA, oil lobbies, and corporations tell him to make. At the first sign of crisis, it won't be his decisions that determine action---it will be what his father tells him should be done. I honestly don't think that Bush has what it takes to be president. At least Nader has intelligence and is capable of making his own decisions. Gore has political experience, and knowledge of what it takes to run a country. I don't particularly care for Gore either, but at least I believe he can do the job. As for the electoral college, I think it needs a complete overhaul. It is creaky and outdated, and it reflects the Founding Fathers fears that the average American would be incapable of choosing a leader for themselves ---a very patriarchal view in a former world where blacks and women had no rights at all. There should be a new system created that recognizes the voice of all, that doesn't insult the intelligence of the average citizen. That said ---- NADER IN 2004! |
| Of Corse I Voted I Feel It Is My Duty To Make... | Nov 9th. at 9:44:14 pm EST |
| Douglas S. Heisel (Ottumwa , Iowa US) | Age: 35 |
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OF CORSE I VOTED I feel it is my duty to make my opinion heard as an american and as a Pagan. If we all just sit back and watch the system work then the only people who the government will work for are the major corporations. We as Pagans must make our vote heard or allow our rights to be dissolved by the "Moral Majority" then who knows quite possible welcome back to the burning times. Our collective voice can keep our first admendment unchanged. I voted for Ralph Nader because in the last 20 or 25 years he's proven, to me at least that he actually cares about the people of this country. As for the green party alot of their issues as well as Naders are very close to what my own are. Of course their are a few where we disagree However for the most part I felt him to be the only true choice. I find Gore's accusation that Nader stole votes from what should have been gore's. AS childish, It sounds to me as if Gore thinks the American people to ignorant to make their own choice. |
| Well, I Voted For Nader. This Whole Thing In Florida Looks Like... | Nov 9th. at 9:46:23 pm EST |
| Timothy Wolf (Milwaukee, Wisconsin US) | Age: 32 |
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Well, I voted for Nader. This whole thing in Florida looks like it could turn into a big mess. The present problem most likely won't end until the absentee ballots are counted which will be what; next week? That's not counting the ballots that were thown out and the possible lawsuits over them (some people have already gotten lawyers). Who knows what will happen with that? Add to that the possiblity that if Gore wins Florida somehow, the Republican Party is talking about challeging the results in some of the states where Bush lost by a narrow margin. Plus the possible other actions the two parties could do (too many to go into). I just hope, one way or the other, it gets settled before the parties really get into it. Right now they're still spectators, but if they start hurling accusations at each other it'll most likly get ugly. If that happens then they'll have one more thing to distract us from the fact they not really doing anything. As to what effect the next President will have on the Pagan commuity? With Gore things will probably stay as they are. With Bush? We may have problems, we may lose some of what we've gained (especialy with respect to the military), but when he's gone I'm sure we'll still be here. |
| I Voted. I Voted For Gore. I Can't Believe Everything That Is... | Nov 9th. at 9:48:18 pm EST |
| Kyla (Somewhere in... , Michigan US) | Age: 20 |
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I voted. I voted for Gore. I can't believe everything that is happening with the election. I hope the recount is in Gore's favor. I just can't believe that Bush won, and the ballot problems, double votes and Bush saying early on that even though they gave it to Gore he'd win it ALONG with the fact that Bush's brother is governor are just all too coincidental for me. Anyway, Bush would be bad for the country, he wants to get rid of abortion, witchcraft, and give a tax break to the wealthy. |
| I Voted For Gov. Bush B/c I Feel He Is The... | Nov 9th. at 10:19:26 pm EST |
| Mary (Greenville, North Carolina US) | Age: 23 - Email |
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I voted for Gov. Bush b/c I feel he is the best candidate for the job....I do not feel that either candidate will have any impact on pagan communities or threaten the freedom of religion. |
| I Personally As A Social Worker And A Pagan Voted For Gore... | Nov 9th. at 10:22:43 pm EST |
| Ray Stanton (Fountain Valley, California US) | Age: 28 - Email |
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I personally as a Social Worker and a Pagan voted for Gore. I feel that Bush is simply too closed minded on issues of social policy and religion. However I feel that both canidates are acting childish with regard to this election. I still believe that whatever the outcome of Florida the losing canidate will drag it out. In history we have maybe once had a race this close. As for the Florida scandal I am simply amazed that it took something like this to correct the problem. Now reports are coming out on just how messed up the elections down there have been. If I had some decision making power with regards to the elections I would eliminate the Electoral College in favor of the popular vote and unify the ballot system so that the confusion in Palm Beach would be eliminated. |
| Yes, I Voted This Year - Almost Reluctantly Since I Was Not Enthralled... | Nov 9th. at 10:24:17 pm EST |
| Susan (Huntington, New York US) | Age: 39 - Email |
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Yes, I voted this year - almost reluctantly since I was not enthralled with any of the candidates. After much thought, I cast my vote for Al Gore. To some it may seem illogical, but the energy I receive from GW Bush is negative, self-serving, punitive. I was particularly stunned to view an interview conducted by Larry King with Mr and MRS Bush. It seems that GW doesn't trust his wife to speak for herself - he looked like he must be kicking her under the table. She seemed uncomfortable when asked her OWN opinion on an issue. On the other hand, Gore doesn't have that self-serving energy attached to him, and he seems to truly trust his wife and love her. Now, I am not a feminist, and I don't judge a man by his wife. But how a man treats his wife is indicative of how he may treat others - bully them? Treasure them? Humiliate or control them? And those other people, friends, could be you or me. |
| Not To Be A Hog - I Know I Already Posted An Opinion... | Nov 9th. at 10:29:04 pm EST |
| Susan (Huntington, New York US) | Age: 39 - Email |
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Not to be a hog - I know I already posted an opinion - but a thought has occured to me...... If, by some chance, the electoral votes in Florida were to be eliminated from the count due to possible fraud... and there were no candidates receiving enough electoral college votes to win... and the President of the Senate has to choose the winning candidate.... would Gore, President of the Senate, be allowed to choose himself?? Time to do away with the electoral college. |
| I Voted For Gore, Mostly Because I Didn't Like Bush And His... | Nov 9th. at 10:31:02 pm EST |
| Bethy (Staten Island, New York US) | Age: 33 - Email |
|
I voted for Gore, mostly because I didn't like Bush and his opinions on Wicca and on abortion. I think it is most likely that nothing will change and we won't have any problems, as far as freedom of religion. However, that scared paranoid part of my mind worries about stakes, gallows, and pyres in town squares. After all, Bush sounded so *gleeful* in the debate when he talked about putting people to death. That scared me. I'd rather have boring than scary. Much safer. |
| I Voted For Gore, But Was Not Really Sure. I Had Considered... | Nov 9th. at 10:43:15 pm EST |
| Stacy Marshall (Oconomowoc, Wisconsin US) | Age: 37 |
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I voted for Gore, but was not really sure. I had considered Bush at first, and liked some of his policies, but was against his stance on religion, and abortion, and his wanting to drill on the wildlife refuge in Alaska, but Gore is no prize either (inventing the internet, huh??). I just want them to get the votes counted. I guess the absentee ballots have to be in by Nov. 17 and then they get 10 more days to count them, so we are looking at at least Nov. 27 to get a final count. What a mess! If some people are so careless to mark a ballot incorrectly, that's their problem, but they are now making it the nation's problem. Why didn't they ask someone for help or assitance in reading the ballot. They didn't understand it but went ahead and marked it anyway. Very stupid! I am against a revote. Count what comes in and declare a winner and end it right then and there. America is supposed to be a model for democracy for the rest of the world. Other nations must be shaking their heads at the "UNITED" States. I know I am. People in Florida have hired lawyers because they are "vitctims" of a confusing ballot. Give me a break. Take responsibility for your actions. Isn't that what we Pagans believe? I am really disillusioned with this whole election and will vote Green next time. |
| I Voted For Al Gore Mostly Because I Feel He Has The... | Nov 9th. at 11:07:16 pm EST |
| Amethyst Dove (Ponca City, Oklahoma US) | Age: 43 - Email |
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I voted for Al Gore mostly because I feel he has the most tolerance and acceptance of Americans' diversity in all areas of their lives. George W. Bush, Jr. has stated that he does not believe that Wicca is a valid religion. That is a scary thought. If Bush was in Gore's place in reference to the allegations of voting irregularities, he would be fighting for every American's right to vote their conscience just as Gore is doing. I believe Al Gore is sincere, honest and dedicated to bringing America together. |
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