Campy's Editorial Page

 "What we have learned." 

 January 8, 2001

By:  Matthew Dominic McGowan

    The presidential election of 2000 will be remembered as one of the most important events in our American history.  In one of the closest races ever, Republican George W. Bush narrowly defeated Democratic Vice-President Al Gore, Jr. by just four votes in the Electoral College to become the next President of the United States of America, this despite the fact that he appears to have lost the popular vote by an estimated 300,000 votes nationwide.  In the five weeks of courtroom battles that followed the November 7 election we Americans learned a lot about our democracy, and also may have learned a little bit more about ourselves.

    First of all, the entire country received an outstanding lesson about on how we elect a president.  Before this past November, I’ll bet few Americans knew what the Electoral College even was, let alone how it operated or what it was for.  People probably never even dreamed that the person who won the popular vote would not be the president.  (Even though it has happened a few times before.)   Now most people realize why it is such an important constitutional safeguard.  (For those who still may not get it, it keeps the election from being decided in only the largest cities.  Without it, candidates would need to campaign in New York, Chicago, L.A., Miami, Houston and pretty much nowhere else.)

    We have learned that our election system is in need of a major overhaul.  Being the most technologically advanced nation in the world, we should be able to come up with a more modern method for electing our leaders than the punch card ballot system.  Until then, we need to establish clear standards for tabulating votes, handling any possible recounts, and certifying election results when it’s all finished.  We must work to insure future elections cannot be determined in courtrooms by technicalities.  There can never again be doubt in the minds of Americans whether or not the “true intent of the voter” was realized, nor can we leave it up to anyone but the individual voter to determine just what that intent is.

    We learned that President Bush will have a great deal of work to do in reaching out to the African-American community.  Polls show that 9 out of 10 black people voted for Al Gore, giving Bush only an estimated 8% of the black vote.  Although G.W. has lived up to his promise of nominating a cabinet that reflects America’s diversity, many in the African-American community are still not impressed.  Perhaps Bush needs to illustrate how the last 8 years worth of empty promises by the Clinton/Gore administration have done nothing to help rebuild decaying inner city neighborhoods, or to bring our cities public school systems up to the higher standards being achieved in the suburbs, both issues said to be of the highest importance to the black community.

    (Perhaps Bush can show lower-to-middle income voters of all races how the economic policies of his predecessors have actually harmed their communities by helping to increase the gap between our nation’s poorest and richest citizens.  A great way to do this will be by showing all of America how his policies will be successful in doing just the opposite.  There is no doubt that many so-called political “watchdogs”, such as the Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, will be less than receptive to any ideas he comes up with.  After all, if Bush can prove to be successful in helping all Americans to help themselves, what will the throngs of "professional (paid) political activists" do when they are forced to get real jobs and actually earn a living, rather than making their livelihoods off of the misery and suffering of others as they do right now?)

    We learned that many potential instances of voter fraud took place in this election, as they have for far too many years.  This year we heard stories of police roadblocks preventing voters from getting to the polls in Florida.   We heard stories (backed by videotaped evidence) of Democratic operatives passing out packs of cigarettes to Wisconsin homeless in exchange for votes for Al Gore.  There is also the question of intentional voter deception by the media.  (How is it that the media could call Florida for Gore, which actually was won by Bush in a very close race, before the polls even closed in that state, yet not call Ohio for Bush, which was nowhere near as close as the vote in Florida, until around 10p.m.?)  These are issues which President Bush must immediately address upon gaining the White House. Many people feel that their voices have not been heard, and in America this is something that we simply cannot allow.  At the same time, we must be able to maintain the difference between actual voting irregularities and “sour grapes” because the person you voted for may not have won.

    We’ve learned that Hollywood and the mainstream media REALLY hate Republicans.  I cannot figure this one out.  People always talk about “rich Republicans this, and rich Republicans that”, but other than Tom Selleck, Charlton Heston and Arnold Swhzarchanegger, can you name one other big-time movie actor or entertainer who is a Republican?  There are not too many, but there seems to be no shortage among the ranks of the cultural and media elite of those who are in fact just the opposite, very liberal political activists.  In fact some in Hollywood, such as Alec Baldwin and Barbara Striesand, have gone as far as to threaten to leave the country if George W. Bush was elected president.  Rosie O' Donnell made a similar threat to quit her T.V. show if Bush was the victor.  (Lets hope she follows through!)  And they call Rush Limbaugh a nut?  

    Perhaps most importantly though we have learned that as a nation we are strong enough to survive times like these.  After such a close election, followed by a fiercely fought contest, many other nations quite possibly would have burst into violent protest.  Not us though.  (After all, it wasn’t like some sports team won a world championship or anything.)  Folks generally seem to have agreed to disagree about the election, and even most people who voted for Gore have said that they believe George W. Bush won the office legitimately.  Nonetheless, he will still have a tough road to hoe to win their full support.

    Many people seem to be saying that since the election was so close, Bush has no clear mandate to govern the country.  I do not believe that is correct.  I think there is in fact a very clear mandate.  There were a lot of issues that were equally important to people who voted for Bush and those who voted for Gore.   Most Americans are equally concerned about public education, heath care, public debt, and crime. Everyone can agree that all American taxpayers are entitled to some form of tax relief.  There is just some disagreement on the best solutions to our problems.  It is up to every American citizen, regardless of political affiliation, to set aside their differences and work together for the common good of the nation.  Hopefully we as a people are ready to met this bold challenge.

    If you agree, then I encourage you to visit: http://www.nationalreview.com

    Thank you, and God Bless America!

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