However, over the next few days they kept "finding" votes that were not counted. Seriously. So now the Agriculture Commissioner candidate who was declared the loser last Tuesday has more votes than the so-called winner. Both the Governor and Senator races are within one half of one percent difference between candidates.
The result? Probably automatic recounts for all three races. It will be weeks before we know the results or who the true winners are. But at least now if we lose, we'll know the truth. And we'll know the places in Florida that need to be held accountable for incompetence at best, and fraud at worst.
In addition, we now have a cadre of seasoned progressive candidates who will try, try, again. The only thing better than winning outright, is coming back after a loss and winning the second time around. Winning isn't always clear cut; however, win or lose, this progressive energy feels like a huge victory for Florida.
In the meantime, we took back the U.S. House of Representatives! We are powerless no longer. Hang on to your hat.
Already they are crying out voter fraud. Does it really not occur to them that not everyone wants them?
ReplyDeleteWhat we want is the truth, no more and no less. The naysayers are just using Trump tactics. Recounts are automatic in Florida if the difference between the two candidates is less than 1/2 of a percent - which it is in all three races, so they can't stop it. And they know they might lose what they thought they won. I understand their anger, but I want the truth. I can stand to lose if I know the results are fair.
DeleteHere in Virginia we got to choose between Corrupt and Incompetent. Personally I prefer Incompetent but Corrupt won. Oh, well, I am going to withdraw into my shell to watch the chaos from the top of my little mountain, wondering how we came to this. At least I have the comfort of hearing my dad say essentially the same thing over 55 years ago. So we do survive, no matter what, but knowing the truth always helps.
ReplyDeleteWe've had Republican's in power here in Florida (Governorship, State House and State Senate) for over 20 years, so if it continues it won't seem all that different.
DeleteBut yeah, knowing the truth would be great.
I will never forget the era of "hanging chads." Hoping for a good blue outcome of the recount, but whatever result, it's best to get it right.
ReplyDeleteLots of jokes going around about how this effort to find all the votes to see if our races qualify for a recount will, in fact, uncover votes for Gore and Hillary. Funny, not funny. :)
Deleteyes, Florida seems to be problematic. I remember those tense and awful days of the 'hanging chads.' Fun to see you here, my friend Robin.
DeleteNo offense but it seems that the US has a deeply flawed electoral system that is cumbersome and open to corruption. I was listening to a radio program about how easy it is to hack into the machines used in US elections; it was concerning.
ReplyDeleteNo offense taken - you are absolutely right. Drives me crazy. The problem is the corruption benefits a certain party, and until we have a president, house, and senate with more people from the other party it probably won't be changed.
DeleteAnd some states are worse than others.
DeleteThe Virginia machines are not easy to hack. They are just scanners. You fill out your ballot manually and scan it, then the physical ballot drops into the bottom of the machine. The scanner numbers are collected on a USB go to the elections official for the county along with the laptops that signed folks in and the actual ballots. Everything is sealed at the precinct and watched carefully. The only chance for fraud is if all the election officials at a precinct are in on it. But after it goes to the election chair at the county level, I think there is probably the possibility of fraud. Hacking doesn't seem very feasible until then. Just FYI if you are interested. I was an election official for four years but the 16 hour days on your feet got old. I have a wonky knee that can't handle that any more.
DeleteThe election has been a carnival ride hasn't it?
ReplyDeleteSure has been! In many different states.
Delete"Winning isn't always clear cut; however, win or lose, this progressive energy feels like a huge victory for Florida."
ReplyDeleteVictory on several levels is entirely possible. Will stay tuned.
Please do! All 3 top races are going to recount as of yesterday afternoon.
Delete45 is tweeting about it from France calling liberals cheaters for wanting to count ballots. This is after he told California with all the tragedy they are going through, that they didn’t take care of their forests so he is going to reduce the money given to that state. There is no low that he won’t go. He is worse than evil.
ReplyDeleteAs if there is something wrong with wanting all the ballots counted.
DeleteMeanwhile that pathetic inadequate orange faced/haired whatever creature couldn’t even defy the weather to pay his respects to fallen WWI soldiers in France - had to stay in his hotel because of rain.
ReplyDeleteThere is something wrong with him. He is not a normal person. He lacks compassion.
DeleteThe blue wave is getting better and better.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you back! Yes. It is. Onward to 2020.
DeleteThe biggest race in Illinois was for governor. The Dem won over the Republican incumbent which is good given that the Democrats have and have had control of the general assembly for all of the R's term, rendering him basically impotent.
ReplyDeleteOn the local and national scales I am optimistic but also guarded.
My niece lives in Chicago, and is very political, so I've been following that Illinois race. So happy for you!!!
DeleteIsn't there a deadline next week that must be met? Surely it cannot go on for weeks? I wish it could. We need to count until all votes are tallied. I'm in California and I don't think there are any contested races here -- and thank goodness a democrat took the Gov. office. Remember, we had ARNOLD! Oh gawd.
ReplyDeleteThe machine recount must be complete by 3pm on Thursday, Nov 15 for all 67 counties. In addition, Friday, Nov 16 is the deadline for Military and Overseas ballots to be counted. Assuming there is a clear winner...on Sunday, Nov 18, the County canvassing boards meet, and must certify and submit the results of the machine recount to the Florida Secretary of State by noon. On Tuesday, Nov 20th the Election Canvassing Commission meets to certify the results of the machine recount. However, if in any of the three races under machine recount the results turn out to be under a certain percentage, then there will have to be a hand recount. And there will be lawsuits. So it could be quite a while.
DeleteI bet you guys are going to miss Jerry Brown!
Here's a man who'd rather look stupid than be bald. It was never a good start was it?
ReplyDeleteRather than turn up at the cemetery of the US's WW1 dead he stayed in the hotel watching TV. Twas raining, his protectors said. And an event in my own life echoed shamefully. I used the same excuse for not getting coal up from the cellar in my father-in-law's house. He was the gentlest of men yet he growled: "Are you sugar or are you salt?"
I don't exactly know what that means but it had the effect my FiL intended. Acute embarrassment. He, by the way, served in the Western Desert in Africa during WW2.
Nicholas Soames, Winston Churchill's grandson, is an MP in the British parliament. A high Tory with whom I have nothing in common. Except on this occasion:
They died with their face to the foe and that pathetic inadequate @realDonaldTrump couldn’t even defy the weather to pay his respects to The Fallen #hesnotfittorepresenthisgreatcountry.
Make America great again? Why then did he plead a fiddling foot ailment to get out of serving in the military? If he'd really cared he could have lied about his foot. After all, he's subsequently lied about bigger matters.
Love this! And "Are you sugar or are you salt?" is going to become my new rallying cry. Salt can scorch the earth as well as fire.
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