Why is it that every time we have a modern-day problem, we blame it on the system instead of our flawed approach? Why is it we have decided that to fix the election process created by Florida we must repair the Constitution? Were not the electoral process and the congressional alternatives fixes for our problems of today? How do we fix the alleged problem without any changes in our Constitution or our state laws relative to voting?
People, be aware that the agenda of our forefathers contained what was good for the country, not what could be manipulated by any one individual. Being a citizen of the United States of America was more important than being a citizen for ourselves. Is not the real fix for our perceived electoral crisis, vote misuse and other allegations that we must go to vote in such numbers that the problem can no longer occur?
Do not allow the media to lead us into a fix-it mode purely to respond to their manufactured problems. The thing we need to change in our election system is to create a blackout of the media 48 hours before elections, primary and regular. And, we need to recognize that the United States Constitution implies no jurisdiction or authority over the voting procedure other than the apportioning of and qualifications for federal officials. Nothing in the Constitution other than a threat against disenfranchisement and the two aforementioned statements gives anyone any authority relative to voting.
The worst-case scenario is the illusion created by politicians that as candidates they have some standing in courts to cry foul. Only registered voters of an area have the authority to question and challenge their votes and their voting procedures. Candidates are merely participants in the activity of voters. How dare they file lawsuits as if they have standing other than as participants who must adhere to the existing laws even to appear on the state's ballot?
Please do not allow the rhetoric of the media and the candidates to dictate our flawed or not flawed voting procedure or system. "We the people" must raise our ugly heads and either vote sufficiently to alleviate any future problem or deny any challenges not instigated by the voters alone, not the candidates.
Krim Menelik Ballantine
St. Thomas
