HBO's Recount: Hanging Chads, the Price of Oil and Understanding the Past When It Happens

You can't dwell on the past but it sure is nice to be able to better understand the past when it happens, rather than a near decade later.

I sat at home Memorial Day Weekend, choosing not to go anywhere because of the high price of gasoline ($75 to fill up the tank is the breaking point), and I settled in to watch HBO's presentation on the 2000 election battle called Recount starring Kevin Spacey. I realize now George W. Bush didn't steal the election from Al Gore. It was stolen for him by Jim Baker III and his team of legal snakes that included the U.S. Supreme Court.

We, the American people, let that happen? Republican leaders dismissing their goons intimidating ballot counters? ENRON loaning its jets to ferry GOP Jihadists to Florida to oppose one of the most important, fundamental precepts of American Democracy that every vote should count. A Supreme Court that said allowing every vote to be counted would violate the rights of voters?

Florida had a history of allowing a voter's intent to count, under the principle that even though they may not follow directions or even understand the process of voting, what they intend to do means something. The "dimpled chad," the little piece of paper that is supposed to be pushed free by voters during the voting process to create the hole that is then read by the computer machines but that sometimes is not punched out and clings to the ballot with an impression caused by the voter's punch, DOES COUNT.

I admire the Florida Supreme Court for standing up for the rights of Florida voters, and really despise the U.S. Supreme Court for denying voters the right to express their vote. Imagine a Supreme Court that makes a ruling but says it only applies to this situation? Not to be used as a precedent? Why? Because the ruling was scarred with injustice?

Why am I angry again?

Because we've had nearly 8 years of an administration terrorism. I'm at home because Bush and company lied to us about Iraq. But the bigger lie was the one we don't always think about. That Bush and Dick Cheney and Halliburton went into Iraq to control the oil.

Before the war, a barrel of oil cost around $28. After Bush invades Iraq, it rises by more than $100. Iraq was actually keeping the oil industry in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and other Gulf States in check. They'd raise the price of oil and Saddam Hussein would dump oil into the market.

Bush takes Saddam Hussein out. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States jack up the price of the Barrel of Oil with the willing complicity of foreign oil companies like British Petroleum (BP) which rebranded its foreign name to something that numbed American minds would easily accept: "Beyond Petroleum."

No. The price of Oil is "Beyond Reason." What the U.S. Supreme Court did is "Beyond Reason." The fact that George W. Bush was our president is "Beyond Reason."

Although it was enjoying to watch the poignantly sarcastic portrayal of Florida's half-witted Secretary of State Katherine Harris (played by Laura Dern) -- Harris, who was also Bush's state campaign chairperson rode a torpedo to four years in Congress, only to lose the bigger goal of a U.S. Senate seat, thankfully -- those portrayals of the evil-doers engaged in stealing a national election is not satisfying enough.

I got into journalism inspired by the movie All the President's Men. Maybe HBO's great TV film Recount will inspire others to pursue justice.

There are three things I wish for: First, that the price of oil drops to something reasonable. As an American, the American Dream shouldn't be a dream but a reality; All of the players in the 2000 election theft should be prosecuted for their actions, especially those in the Supreme Court (William Rehnquist is gone) but Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia should face charges; and that war crimes charges will one day be brought against George W. Bush when he leaves office.

That is all worth living for in the wake of 8 years of Bush Hell.

Comments

[CEDobson]

I'm really miffed by the fourth paragraph of this article. This really seems to imply that Floridians are not mentally capable of poking a chad through the hole of a punch card! The majority of us are pretty d*mn smart, thank you very much.

If you take the time to watch the very informative program done by Dan Rather on the company that produced these punch cards, you will see that GB's brother Jeb was possibly part of a scam to produce faulty punch cards. "Special" defective paper was purchased through a different company, including recycled paper (below industry standard) right at the time of the election. Before this time, the company who made the punch cards had used the same paper for decades). Guess who was part owner of that "new" paper company, or at least helped put money into the pockets of others in that company? Hint: Starts with a J. It was virtually impossible to punch the cards/holes did not line up correctly and produced an inaccurate vote. Guess which holes did not line up? You got it - the presidential holes.

JB became a new resident/Governor of Florida months before his brother ran for president. George ran and low and behold won, AFTER the biggest vote controversy in the history of America; the culprit being the State of Florida! Shortly after that election, JB left our state, never to be seen or heard from again. Sure seems fishy to me.

[Novelene]

Great article and insight.....However, I'd like to point out that if it costs $75 to fill up your car, perhaps you might want to rethink getting a smaller vehicle. Just a friendly suggestion.

[1will]

Umm....you know that was a movie right? Supposedly 'based on real events' means it's real but usually it just means the producers are pandering to a certain demographic.

[Beachrunner]

While the price of gasoline is high in the U.S. compared to what we are used to paying, it is no where near the $8 - $9 dollar a gallon price in many European countries.

Also, high gasoline prices serve as a disincentive to drive. As we all know, the internal combustion engine is one one of the primary causes of global warming.

[1will]

The $9 per gallon (or whatever metric equivalent they use) Europeans pay for gas is largely due to taxes. That national healthcare system must be paid for someway or another. Get ready for our version and the huge tax increases to pay for it.

[Mauiloa]

I started watching 'Recount' Sunday night, But after about 30 minutes, it all started to hit me...again! Not the obvious shenanigans that surrounded the events of November, 2000, but the lack of outrage by Americans who watched dumbly as our most vaunted right as citizens was destroyed in front of our eyes.

After the assault on our Constitution by the Republican Party and the Supreme Court, there were over the next few years, story after story about the failure of electronic voting machines and how the manufacturers refused even the most basic steps to protecting the veracity of the votes. Then it all happened again...in 2004 in Ohio. STILL we weren't outraged. It was absolutely amazing to me.

Americans were more concerned with the season's American Idol contestants than with any concept of how much our country had been changed by the events of November 2000.

Finally, I couldn't watch 'Recount' any longer. The anger welled up inside me and I thought about Memorial Day and how we have over 4000 new graves to visit.

Then I thought, to most people it's just another day off. Memorial Day means little to most of us because most have sacrificed nothing for this war. Even the enormous costs won't be born by us as much as by our children and grandchildren.

No. Our sacrifice occurred nearly eight years ago. And that sacrifice was the giant piece of liberty that we allowed to be taken from us by our national silence.

[Giglawyer]

I live in Ohio. I voted for Kerry in 2004. The Bush machine successfully tarnished him here, and Kerry lost. I have read Robert Kennedy Jr.'s piece in Rolling Stone (which was crap and chock full of twisted statistical analysis and speculation) as well as several other independent reports. I have heard all of the BS and the speculation, but I have yet to hear any reliable evidence that Ohio was "stolen" in 2004.

As for Florida in 2000, that is another matter. But if all of the blame is placed on teh GOP, the problems in the system do not get fixed. For example, Democrats approved the butterfly ballot that started this nightmare. In addition, the Florida Supreme Court, a very liberal Democratic Bench, went too far in its opinions, which opened the door for the US Supreme Court to shut everything down.

My point is that there is blame to go around. We have to be better, smarter and more prepared for the next electoral problem. The party caught on the reactive side of the fight is usually the loser.

[sdskelton03]

How dare those bastards on the SCOTUS force Florida to obey it's own voting laws.

[COwoman]

This is the bigger picture of this election NOW. We should be outraged and indignant as hell.
It is time to back our country. I love the USA and the documents and the system that was set to balance power. We should be taking to the streets to make sure we get a Democratic majority that can not be filibustered and a Dem POTUS.
This is the big picture folks. Get it? Anyone that keeps encouraging infighting is not understanding this. If anytime in history the words, "If you are not with us then you are against us" should be spoken it is NOW.
IF YOU CAN"T FIGHT FOR OUR COUNTRY AND EVERYTHING IT STANDS FOR THEN YOU ARE NOT A GOOD AMERICAN. I WANT THE BUSH CABINET PROSECUTED AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS TRAVESTY AGAINST OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS. I NEED THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND OR CONSTITUTION TO MEAN SOMETHING TO THEM, BECAUSE IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME. HOW ABOUT YOU!!

[CEDobson]

I truly respect your sincerity - I really do.

When people begin to feel they have no voice to question their government, a government that is supposed to be "We The People" and not "They the people," this wreaks corruption beyond a quick fix. In my opinion, we have come closer to a monarchy with GB in office. Infighting, as you say, may be necessary. The mighty will fall. You made a great point when you used the words "balance of power." Those documents were created so this may happen, but those words are only as good as the paper they are written if the men who read them do not take heed.

I am an American through and through. I love my country, its ideals and the freedom it provides. I do not take my country for granted, but I do believe we are on shaky ground, and I believe the only way to solidify our foundation is for "We The People" to take this country back from the greedy and corrupt.

Many people in America have forgotten what is like to be a "We," and truly have misplaced the knowledge that as a united front we can change what we don't like in our country. So, instead of saying "I WANT the Bush cabinet prosecuted and held accountable for this travesty.....," say you DEMAND it, and if enough of us storm the White House - it will happen.

[EinChicago]

Why watch recount and see how a crooked corrupt politician was willing to accept an illegitimate presidential victory 8 years ago when you can simply watch teh news and watch Obama do exactly the same thing today? Much more timely AND he is doing it in 2 states, not just one.... twice the corruption, twice the fun. ;) (I know, I know, let me answer for HumeSkeptic and Nyland before they get here "but, but,. but "teh Rools!!")

[jvarga]

Why did Senator Clinton go along with those rules before she was against them?

[Aywaller]

Because Clinton thought she would win anyway. Now that she can't, everything's changed.

And to EinChicago:

How is Obama even close to "doing the same thing?" By following the rules that Clinton agreed to and then tried to thwart when she found out that it was to her advantage to do so? Wrong on so many counts. So sad.

[jvarga]

No answer to this. I'm not surprised.

[Canaris]

That's as opposed to the four states that Sen. Clinton wants to disenfranchise? You know, Maine, Washington, Nevada and Iowa. Those are the states that she is not counting when she asserts that she is winning the popular vote. She is also not counting any votes that weren't cast for her in Michigan, where of course hers was the only name on the ballot.

So I guess she's two and a half times as corrupt as Sen. Obama, to use your phrase, although, of course, Sen. Obama had nothing to do with stripping Michigan and Florida of their delegates. Some of those responsible include Harold Ickes and Terry McAullife, both with the Clinton campaign. Did you know that the lone vote on the Rules Committee NOT to strip the delegates came from an supporter of Sen. Obama? Didn't think so.

Don't let reality intrude on your Obama bashing, though. Lord knows Sen. Clinton hasn't, so why should her supporters be any different?

[EinChicago]

Hmmm. No. She IS counting those states and she is still winning the popular vote. Nice try. But try again.

[BobLablah]

Don't we want gas to be really high priced to reduce global warming? Or are you one of those gas hogs who doesn't care about the destruction of the planet?

[KillTheMessenger]

I am always amazed to see how some Americans can find living people to blame for things that happened millions of years ago thousands of feet under the Earth's surface. Must be a combination of failed socialization (trying to find scapegoats instead of constructive solutions) and failed science education (trying to find oil where there is none).

[Mcswane]

where did Gore think he was? a high school civics class?..HOW CAN THE DEMOCRATS CONTINUE TO LET THEMSELVES BE PORTRAYED AS WIMPS?. Jack Kennedy wouldn't recognize this party