[extropy-chat] Politics: US talks of suspending elections

[Steve Davies]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Adrian Tymes" <wingcat at pacbell.net>



> --- Dan Clemmensen <dgc at cox.net> wrote:
> > My first reaction: The senior people in the Bush
> > administration have
> > demonstrated a profound ignorance of the US
> > constitution, and it
> > underlying principles. This is merely the most
> > recent and most egregious
> > example.
>
> Umm...Samantha said *the press* are talking about it.
> Do you have a single specific instance of *the Bush
> administration* talking about it?
>
As I understand it the head of the US Election Assistance Commission floated
this idea a couple of weeks ago - see

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/06/26/election2004/21_17_566_25_04.txt

and for a more recent comment see

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5411741/site/newsweek/

Knowing the way politics works today I would say that this is a trial
ballon. Time to write a lot of very angry letters to make sure it gets shot
down spectacularly.

It's worth pointing out that while elections have been suspended in time of
war over here in the UK (in both World Wars), a Bill to extend the life of
Parliament beyond a general election date is the one kind of measure where
the Lords have an absolute veto and where the Royal Assent can be refused
even if it were to pass both Houses. Not very reliable but better than
nothing I guess.