Said Ms. Alkon: "...meaning, I think, democracy, The Constitution, the stuff that puts checks on the rock star thing."

That's why I was in a good mood last Tuesday, and the rest of the week. Our election worked the way it was supposed to. While quite a few folks were disgruntled by the results, by and large everybody accepts them. I really haven't picked up on any rumors of election skullduggery.

(Has anybody else heard any Kool Konspiracy Theories?)

The Constitution, the stuff that puts checks on the rock star thing.

What old rpm said, plus this: unlike Castro, if Pres elect Obama sufficiently annoys a sufficient number of us in the next four and a quarter years, we can fire him.

(full disclosure: I voted for McCain)

Not so fast, folks. It seems like a lot of votes are being found in some close Senate races, and they are all going the same way as the recent Washington state governor's race.

How much corruption are you willing to tolerate before you decide that this government is not legitimate?

I'm not there yet, but I'm getting close.

Sayeth MarkD: "It seems like a lot of votes are being found in some close Senate races, and they are all going the same way as the recent Washington state governor's race."

MarkD, can you elaborate further? Coleman-Franken in Minnesota I know about (Powerlineblog.com covers that one extensively). What are some others?

It seems like a lot of votes are being found in some close Senate races,...

This happened back in 2004 as well. Typically absentee votes usually don't count unless it is a close election. The "certification" in Ohio is about 21 days after the actual election. The results of an election aren't actually locked until that certification is given. I'll post the link for that in a separate post.

Ohio Republicans file....

While regular voting is scheduled to end at 7:30 p.m. today, absentee ballots - postmarked by Nov. 3 - can arrive and be counted up to 10 days after the general election. In a close election, absentee ballots could factor significantly.

Ohio State certification deadline

About 30 days after election.

The Secretary of State will meet to canvass the abstract results received from the county board of election no later than 10 days after the abstracts have been received (counties must submit abstracts within 21 days of the election). ORC 3505.35. The Secretary will announce the results upon completion of the canvass. This announcement is not technically considered an official certification of the results, but has the effect that certification has in other states (it starts the clock ticking on the deadlines for filing recounts and election contests).

Actual certification of the results will not occur until the time for filing of recounts has passed (or any filed recount has been completed). ORC 3505.38. The deadline for filing recounts is 5 days after the Secretary announces the results.

"It seems like a lot of votes are being found in some close Senate races, and they are all going the same way as the recent Washington state governor's race."

Yes,, but they are going that same direction even in states like Alaska and Georgia where Republicans control the electoral appartus. However there may be more to it than that, since Palin, however Republican, was voted in on a platform of cleaning up the corruption that stevens is the poster boy for. Whatever; it is always good to be sceptical about elections.

On the Constitution - it's good to remember that Washington came in on a wave of this kind of adualtion, and amazed everyone both in America and in Europe when he stepped down at the end of his term. It just stunned everyone. That was the example that gave life to the Constitution more than anything else; after that no one dared to flout it.

Late in life Napoleon sadly mused that "people wanted me to be Washington, and I just couldn't do it...."

It pays to remember that a majority of people can be wrong on any given subject. Thankfully we live in a democracy that will self correct.

I was alluding to Alaska, where Stevens is now losing. I loathe the guy and believe he is the poster boy for what is wrong with Republicans, but the additional counting seems to always discover more Ds than Rs.

Two years ago we had Washington State, where the votes were counted and recounted until Gregoire won.

At some point, reasonable people stop seeing coincidences, and start seeing a trend. That is not a good thing for a system that depends on a government "deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

I think something as important as deciding who runs the country should require some reasonable checks and balances that ensure the outcome is legitimate. Maybe as much care as we take to ensure minors don't buy alcohol, or to ensure that the check you are cashing is actually yours.

So what promise will Obama break first?

MarkD points out: "the additional counting seems to always discover more Ds than Rs."

Two possible explanations. 1) Somebody is fudging the recounts. 2) The original tallies (for whatever reason) were wrong, and the scrutiny focused during the recount increases their accuracy.

If recounts are working the way they're supposed to, then the correct explanation is the second. Seen that way, the imbalance you describe looks bad for Republicans, now doesn't it?

So what promise will Obama break first?

The tax cut one. Followed immediately by a spin on the Iraq one.

I'm hoping he bites his lip like Clinton did. That would be awesome.

People on the left would cite the aborted Florida recount in 2000 and the shenanigans in Ohio in 2004 as examples of Republicans manipulating election results. Both sides are willing to do almost anything to push election results in their favor.

Obama is a neo-marxist, but our system was designed to make it hard for one faction to get what it wants. Let's hope the system still works.

Um, "neo-marxist?" Someone on Fox news says that and you are gullible enough to believe it? Consider the source. The man is not a marxist. That said, I hope the entire Congress reconsiders the move to bail out GM. Bad choice.

But Obama is no neo-marxist. He would have GM rebuilt as a co-operative factory if that were the case. Very doubtful. How's this "faux free market" we've been living under workin for ya though?

Hey, about the "rock star" thing: we did that with Mr. Clinton. Note the sax performance on Leno, and the groupies?

And Mick Jagger has a degree in economics. Really.

America has a class system. It's called "prejudice". It insists that if you're a {insert cultural designation here}, you can't think. Sometimes that can be demonstrated, sometimes not.

Here's an absolutely hilarious sampling of the rockstar voters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm1KOBMg1Y