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A Supremely Undemocratic Ruling
Communications Workers of America President Morton Bahr issued the following statement today on the Supreme Court's ruling to block the hand counting of presidential election ballots in Florida:
In the end, the only votes that really counted in this presidential election were those of nine individuals. The Supreme Court, in a predictable ideological split, 5 to 4, has chosen the next president of the United States and effectively disenfranchised millions of voters.
As a result, we may never know who is the true winner of this election. I share the sentiments of Justice Stevens who identified the clear loser: "It is the nation's confidence in the judge as an impartial guardian of the rule of law."
Public confidence also has been shattered concerning the competency and fairness of our local balloting processes. African-Americans have a special reason for concern as evidence mounts over organized attempts to reduce black voting, particularly in Florida where African-Americans were harassed, turned away from the polls or given misleading ballot instructions. This ruling by the High Court further undermines the efforts of civil rights groups, churches, organized labor and others to improve voter turnout among minorities.
While we disagree with the court, we must live with its decision. We are prepared to work with President-elect Bush and his administration and with the members of both parties to respond to the pressing needs facing CWA members and millions of other working families.
We hope that Gov. Bush will join in recognizing that our first order of business should be to address the weaknesses in our electoral system which have created the uncertainty we have lived through the past five weeks. Unless citizens can be assured that our votes count -- which means counting all the votes -- then our very belief in America as a just and democratic society is in jeopardy.
In the end, the only votes that really counted in this presidential election were those of nine individuals. The Supreme Court, in a predictable ideological split, 5 to 4, has chosen the next president of the United States and effectively disenfranchised millions of voters.
As a result, we may never know who is the true winner of this election. I share the sentiments of Justice Stevens who identified the clear loser: "It is the nation's confidence in the judge as an impartial guardian of the rule of law."
Public confidence also has been shattered concerning the competency and fairness of our local balloting processes. African-Americans have a special reason for concern as evidence mounts over organized attempts to reduce black voting, particularly in Florida where African-Americans were harassed, turned away from the polls or given misleading ballot instructions. This ruling by the High Court further undermines the efforts of civil rights groups, churches, organized labor and others to improve voter turnout among minorities.
While we disagree with the court, we must live with its decision. We are prepared to work with President-elect Bush and his administration and with the members of both parties to respond to the pressing needs facing CWA members and millions of other working families.
We hope that Gov. Bush will join in recognizing that our first order of business should be to address the weaknesses in our electoral system which have created the uncertainty we have lived through the past five weeks. Unless citizens can be assured that our votes count -- which means counting all the votes -- then our very belief in America as a just and democratic society is in jeopardy.
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