US gov. looking for ways to delay elections in event of terrorist attack

[KraziHare]

I couldn't decide if I should stick this here or in general (pretty sad since I'm a mod ) so it'll stay here until another mod decides if it should stay.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...toryID=5637434

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior House Democratic lawmaker was skeptical on Sunday of a Bush administration idea to obtain the authority to delay the November presidential election in case of an attack by al Qaeda,
U.S. counterterrorism officials are looking at an emergency proposal on the legal steps needed to postpone the presidential election in case of such an attack, Newsweek reported on Sunday.

"I think it's excessive based on what we know," said Rep. Jane Harman of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, in a interview on CNN's "Late Edition."

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge warned last week that Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network want to attack within the United States to try to disrupt the election.

Harman said Ridge's threat warning "was a bust" because it was based on old information.

Newsweek cited unnamed sources who told it that the Department of Homeland Security asked the Justice Department last week to review what legal steps would be needed to delay the vote if an attack occurred on the day before or on election day.

The department was asked to review a letter from DeForest Soaries, chairman of the new U.S. Election Assistance Commission, in which he asked Ridge to ask Congress for the power to put off the election in the event of an attack, Newsweek reported in its issue out on Monday.

The commission was created in 2002 to provide funds to states to replace punch card voting systems and provide other assistance in conducting federal elections.

In his letter, Soaries wrote that while New York's Board of Elections suspended primary elections in New York on the day of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, "the federal government has no agency that has the statutory authority to cancel and reschedule a federal election."

Homeland Security Department spokesman Brian Rochrkasse told the magazine the agency is reviewing the matter "to determine what steps need to be taken to secure the election."

Republican Rep. Christopher Cox of California, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, told CNN that the idea of legislation allowing the election to be postponed was similar to what had already been looked at in terms of how to respond to an attack on Congress.

"These are doomsday scenarios. Nobody expects that they're going to happen," he said. "But we're preparing for all these contingencies now."

© Reuters 2004. All Rights Reserved.

-------------------------------------------------------------

I don't care if terrorists frickin' nuke NY and kill millions, if they screw around with the elections I'm going to gather my resources and start on a different sort of activism...

What's even more suspicious is how Tom Ridge is suddenly speaking about possible attacks aimed at 'damaging the democratic process'. I've been trying hard to hang up my tinfoil hat for the sake of critical thought but this is too much. The only good thing that could come out of this is the "I told you so's" I'll be dishing out if this administration does the unthinkable.

[Unclescam777]

They legally don't have the power to change the election date. Could they? More than likely since the constitution means jack in this country. If you want to relate this to weed then you could say it delays the many proposals that are on the November ballot. If we are successfully attacked again then I'll wonder if Bush really is doing a good job with terrorism. I hate him anyway but his campaign for re-election has mainly been focused on how well he has handled terrorism. Getting attacked again while he is in power would only hurt his chances of winning. At least that's how I see it.

[tainted422]

i diddn't read the article you posted, but i have heard alot about this
first bush extends the election.... next thing you know he's going to change presidnet to Czar...or maybe Fuhrer....