In response to Mr. Blair, you make two significantly contradicting points in your letter to the editor. I assume that you are fairly intelligent, so you would appreciate me pointing out this contrast using fundamental logic. I am a strong advocate of using logic to discern truth; although its popularity seems to be waning in modern culture due to it’s obscure nature. In fact, some may go as far as to say that logic is more arcane than the Electoral College.

Nonetheless, you start your letter with a call to end the whining over fairness claiming that the legal system should run its course. The laws allow for manual recounts, and the Democrats requested that so let them continue. You also point out that the GOP missed the deadline to request recounts in counties that would most certainly help them gain votes. This is true. I’m almost certain no one has blamed the Democrats for the GOP missing that deadline, though you obviously felt compelled to squelch all doubt.

Are you willing to stretch those same laws to accommodate the deadline for completion of the recount at 5 p.m. Tuesday?

If you say yes, then it is clear you are a partisan participant in what amounts to a game that can be won or lost, based on subjective interpretations of law in which the side with the most clever legal counsel wins. In that case, logic demands you also extend the deadline to allow manual recounts in other counties as well, which you have already declared unlawful under Florida statutes. If you are playing that game, you have joined the ranks of the majority of lawyers and politicians in America who believe in subjective truth influenced by money, power and the ability to loophole a system void of virtue.

If you say no, then we are two trains on the same track, and we may be able to come to an agreement (imagine that).

At this point, I need to point out your apparent contradiction. At the conclusion of your letter you passionately expressed that voting is America’s most fundamental right. You believe we should take the extra effort to get it right.

I agree whole-heartedly, but because this is such an important task, Americans should be the ones taking great care to cast their vote correctly. It is then the state’s job to count those votes correctly. In any case, you have contradicted yourself. In one case, you disregard the statewide unfairness of these selective recounts. In the other case, you cry for absolute fairness within these selective counties.

If the will of the people is of ultimate importance for either campaign, they will keep the recount as fair and balanced as possible and not make this a legal chess game. Though Bush’s campaign is not perfect in their dealings, they seem to be calling for balance, which is why they oppose selective manual recounts.

Being extremely accurate in one county that leans heavily toward one party when all others are treated with moderate accuracy is not fair and may not reflect the true will of the people of Florida.

Al Gore could not look Florida residents in the eye and say, with all honesty, that by manually recounting votes in Palm Beach, he is seeking fairness for all of Florida.

Jason McLatchie

Alumnus

Ames