Dear Senator ,
The work of Representative Conyers and
all those who have explored and investigated the State of Ohio's management of the Presidential election makes a powerful
statement. Among members of both houses of Congress one may find legitimate concern for elections as such a vital key
to the existence, value and efficacy of democratic process.
Without legitimacy in our elections,
we are left in something worse than a "third world" state in that we will have lost something formerly possessed that is lacking
in most third world states - confidence that government of the people and by the people is an attainable goal.
Without legitimacy in our elections we
create a future election-time circumstance when apathy and indifference become almost insurmountable problems. Insurmountable
apathy, indifference and distrust of the value of voting bring to us the loss of the most powerful aspect of checking dominance
and potential abuse of executive, legislative or judicial power. This is the precise basis of what liberty in this country
looks like.
Liberty in this country must look like
and prove to be in fact the means by which a populace can - by peaceful means - change not just the leaders but the direction
of movement for a nation.
I live in Washington State where an unbelievably
close election was ultimately resolved through a recount process that included investigation. This was done for the most part
in the absence of serious allegations of vote tampering, interference in the technology of election process as well as deliberate
harassment and discouragement of voters. As a result, although flaws in the election process were revealed, we have a governor-elect.
Those who have explored and investigated
the electoral processes in Ohio however have uncovered incidents of vote tampering, interference in voting technology and
harassment of voters. These took several forms including deliberate decisions that resulted in unreasonable waiting in line
and unreasonable inconveniences - overt actions meant to discourage voting.
Residual doubts and lack of confidence
in the 2000 Presidential Election in Florida now pale before what has been engendered in Ohio. If not challenged, Ohio 2004
will be recorded in history as a moment in time when the American nation betrayed itself and refused any attempt at setting
aright our national integrity and confidence in our own system.
Need it be said that any Democratic Senator
who does not formally sign an electoral challenge of the Ohio vote on January 6 is doing more than refusing to keep faith
with their party? Every one of you who do not sign will bear a future shame and loss of credibility for much more than your
party or your own future personal candidacy.
Either you stand for democracy in its
simplest expressive form or you cowardly bow to demagogues who presume to dictate the definition of American patriotism to
the rest of us. We voted you into your positions as extensions of our will with an expectation that you will do for us in
the halls of power what we cannot do ourselves. In my opinion, there is no intellectual, patriotic or sophisticated rationale
for refusing to sign the Ohio challenge on January 6th that will justify why you ran for office in the first place.
The attempted electoral challenge in
2000 that was defeated under the gavel of Mr. Gore himself fully demonstrated - in a shameful public manner - what it looks
like when those chosen turn their backs on those who did the choosing.
Are you willing to take upon yourselves
the same mantle?
Would you expect future support from
people for whom you have demonstrated a failed-patriotism at a time when it was most needed?
Arthur Ruger
Publisher, The American Choice
