How do you react to Bush "postponing" the November elections?

[Bucky]

Say the Bush administration decides that we can't have the 2004 elections. It's October 30th and there has been a HUGE ebola attack on all of America--multiple cannisters left quietly spraying in well trafficked corners of airports, train stations, campaign rallies, and sporting events. Millions of people are infected. Tens of thousands have are dying already and hundreds of thousands more are expected to perish before it all gets contained. The country's going nuts with containing the pandemic just days before the election. Schools are closed, hospitals are in chaos, stories of health workers getting contaminated are causing a new panic. Most cities look like Hong Kong--what few people are on the streets are masked....

The Bush administration determines that we can't have an election under these circumstances--it's just too chaotic. People could die just from going to vote. Among the people afflicted are John Kerry and his running mate, Olympia Dukakis. Bush makes an announcement that due to the emergency he's declaring martial law and is asking the states to suspend the election "until the moment of crisis passes."

What's your duty as a citizen? Remember, if you go to a rally to oppose this, you run a good chance of dying within two weeks.

[Turbineguy]

1. Oh, when they finally hold the election

I'll vote for Bush (NOT!!!!)

[napi21]

7. So now you're falling into the scare everybody tactic of *!

First, I don't believe it's possible for a sceanario you presented. It would require way too much co-ordination.....even for terrorists! One or two...maybe. That many..............NO!

If any attack occurs just before the Nov. election, I'm really not sure how the electorate would respond. Certainly there would be those who would say don't switch captains in the middle of the stream, but there would also be those who say the current leader isn't capable of protecting his own people so get rid of him. Which group would be bigger???????

[zbdent]

20. Red Alert would mean total lockdown - Unless you are bleeding

and on the verge of death and on the way to the emergency room, I think that you would be "gently encouraged to return to your home".

I can imagine a few key states would be under Red Alert. Wouldn't even need to be states at all. Just the heavily Dem populated areas.

[stopthegop]

2. keep in mind...9-11 was primary day in New York.

they just postponed the election a while..although your scenario would be much tougher to recover from...take longer..

[Name removed]

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[Imajika]

4. It's not gonna happen

"The Bush administration determines that we can't have an election under these circumstances--it's just too chaotic."

Why would Bush do such a thing? Under those circumstances Bush would probably win easily.

If the American peoples focus is on terrorism or war, Bush wins. If the American peoples focus is on the economy and jobs, Kerry wins.

Imajika

[Skittles]

18. why does Bush win on terrorism

all indications are Iraq is a f***ing disaster and an unprovoked invasion has INCREASED terrorism.

[truthspeaker]

5. I'm pretty sure he has no authority to do that

I'd head on down to my polling place. If it wasn't open, I'd head to the state capitol and demand some answers, with an American flag in my hands and a shotgun in the trunk.

[librechik]

8. Really? Guess he'll have to cancel them "virtually"

if you know what I mean. It will cost much less fuss, since no one will know, or be able to prove anything. Perfect for BushCo!

[Bucky]

11. The example says he asks the states to cancel. He *can* do martial law

Anyone with enough guns can declare martial law. But if Bush can call on the fifty governors to "postpone" the voting--and the governors of the four biggest states in the Union are loyal Republicans--who's gonna stop him?

I like your "shotgun" answer, but I wonder if it'd be enough.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

19. There is an alternative...

[mrgorth]

6. WOLVERINES!

[librechik]

9. March on the Capitol

and demand Congress deal with the Dauphin legally and promptly.

[Bucky]

12. Ebola outbreak means "marching in the streets" leads to you dying

Nice knowin' ya.

[kentuck]

10. He doesn't have the authority....

People would drag him and his gang of thieves out of the WH by their ears if they tried such a trick. Even they are not that stupid.....I hope.

[Bucky]

15. Ebola outbreak means "dragging him into the streets" leads to you dying

I'm pretty sure the White House has some security procedures to keep ordinary humans from dragging out the president. I admire the sentiment, but given the ebola outbreak, you and about half of your friends are dead now. Hope you brought some Nader supporters with ya.

[Beam Me Up]

13. Torches and Pitch Forks PLAGUE OR NO PLAGUE n/t

[gasperc]

14. national strike

eom

[murielm99]

17. Right, gasperc!

A general strike is the answer. Have you ever noticed that most European countries have had a general strike at one time or another?

Since most unions support Dem candidates, it could work.

I think we have forgotten here that acts of civil disobedience other than all out armed revolution can be very effective.

I don't think shrub is going to cancel the elections. I think the talk is just this weeks's weapon of mass distraction. The heat is on shrub. He looks bad after the Spanish elections.

There are other acts of civil disobedience that could be used, too, in the outside chance that shrub does try to cancel them.

[Bluzmann57]

16. Somewhat hesitant to say this

because I don't want to get arrested, but armed revolution would seem to be the only answer. I firmly believe that the people of this country would not put up with something like that. All hell would break loose. And I think that Repubs as well as Dems would be angry and take to the streets if something like that were to happen.

[Mick Knox]

21. It's so lame its not worth discussing..

Just because a few people talk about it doesnt mean it will happen. This doesnt happen.. not in the civil war, not in korea, not in WW2, not in vietnam.. it's not happening... I think there has been more than an overreaction to some GOP shill asking the question.. probably that was the intent...

[Goldmund]

22. What about this scenario?

Right after their convention, and right before the 9/11 aniversary, they announce Red Alert. They keep it up until the end of october. During this time, there is no real campaigning, other than the incessant concentration on fear-mongering by the media. They dish out Osama in late october and end the alert.

And then they hold the elections as scheduled.

[dmartin29]

23. We Must Be (More) Proactive

On this, now!
1. The message to spread NOW is that any attack, anywhere in the world is a direct reflection of the current administrations failure to "protect us".
2. Three years of failure to accurately evaluate available intelligence has so diminished their capability to make judgments that nothing they deduce can be accepted.
3. In every communication a reminder of who told the world's terrorists to "Bring it on!" and turn the phrase to say "Look what he has brought on!".
4. All the world's "bad guys" will stop at nothing to see that the current puppet and string pullers stay in power. They have openly displayed all their tactics, which haven't worked, repeatedly demonstrated that they are rigidly committed to continuing the same tactics and have even published their future planning (PNAC). The "bad guys" don't want to face a new foe that is committed to diplomacy, true coalition building, empowerment of other governments and an opening line to the rest of the world - "Look we screwed up for the past four years but starting today things will be different. Help us. We can't go it alone."

We need to get this message out through editorials, letters to the press, statements at protests, statements by reasonable politicians and any way else so when/if any attacks occur the record is there and "I told you so" really will mean something. We need any backlash not only to go straight to them but we may, in fact, go a long way to preventing attack.