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NORTH COAST TIMES E A G L E , MARPRIL2001
MICHAEL C. COVERT
JIM WILKINS
(He is, he says, a new father living in Astoria.)
I have always voted Republican since I came of age. but
curiously in the 2000 election I could not bring myself to vote for
George Bush. I voted for Ralph Nader because as we enter the
3rd Millennium it is obvious that the environment is the most
important issue facing us — that is. if we wish to breathe clear
air or drink and bathe in clean water
As a Republican I believe in self-determination, personal
responsibility and free will; but as the election drew near I felt
the only person who has worked tirelessly for the interests of the
country and its inhabitants was clearly Ralph Nader His politics
are more closely related to socialism but it was time that I made
a statement to myself if nobody else.
When the election was over and the debacle that was
Florida ensued, I was drawn down to the political show like one
who witnesses a car wreck. There were so many accusations
and so much partisan brokering it was almost too much to bear,
but clearly I found myself in George W.'s comer. Yes, there
were votes not counted in Dade and other heavily Democratic
counties, but a vote to be counted in any county or state in
this country in the first place must pass certain pre-approved
standards Voters are expected to study the ballot and know the
issues! No one else can perform the task for you.
Changes need to be made in type, construction and
mechanics of the ballot card system in this country — but in
the next election! The idea that we can go back and recount the
ballots with different standards for different counties is ludicrous.
If the recount were to happen manually then all counties in
Florida must be considered with the exact standards for all.
This is where the Florida State Supreme Court failed in its
measure and the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that fact
There are many legal scholars and concerned citizens
who believe the U.S Supreme Court stole the election, but I
truly believe they made a decision that was tough to make at
best if not impossible.
George W. Bush is our legitimate President. Whether he
is a good one remains to be seen
This country desperately needs new direction, especially
where energy is concerned. If President Bush continues his cozy
bedroom relationship with Big Oil and the energy status-quo, we
all lose
Let's hope there is more to this man than we have seen,
but it is in our interest to stand united and look to the future
Four years will come and go rather quickly and the people will
have their say again.
For all the cynics out there, remember that both George
Bush and Al Gore received 48% of the vote Clinton was elected
on only 42%.
Armageddon has not arrived, the sun will rise tomorrow.
I just hope we see it through the haze.
KAREN BAIN
(She is theatrical director of Clatsop Community College,
known also as Harvard on the Hill, and an artist. )
I think the 2000 election was utterly absurd. We as a
country would be self-righteous and appalled if it happened
somewhere else.
George Bush's rightwing Christian agrildats’exclusiVte' ’ "
and frighte'nihg. He is starting the Cold War all over again.
It is ridiculous that in a country as wealthy as we are the
insane appetites and addictions for things keep us from vtfiat's
most important, such as funding education and health care.
I think the results of the election are taking us farther
into a vapid soulless direction It is more important now than
ever to be kind to our neighbors
My only hope is the 'sleeping giant' will awake.
DE AC GUI DI
(He is a speech teacher at Harvard on the Hill)
I think the result of the 2000 election is pushing us
towards an irrational society rather than an open world society.
That's what Habermas says.
R iver S ea
(He is a contractor, restaurateur, musician and former
Astoria City Councilman.)
To me it is clear Al Gore wan the 2000 Presidential
election Consequently the majority of the American people
have opted for a 'kinder, gentler1 government
Instead George Bush is actively removing all ecological
safeguards He made certain promises dunng his campaign to
be President, but now he is breaking those promises He is
taking money away from his promise that "no child will be left
behind" when it comes to education He has broken his promises
about reducing carbon dioxide emissions and global warming
But his approach to tax cuts is the v^irst — there should
be no tax cuts Compared to most developed countries we are
under taxed. I don't think people appreciate the things govern
ment does for us We are the government There is no Us or
Them The government is Us
Bush's damage might be short-term but he has set back
longer term abilities to deal with the future
R. LOUIS RICHARDS
(He claims to be an inept hermit; he is a solitary thinker
of many ideas who lives "on the Columbia River North Shore “)
Everybody says the same thing: "I never thought I'd see
this in my lifetime." An election so obviously stolen. And the
press getting so quickly behind it.
They stole the election and carry on like they have
mandate
Every day it's a new surprise — arsenic in the water, the
global warming accords; CO2.
My old Wobbly friend Will Slayton used to say 'There's
nothing wrong wth the Republican Party that couldn't be cured
with funerals"
I voted for Ralph Nader I was voting against the two
party system
We're letting our economy and politics dictate who we
are rather than our relationships with one another The current
regime is perpetuating this idea
JACK SCHARBACH
(He is a freelance photographer who lives in Naselle.
Washington. He often characterizes his acute sensitivity to
ecocide as "eating my liver ")
The outcome of the 2000 election was less significant
than the fact it was so close. My thinking is that it's quite like
global warming — it's not certain if any one particular storm
is related to global warming. It's the same with an election,
whether it has anything to do with democracy because we're so
bamboozled by public relations experts and advertisers that it's
not clear what we're voting about anymore
After World War 2 people identified with candidates and
the country's history and future. I don't see that people make
those identifications anymore
BOB ASTLE
(He lives in Naselle.)
What continues to bother me is that George Bush
'wouldn't allow a recount and why he even wants td be'PresiddhT
without it
Why would someone want to be President if after a
recount it turns out to be illegitimate?
503 / 325-1 270- 11 60COMMERCIAL ■ ASTORIA
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ROBERT ADAMS
(He is a photographer with several books of his work
published)
I am beginning to think there are two types of
Democrats: Yellow Dog and Yellow Stain — the latter being
the type who don't fight to the limit to stop George Bush.
('Yellow Stain' is from The Caine Mutiny, the name the
crew gave to cowardly Captain Queeg )
I don't know what's in the future. But I met with some
Reed College students the other day, and one of them gave me
this quote from Pablo Neruda:
"It is not incumbent on you to finish the task. Neither are
you free to give it up
(He does just about everything. "Life is good," he says
to everybody.)
I think the results of the election aren’t as important to
history and won't bring about as much change as the circum
stance that occurred — the controversy around the swinging
chads, etc., is going to make people question the way we elect
Presidents.
The electoral college system is antiquated. I don't know
if I trust E-voting as much as I trust the people who count votes
in the counties, but I know we have to come up with a new
method for a more faithful and more accurate count to reflect
people's wishes.
Let’s just hope the powers that be don’t wipe out the
Alaska wilderness.
& BREW PUB, CANNON BEACH
ASTORIA CHIROPRACTIC
NEW WORKS IN
FURNITURE & SCULPTURE BY
7 NW ORECON WOODWORKERS
APRIL 7-MAY 9
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¡¡ no
(He is an expatriate Astorian, once removed)
The sad truth is America got just what it owes An oil
man for a nation of car freaks
Two things, however, were lost: Our faith in the election
process and our faith in the Supreme Court
How sad. Like another little banana republic an election
was stolen by the kin of the CIA
And now we know also that the Supreme Court is just
another political instrument.
TERRY ERICKSON
GALLERY
CONTEMPORARY WORKS OF ART
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