Letters to the Editor
Xanthro
Published Letters: 522 Editor's Choice: 47
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What Gwool touched on.
[Read the article: Salon answers its critics]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Article II, Section 1 is really quite clear on this:
" Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress:"
What part of "in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct" is difficult to understand vis-a-vis intent?
Take this back to Florida in 2000 and the appeal to extend the deadline.
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The problem isn't the extension of the deadline, which is not set by the State, the manner in which Electors are appointed is determined by the State legislature by the timing is decided by Federal Congress.
The State Legislature could decide to appoint the electors, draw straws, have them appointed by the Governor, or any manner of choosing.
What the Legislature in Florida chose was to have an election, an election where Florida law was quite clear that absentee ballots received after the polls closed would not be counted.
Because of the timing between Florida primary and Florida general elections and the law number of serviceman who are stationed in Florida, the Florida executive branch and Federal Executive branch worked out a deal called Federal Absentee Ballots where such ballots received late would still count.
The problem is that such an argeement between the two executive branchs has no bearing at all on the appointment of Electors. Such ballots cannot count, and such ballots gave the State to Bush in 2000.
Gore actually won the Florida based on proper accounting, but Harris certified invalid results anyway.
The Republican party actually started a lawsuit to count more Federal Absentee ballots but quickly withdrew it because the Judge rightly questioned why any could count.
The Democrats didn't want to be seen as not counting military ballots so they did not press the issue.
Before anyone starts feeling sorry for these late voters, they received their ballots in plenty of time to return them in time, and each ballot had printed in capital and bold letters.
"BALLOT MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE 8:00 PM ON ELECTION DAY"
(Note, I don't have access to my notes at the moment so the above is by memory, it may not be verbatim, but it's close)
By 2004 the Flordia Legislature changed the law, but that has no affect on the 2000 outcome.
The simple fact is Bush did not win Florida in 2000 based on the law.
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The anti-gay marriage people have no case
[Read the article: Who's afraid of the big bad gay marriage amendment?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The anti-gay marriage people have no case and they know it. That's why they have to come up with flow charts showing marriage and birth rate comparisons for Scandinavian countries.
It’s simple, two gay people marrying has no affect on my marriage whatsoever. It’s no more relevant that what color sheets my neighbors has or how many times George Bush picked his nose today.
The debate over gay marriage is no different than the debate over interracial marriage. A debate that ended not with legislation but with the Supreme Court Decision Loving v. Virginia. If someone claims only activist judges rule in favor of gay marriage then that person directly claims that miscegenation laws should still be in affect.
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Divorce your family
[Read the article: My family gives me no respect]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]and it will be the second best decision after divorcing the loser husband.
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Vegetarians are a minority
[Read the article: The K Chronicles]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]That's why there are some issues with it, because a seperate meal has to be cooked for them during communal events.
I really don't care is someone is a vegetarian or vegan as long as they don't try and convert me and if I know I'll always try to ensure guests dietary needs are meet.
Now that non meat eaters are becoming more common, there's at least a larger variety of meals available to them at restraunts.
It used to be such a pain because there'd be 5 meat eaters and 1 grass grazer and no place nearby where everyone could eat. Now at least in California, most places have decent vegetarian meals.
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Potty Training incident?
[Read the article: Boys will be girls]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As one of the few people I've encountered who can remember being potty trained (and no, I wasn't old LOL) I'll relate an incident that happened to me, that certaintly could cause this behavior.
I had a little stool to stand on in the bathroom so I could reach the toliet, once while going by myself (early in potty training) just as I started to pee, the seat came slamming down, I moved my hands, but my penis got pinched between the rim and the seat. It hurt like hell and I sat down to pee for a long time after that. I don't think my parents ever even knew, because you're trying to be tough and prove you can use the potty just like an adult.
I wasn't a big fan of my penis for a long time after that. Fortunately, I've recovered, but I'll still admit, everytime to this day I watch that damn seat. I think this original incident is one of the reasons I only pee 2-3 times a day.
I can easily see a child in my position wanting to be a girl after this, it seems safer.
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Think about yourself
[Read the article: At what point can I just give up on my son?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Why do you want your son to live with you?
Do you enjoy his company?
or do you fear that living with your mother he'll somehow turn out differently than you did? Afterall, you became who you are despite your mother.
Your son is making good grades, he seems happy, like anonymous said, lay some ground rules such as he has to call you every week, that you get copies of his grades, talk to his teachers, and let him know he's welcome back.
If he's frustrating you and you are both unhappy, there's no obligation to have him in your home and that doesn't preclude you two from establishing a good relationship in the future.