By Diana Lee
January 2006
 UNIORB: REALITY CHECK: POLITICS |
On January 6, when the certification of the 2004 presidential election results were called for Ohio state, an extraordinary thing happened in Congress that has only occurred twice in the U.S. since 1877— thirty-one House Representatives and one Senator stood up to object the certified Ohio Electoral College votes for George Bush.
House of Representatives:
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Corrine Brown, FL
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Doc Hastings, WA
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Ed Markey, MA
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Julia Carson, IN
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Maurice Hinchey, NY
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Cynthia McKinney, GA
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William Clay Jr., MO
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Jesse Jackson Jr., IL
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John Olver, MA
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James E. Clyburn, SC
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Sheila Jackson Lee, TX
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Major Owens, NY
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John Conyers Jr., MI
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Eddie Bernice Johnson, TX
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Frank Pallone JR, NJ
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Danny Davis, IL
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Stephanie Tubbs Jones, OH
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Donald M. Payne, NJ
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Lane Evans, IL
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Carolyn Kilpatrick, MI
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Jan Schakowsky, IL
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Sam Farr, CA
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Dennis Kucinich, OH
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Bennie Thompson, MS
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Bob Filner, CA
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Barbara Lee, CA
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Maxine Waters, CA
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Raul Grijalva, AZ
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John Lewis, GA
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Diane Watson, CA
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Lynn Woolsey, CA
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Senator:
Barbara Boxer, CA
These were the Congressmen and Congresswomen who voted for the constitutional rights of every voter guaranteed by the Amendment XV of the Bill of Rights: “1) The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. 2) The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. ” They were the ones that bothered to listen to the disenfranchised voters, to read John Conyers’ substantiated 102-page report on Ohio vote irregularities, and to fulfill their duty in representing the public as elected officials.
The lone senator, Barbara Boxer of California, stood by Ohio Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones when she challenged the certification of Electoral College votes of her own state, supported by many representatives from other states. This event marked a historical contrast to the challenge of Florida Electoral College votes in 2001 when many House members were turned away because they had no Senate sponsor. This time around, the House of Representatives and the Senate were forced to hold a debate on the floor for four hours.
The basis for such objection lies in the belief of a government OF the people, BY the people, FOR the people, so democracy shall not perish from America. This nation was founded on the fundamental values and beliefs that all men are created equal and endowed with unalienable rights to give their consent to be governed in a fair and transparent election. The important issue, as Boxer succinctly pointed out, is “not about overturning the election” but “the battle for electoral justice,” ensuring every one has the right to vote and every vote is counted.
However, the majority of the Congress believed otherwise. Several prominent Democratic senators lined up to voice changes in election law, yet distanced themselves, so not to be labeled as “sore losers.” Even John Kerry stayed away for he didn’t believe the challenge would change the election result. House Majority Leader, Tom Delay, R-Texas, who is involved in an illegal fund raising scandal, unabashedly ridiculed the Democrat objectors as ‘X-Files’ wing of the Democratic Party and accused Democrats of ‘replacing statecraft with stagecraft.’ Thus, the Senate rejected the challenge by 74-1 and the House of Representatives voted it down 267-31.
Against the political tide, the challengers’ votes spoke louder than the rhetoric of many of their peers or the cynicism of their adversaries. To many observers, these were the brave and trustworthy Congressmen and Congresswomen who put public’s interest before their personal benefits or political gains. Like our patriotic forefathers who fought against tyranny for liberty and justice for all, they were fighting for our democracy to ensure freedom, fairness and individual rights guaranteed in our constitution.
By voting against the 2004 election results, these Congressmen and Congresswomen shine as true patriots of American democracy. Copyright © 2006 UniOrb All rights reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced without special permission.