Objecting to Certification: A Bad Idea

For the first time since 1877, and just the second time ever, Congress has agreed to discuss the certification of an Electoral College result, because some members of Congress objected to Bush's election as president on the grounds that Ohio's election was riddled with irregularities.

That is certainly possible. Actually, it's probable - there are irregularities in every state, probably in just about every precinct. John Q. Public might vote at the wrong precinct, and his conditional ballot might be tossed straight into the voting bin. It's happened. Or maybe there's a malfunction with the voting machines, and some votes are miscounted. In most cases it doesn't make a difference. In others, like the state of Washington, it very well could be the difference between one candidate and another moving into the governor's mansion.

But in Ohio, which Bush carried by 118,000 votes, all that any recount would establish is that the vote might actually have been a little bit closer. But just a little.

The effort to stop the electoral certification, if only for a moment, was led by Barbara Boxer, D-CA.

Barbara Boxer represents an extreme element of the Democratic Party, and while I generally side with her, her politics actually weaken the Party as a whole. She, and other elected officials like her, need to stop putting their own political biases ahead of the interests of Democrats everywhere on some issues. On others? Yes, she should sound off. But there are certain cases where she goes too far.

Let me say this: John Kerry conceded defeat in the presidential election in the early morning hours of November 3rd. He said he wouldn't challenge the results, and he held true to his words. In the joint session of Congress to certify, he offered no challenge to George W. Bush's electoral victory.

This time, Boxer has done nothing but reinforce those who clamor on the television and radio stations calling Democrats "sore losers," a title which should have been limited only to the election of 2000, when we had the right to complain. But now? In Ohio?

Congratulations, Representative Boxer. You've given ammunition to the opposition.