The Green and Libertarian parties paid $113,600 for a recount in Ohio which helped John Kerry gain a net increase of 285 votes. That works out to an expenditure of $399 per vote, money neither the Greens, the Libertarians, nor the Kerry’s paid. Kerry supporters, who where either lead to believe or believed in spite of reality, pitched in by the thousands online to raise that money. Since Ohio taxpayers are on the hook for over ten times that amount (approximately $1.5M), so they only had to chip in $5,263 per net-Kerry vote.
Of course Kerry started the recount behind President Bush by 118,775, so the fact that a recount netted him an extra 285 votes puts a nail in the coffin of the Ohio story, irrespective of the breathless reporting of Keith Olbermann.
“… puts a nail in the coffin of the Ohio story,”
If only it were that simple. Ohio is this year’s Florida – the fact that it is ridiculously unclose is irrelevant, as are most facts; 3M vote popular margin, a number of Kerry states with “irregularities” were closer, the whole Washington Governor vote-finding fiasco, etc.
In order to attempt to undermine Bush’s legitimacy, we’ll be hearing phrases like “voter irregularities,” “gave Bush the election,” and “let every vote count” carefully placed together in sentences to create the impression that, were it not for some shenanigans, Kerry might have really won Ohio.
Once again, reasonableness does not matter. There will be an effort to create the impression of doubt whenever and wherever possible.
Heck! Why do you think the fact that Kerry gained is the lead in even though it was a 300 vote shift when the margin is 120,000? The real story is the gross waste of personal and taxpayer $$.
I would like to publicly thank the Ohio Libertarian Party (and the National Party that they are affiliated with) for helping to provide a state socialist with 285 additional votes and for continuing a tactic of rendering the electoral process a contest of lawyers instead of an exercise of the will of the people… at a taxpayer cost of $5264 per vote.
On the bright side for Kerry is the fact that at the current rate of votes being found for him, it’ll only take seven and a half years to break even with Bush…
D’oh! No wonder I can’t balance my checkbook! More like 52 years! :-p (Might even be a reason why I mojored in History instead of Mathmatics…)
Or put another way, they only need something like 425 more recounts to take the lead and declare Kedwards the winner. Let’s put in a wakeup call for Olbermann around the time of recount #400 so he can prep for the big news.
Sigh. Just saw the typo in my second comment. Must remember to proof read when commenting during the tail end of my shift…
I don’t see any problem with a recount regardless of the cost. There were irregularities. Are you gonna ban me for saying this?
Hey Blogesota:
Eight minutes ago you promised, “I’m out of here.” Liar.
Yes the recount was a waste of time and money. Every election will have variations in every count and recount. You could recount the Boxer /Jones senate race of 2004 and uncover several hundred or maybe a 1000 votes, but it will not change the result.
Count 5.7 million of anything and variations and errors will occur. With punchcards ballots are counted and uncounted every time you run them thru the counter or handle them. No news here.
So the recount in Ohio was an absolute waste of time and money.
What I like is how an increase 0.002% is characterized as “closer.”
this isn’t the first time John Seewer has used titles to help Michael Moore.
http://www.awptimus.com/blog/index.php?p=133
This is too funny…HE LOST people….give it up sheeeeeeesh lol