I said it seemed a little late for an October Surprise, as many of the votes have been cast in early balloting, and there is enough cynicism amongst the electorate that a bombing of Iran or Osama’s head conveniently produced on a plate may produce the opposite effect.

‘No, I was missing the obvious October Surprise.’ Really, well pray tell what is the October Surprise?

‘The October Surprise,’ Ernie said, ‘was the polls and stories coming out that purport to show a sea change favoring Republican fortunes at the polls, and the narrow victory in Congress they are supposedly showing. After all, when the vote totals come out Nov. 7th, showing the Republicans have retained the House and the Senate, there must be an explanation that can be pointed to, lest voters become suspicious their ballots were not counted.’

That is the October Surprise, the explanations appearing in the mainstream media that provide excuse for the Republicans surviving another election. That is Karl Rove’s October Surprise. The election is already rigged, with the Republicans winning.

Come on Ernie! That would mean votes cast are not being counted by our sworn elected and appointed officials. "Do you have any evidence that votes are not being counted?" I asked Ernie. Aside from the Arizona’s District 20 fiasco in 2004, where libertarian running as Republican won only to see his 4 vote victory falter by an amazing 500 new votes showing up days later on recount. Other than the Arizona’s Libertarian candidate write-in ballots that were obviously shown to have not been counted, and were not going to be counted per the County Recorder’s in 2006. Other than a Arizona law on the books prohibiting a recount of electronically counted ballots by anything other than a electronic count. Other than a Arizona Senate committee subpoenaing the District 20 ballots above, to recount them by hand, only to have the FBI swoop in on the day of the subpoena to grab the ballots and hide them from examination forever and ever. Other than a continuing list of Arizona election violations, anomalies, questions, devious conspiracy between election officials and electronic voting manufacturers, election officials and candidates, election officials and corporate interests. Other than all of that do you have any evidence?

No, I didn’t think so. Ernie, I love you man, but you just have to have faith in your elected officials. They wouldn’t lie to you. They took an oath.

TFPIC

"The more I see of the representatives of the people, the more I admire my dogs." — Alphonse de Lamartine, French poet, 1790-1869