Gotta' get into this one! I thought the British bit was funny. There's a lot that's funny in this election. Our comedians are having a field day with all this. I agree that we have a mess on our hand but not a crisis. I've been suffering from sleep deprivation for two weeks watching every bit of the twists and turns of the drama on TV and have gotten little else done. I loathed American Government in High School but have really come to appreciate the structure of our government during this contest. WOW! The founding fathers thought of every contingency! What foresight. It will all work out in time and we need to take the time for the structure to operate and for all the contestants to play out every one of their LEGAL cards. The only part that I have not liked is some of the character bashing that has gone on - and some of the attempts to manipulate emotions. I lived in Germany at the time Eisenhower was being elected and many of the Germans were scared that a change of party in power meant bad news for them - Democrats out, Republicans in. Naw! I responded, won't make much difference what party's in. Also, during the Nixon crisis we had a student from the Netherlands living with us and he was in a near panic about our government falling! Naw! Said I. Presidents come and presidents go, but the government always stands - not to worry. Ditto, on this time too. One of the men will ultimately exhaust their legal options and one will prevail - and the government will go on. This is a historic moment and many parents are taking kids out of school to participate and observe - and most of us are losing sleep not out of fear, but out of fascination watching the process work. Messy, feisty, expensive, contorted, etc., but working. This has surely brought some of the flaws in our system to light which will allow them to be remedied! Out with chads! May the best (better) man, (lawyers) win. Patience folks!! And laugh a lot! EDE in Ohio (who has lived through lots of wars, fights, elections, et al, and who has faith in the system).

Ede\\Jim wrote: > > WOW! The founding fathers thought of every contingency! What > foresight. They, of course, had foresight. But it was based on direct experience and the history that they had studied. They had learned that a system had to be constructed that would frustrate as far as possible the diabolical nature of individuals who gather around large treasuries. They believed there were persons of principle and empathy with the general populace who would continue to use the system to oppose the thieves. We need to study now what to do to entice a greater number of the principled and empathetic to get into the races again. While there may be a large number (80%?) of the population who cannot or care not to involve themselves in their political fortune, there has to be representation for them among the 20%, or we will return to government by edict and taxation as it pleases the moneyed interests. Both of these options are abhorrent. That's my take on the situation. Stan from Livonia, MI