Presidential Election of 2000
Presidential Election of 2000On Friday, the U.S. Supreme court met to decide whether or not Florida’s Democratic Supreme Court wrongly rewrote state laws when it extended the hand-counting deadline and required the results to be on the official tally. Many minor questions fit into this one that make up minute details in the appeal; such as an excerpt from the U.S. Constitution that says that state courts may not be involved, nor have the ruling, during the time of an election. The nature of this appeal was asked for by none other than republican presidential candidate, George W. Bush.
The Justices assure that the answer is not self evident, but the Republican lawyers have brought forth heavy proof to establish it, just as the Democratic have brought forth important details to counter them. Bush’s legal team argue that the Florida Supreme court violated federal law by disregarding the state legislature and making up new rules after the election. Gore’s legal team, on the other hand will argue that the Florida Supreme Court was simply trying to clear up conflicts in the state’s election laws, not writing new laws.
This appeal could very possibly be the most historical and impacting court decision ever made by the U.S. Supreme court. The Justices know without a doubt that their ruling can bring an end to the twists and turns that this campaign has been through. Never in history has an election been this close, nor has one ever dragged on this long (as I am sure we are all…well, sick of). The Justices’ ruling will also determine once and for all just where the state Supreme Courts stand in a ruling, especially during an election.