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In a short Newsweek brief, in Monday's (July 19) edition, by the infamous Michael Isikoff, it is revealed that Tommy Ridge is exploring what would be needed to be done to postpone the fall presidential election, if there were to be a terrorist attack:


American counter-terrorism officials, citing what they call "alarming" intelligence about a possible Qaeda strike inside the United States this fall, are reviewing a proposal that could allow for the postponement of the November presidential election in the event of such an attack, NEWSWEEK has learned....

As a result, sources tell NEWSWEEK, Ridge's department last week asked the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel to analyze what legal steps would be needed to permit the postponement of the election were an attack to take place. Justice was specifically asked to review a recent letter to Ridge from DeForest B. Soaries Jr., chairman of the newly created U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Soaries noted that, while a primary election in New York on September 11, 2001, was quickly suspended by that state's Board of Elections after the attacks that morning, "the federal government has no agency that has the statutory authority to cancel and reschedule a federal election." Soaries, a Bush appointee who two years ago was an unsuccessful GOP candidate for Congress, wants Ridge to seek emergency legislation from Congress empowering his agency to make such a call. Homeland officials say that as drastic as such proposals sound, they are taking them seriously—along with other possible contingency plans in the event of an election-eve or Election Day attack. "We are reviewing the issue to determine what steps need to be taken to secure the election," says Brian Roehrkasse, a Homeland spokesman.

[LINK TO NEWSWEEK STORY]

So, this is real folks. A Bush lackey role model, Tom Ridge, may be empowered to cancel the fall elections.

Maybe that's why Jeb officially has given up on the "theft of the election" 2000 felon's purge list (although we doubt that he really has). When you can just cancel the election, you don't need to steal it by preventing legal voters from casting their ballots, do you? The Bush Cartel has always escalated its boldness when faced with election losses. Now they just won't prevent a few thousand people from voting in Florida; they may prevent the entire country from voting!

So, it's got all the Rove fingerprints on it. A relatively unknown Republican Rev. from New Jersey is appointed to head an obscure new commission. Then he writes a letter demanding that plans be made to cancel -- or "postpone" -- the election if necessary. Then Tommy Thompson carries the water, as trial balloons are floated to the favored GOP lapdog leak recipient at Newsweek, Michael Isikoff, he of the Linda Tripp "story" fame.

This is beyond frightening. It is the end of democracy in America, if Tom Ridge is granted these powers. And you know, a move will be afoot in Congress to do so.

Lord save us, if the Democrats collapse on this one and let Ridge or anyone in the Bush administration have such powers.

What terrorist attack could prevent a national election from being held?

You see, the Bush Cartel could claim that they have solid information of an imminent attack and postpone the election because they don't want the terrorists to influence the outcome, because, they would argue, that would give a victory to the terrorists.

Which is all another way of saying, the Republicans don't plan on yielding power under any circumstances, the will of the people be damned.

Chilling beyond belief.