The White House brushed off questions today about whether President Obama would be able to “adjust” Election Day if Hurricane Sandy leaves significant, long-standing power outages.
Some utilities have warned that tonight’s punishing storm could leave areas in the dark for 10 days, which would eclipse Nov. 6.
“I think that is not something I’m able to address. The fact is the storm is just taking effect now and having an impact now and making landfall I believe tonight,” press secretary Jay Carney said when asked about “any contingency planning to alter the Election Day schedule.”
“We have to focus on not the campaign and not the election, but on making sure that all federal resources are both prepositioned and in place to help states and localities respond to the storm, to help Americans who are affected by the storm. That’s our focus right now,” Carney continued.
“Would the president have the power to adjust Election Day?” a reporter asked.
“I don’t know the answer to that question. I think you’re getting way ahead of yourself here,” Carney said.
Gosh, if only there was a document that told who could do these things…something easy to read…small, compact, and portable…something even a journalist could read and understand, could pull out in press conferences. Sadly, though….
“…even a journalist could read and understand?”
Which one?
Grading on a curve….
Don’t know.
Haven’t seen a real one in decades!
‘power to adjust election day?”
these idiots really believe he makes the sun come up. the only power he has is to look stupid, say asinine things like ‘i’m offended’ when people question his stupidity, and spend other peple’s money like there was on tomorrow.
president’s adjustment as he addresses the nation: due to the storm obviously not allowing many millions of people to vote for me, i have decided to declare the election results null and void. mr. romney will i’m sure understand that this is in the nation’s best interests… wait, what is this? get your hands off me. get those handcuffs off me. don’t you know who i am?
want a war? try it. our forefathers didn’t fight and die so some halfwit could live his commie fantasies.
I’m surprized King Canute, Barfbag, Heuzzy O’Bummer has not offered his services to turn back Sandy’s high tides and save New York City.
Hey, lay off Canute — it is well known that his “order” to the tides was given sarcastically, as proof to the nobles who asked him to do something impossible that even the king’s power has limits.
But I must sat that Obama’s belief that upon his election “the oceans began to recede” would make Canute seem positively modest and unassumaing, even if he meant it seriously.
Exactly right about Canute, who was a modest and much-beloved monarch. But didn’t he have a successor Knut, who was a bit “tetched,” and who actually tried to sweep back the tide with a broom? If so, I can see how the two could be confused.
They could deem it done and pass a continuing resolution through 2016.
It’s set in law:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/3/1
3 US Code s1
“The electors of President and Vice President shall be appointed, in each State, on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, in every fourth year succeeding every election of a President and Vice President. ”
A president would have to have extreme hubris to think he could alter statutes on a whim. Oh, wait. . .
Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution states that presidential elections shall be held on the same day throughout the country. That meant the Electoral College should all vote on the same day. Congress passed law in 1845 that stated federal elections shall take place the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November. They are empowered to do so by Article I of the Constitution. So I do not believe Obama has the power to change election dates. There is no provision in the law allowing the President to do so. The Constitution leaves that strictly in the hands of Congress and Congress set the date in 1845.
Your problem is that you are reading the law, which presupposes that we are still a nation of laws. If the One issues an Executive Order (Presidential Decree) that the election is to be redone in early December, the redo would be over before courts could rule. If the results were different, we would have an interesting situation on our hands.
Or maybe because of the storm, He would conclude we are in a national emergency justifying putting the election off until 2013. And in 2013, of course, we would not have fully recovered (especially given his economic policies), so . . . who knows? The Left would defend it. We might still be close to a 50/50 country.
I too believe that the Obama administration is filled with people venal enough to effectively attempt a coup with respect to the election if they thought they’d get away with it, but I don’t think they’re dumb enough to try. They don’t have all the ingredients they’d need for it to work. First of all a coup needs the support of the military, which Obama certainly does not have. I’ve read that 70%+ are voting against him (those that his campaign can’t figure out a way to disenfranchise) So if he tried to ignore the constitution and hatch some sort of scheme to stay in power, the military would hopefully arrest him and oversee the lawful transfer of power. If they didn’t it would trigger a civil war.
Look at it this way, if Obama loses and plays by the rules he can live like royalty for the rest of his life in his mansion in Hawaii. If he makes a play for power after losing he’ll probably wind up like one of the many dictators we’ve seen deposed and dragged through the streets in the last few years. He knows this and I’m guessing won’t take such a stupid and suicidal risk.
What’s the penalty for treason?
Thing is, though, there’s no Federal law that says we have to have popular elections for the Presidency at all. Therefore, nothing can prevent the States from ignoring the order to have a revote (by either not having it or having it and ignoring the outcome, choosing to accept the results of the original vote).
There were no transgendered lesbian biracial single mothers needing birth control represented at the signing of the Constitution, therefore in the interests of Social Justice it must be rendered moot.
Quite right. Carney obviously left his copy of the Constitution in the bathroom after he was done with it. Congress is reserved the power to set and/or reset the date. And that means the Senate and the House. And Providence has ensured that Senate democrats will not agree with House republicans. We vote on the 6th.
On a plain note–we got ballots, on time, to the troops on the front lines during the Civil War. If Barack Obama’s idea of government means anything, is to have any validity, then the various state governments can find a way to make the election happen on time. If they cannot, then yet another reason not to put any more faith in government than you would in a moderately-well ran business.
Yabbut they had plenty of time to work on it; there were no surprises.
A natural disaster of this magnitude coinciding with a national election is without precedent.
I heartily dislike the idea of changing Election Day – but if close to a quarter of the country is in disaster condition, there may not be a choice.
Sandy is a goddam monster – the Weather Service issued a “Lakeshore flood warning” here in Chicago.
In 1942 the USS Yorktown was severely damaged at the Battle of the Coral Sea and was desperately needed for the upcoming Battle of Midway. She needed three months in drydock to repair. Nimitz gave the yardworkers three days.
She was ready.
I have no doubts the military could make this election happen in a week. We’ll see how the civilian side fares. My guess is poorly, because of who they are. Average peope who don’t sharpen themselves.
The law is the law. The election goes forward.
I mean, come on. All you need is a space near the original polling location (if the interior had been flooded), a portable genset, and transportation.
ALL of these can be arranged if someone wanted to. The Corps of Engineers and SeaBees could, though they would be swamped by the scale. I bet Mitt Romney could make it happen in any state he was in, if he had the resources (since it is an organizational issue, primarily). The power companies could, though they will be busy–they are used to reacting under duress.
We will see if coastal elite-land government types can. I’m not holding my breath.
Basically, we are going to see with this disaster what kind of government we can expect in a larger one. One that makes things happen, or one that goes by the same old standard routine.
And what kind of nation we are. One where the locals take charge and make things happen, or one where Daddy Obama does it all for us.
These are things useful to know. Pop quiz.
For example, with NYC, I expect to see the same kind of American “can-do” attitude that got the World Trade Center sight rebuilt after only a few years.
Anonymous
I mean, come on. All you need is a space near the original polling location (if the interior had been flooded),
And pieces of paper with names on them and boxes next to the names, and pens to make checkmarks in the boxes. And a lockbox to put them in.
No genset needed. Elections were held this way long before electricity was tamed.
The states are in charge of elections and voting as long as their rules are consistent with the Constitution. In 2000, the US Supreme Court rejected attempts by the Florida Supreme Court to retroactively change the law after the election. The election will have to play out based on the laws on the books.
Each state will get the same number of electoral votes regardless of the number of people who vote.
Something that worries me is that if this election goes to the supreme court like it did in 2000, Roberts may again side with the liberals and let O back into office. Regardless of the merits of the case, I think we can safely assume the 4 liberals to side with Obama. That leaves Roberts. If he upheld Obamacare to give the appearance of impartiality and to appease liberals after Bush v Gore, he will be under even more pressure to do so this time. If he voted for Obamacare because Obama found some way to get to him (blackmail, threats on his family, threats to create a constitutional crisis, etc) then Obama can pull those same strings this time. After the Obamacare decision I’ve lost all faith in this supreme court.
The longer he delays, the more horrors in Benghazi will come out, the more light will leak thru the MSM black out.
Leading headlines up now on PJM based on topic.
Benghazi
Benghazi
Sandy
Benghazi
Benghazi
You guys are in California or something?
Hurricanes happen every few years; US ambassadors are left to be slaughtered about once every century or so.
I have little doubt that Obama will do whatever he thinks he can get away with to remain in power after the elections, assuming he permits any to be held…
I’m pretty sure they’d need a court order from the SC-Obama couldnt do it on his own; not that he wouldn’t try.
With all due respect to the Court, they simply have no role to play, despite whatever huffing and puffing they may care to do. They have nothing to base action on, nor does the President. For the Supreme Court to act on this issue via some machination of clause, amendment, or law would be their final step towards rule by fiat.
Unless an escape clause has been built into the enabling law(s), only the Congress can act. As it should be.
I would also say we see some of the weaknesses of Congress stepping in and telling the states what to do, vis a vis place and manner of elections. If no flexibility has been built into the law, that is the fault of the original drafting Congress and the succeeding ones, showing no greater wisdom resides at the Federal level than state. For the record, states used to hold elections at widely varying times. Not saying I favor this, just that we see the perils of overly rigid centralization by Congress if no escape clause has been made.
We also start to see the perils of not having Voter ID laws. We might still have people displaced on Election Day–come next week or next month. I would have no issues of mobile precincts going out to refugee concentration areas, since we could combine voter rolls fairly easily.
Except, of course, we would have no way of knowing who anybody actually was–bussed-in ringer, or actual voter.
For the record, states used to hold elections at widely varying times. Not saying I favor this, just that we see the perils of overly rigid centralization by Congress if no escape clause has been made.
I’m trying to imagine how the results of THIS election might turn out if the states still had elections at different times. Hmm. Let’s say the states that were solidly blue in the polls three months ago had already voted in mid-August and the states that were solidly red only voted on Nov 6. Well, in that case, unless all the polls were wildly inaccurate (which is certainly possible), Obama would certainly be sworn in for a second term since the shift from blue to red in some swing states seemed to have been triggered by the debates and the tragedy in Benghazi, in other words AFTER the blue states had voted.
Early voting has the same problem to a degree. After all, how many early voters who voted for Obama are wishing that they could have a do-over now that they’ve seen all of the debates and heard more about Obama’s disgraceful inaction in Benghazi. I suspect a fair number of them would vote Republican now if they could do it over again….
We also start to see the perils of not having Voter ID laws. We might still have people displaced on Election Day–come next week or next month. I would have no issues of mobile precincts going out to refugee concentration areas, since we could combine voter rolls fairly easily.
I don’t see this as easy at all. Given the way many congressional districts have been gerrymandered to death, even next-door neighbors can wind up voting in different districts when voting in their normal polling places. Imagine having emergency polling places having to deal with dislocated people from many miles away and not necessarily even knowing what congressional district they lived in. I can imagine lots of votes getting cast in the wrong districts. An unscrupulous person (or party, especially one starting with ‘D’) could “accidentally on-purpose” misinstruct its supporters to claim to be voters in districts that are in danger of electing Republicans. Poll officials could have significant difficulty in disproving that a given voter is voting in the right district. Naturally, this doesn’t effect the Presidential race since the President represents the whole country but it could certainly be an issue in House races.
Except, of course, we would have no way of knowing who anybody actually was–bussed-in ringer, or actual voter.
Exactly.
i thought this site left the looney tune conspiracy theories for democraticunderground?
clearly obama has altered the HAARP weather machine to coincide with the electoral season
That’s the problem with fancy, electronic machines. As little as 8 years ago, most elections were still via punch card or punch machine which required no electricity. Just a punch and a candle or flashlight if it was dark. The ballots were taken to the board of elections by one member of each major party, where a generator could be used to power the counting machine that counted them quickly; or, they could sit until the power came back on, safely under lock and key. No virus infecting the machine, no vagaries of electronics.
We have access to all of the same technology here in Canada as you do in the US but we still use paper ballots, marked with a pencil. We’d have no problem accepting votes and counting them even if there were a prolonged power outage.
Mind you, I’m not sure how the individual polling stations would report results back to Ottawa if communications were out. Naturally, we take advantage of current technology to report results via phone, fax or email today. If we had to have someone drive the results of all the individual polling stations to Ottawa, we would be several days getting all the results reported….
I am worried that they will use this as a pretext to avoid the election or postpone it. I do not trust the Democrats. Their allegiance is to their power, not this nation. I half expect to hear Obama announce that the crisis is so bad we don’t need the divisiveness of an election right now, so the newly named Election Czarina is cancelling it until conditions improve.
The good news about the storm is, it mostly affects states run by Democrat machines that will deliver the vote for Obama whether the proles vote or not. He may not care if swing states are not affected.
Firstly, only Congress can decide. POTUS has no Constitutional role in this matter.
Secondly, FDR won his fourth election in the middle of the greatest war the world has yet seen. Americans were dying by the hundreds every day in Europe and in the Pacific.
Post-tropical storm Sandy is petering out. Rumors that the Stock Exchange and the Metro have been flooded have proved unfounded. Barring New York and New Jersey, the other coastal states have dodged the bullet.
The most that Obama can do is to postpone the jobs report this Friday. But I don’t think he’ll dare risk that.
Y’all might want to notice that a lot of Republicans may be impacted. Staten Island, all of the South Shore of Long Island, Fairfield County, CT.
Houses on Breezy Point are burning down because first responders can’t get there. Breezy Point is where Bob Turner lives.
For once, The New Republic has a new post that actually explores the legal issues surrounding the unprecedented situation that Sandy has wrought.
Except, even tnr is jumping the gun. Wait and see if power is restored, tunnels pumped out, etc so people can get home in the mandatory evacuation areas.
I heard the MTA spokesman reluctantly admit that the subways downtown were flooded, and all the tunnels under the East River are flooded.
Obviously, the answer is, Congress has to change the date and Congress can. People have asserted the Pres. is exerting leadership by returning to Washington instead of campaigning. The REAL test of leadership here is to see if Mr. Obama can persuade Congress in the next 5 days, to amend the 1845 law to postpone the election for just this year for say 2 weeks.
What ? After the Benghazigate these political criminals need more time to build a November surprise ?