27859: Leiderman: (reply) Unmentional Loopholes?: Leiderman comment re: Craig 27849 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

Stuart Leiderman <leidermn@christa.unh.edu>  "Unmentionable Loopholes?"

dear Readers:

first, a few weeks ago, newsmedia reported Haiti's peacekeeping chief was found 
dead, with a gun, but without any subsequent report that the bullet was 
recovered.  ruled suicide.  by bullet hole or by loophole?

now, NYTimes reports a national election decided by "loopholes in Haitian 
electoral law [that] allow the government to discard an estimated 85,000 blank 
ballots," without giving any clue as to what those "loopholes" [plural] are.

instead, the article switches topic to a whole other group of ballots, 
discovered in a dump, without giving any clue or proof that this group included 
some of the country's blank ballots and, indeed, whether any of the ballots 
were originally counted.  so, were they counted or were they not counted? 
where's the proof?  at minimum, it requires bringing all the remaining ballots 
forward and recounting them.

then the article switches to an "advisor" who confirmed an international 
agreement -- "This is a political solution to a political problem that was 
necessary because of the widespread fraud that threatened to undermine the 
election and the will of the people" -- without the newspaper either stating 
the terms of the agreement nor the nature of the alleged fraud. finding 
discarded ballots that were never counted would be fraud; finding ballots that 
were stolen or were already counted would not be fraud, although stealing them 
before a recount challenge might violate an election procedure.

at minimum,  this is bad and deceptive reporting by NYTimes and insulting to 
its readers.  I think it is also inconsiderate for Corbett readers to forward 
such items without comment or questions.  if I have missed the reporting of any 
facts, I would appreciate readers adding them to the discussion.

overall, I am disgusted by the failure and/or the gullibility of international 
monitors of Haiti's election.  they have treated Haiti as
a disposable country and Haitians as disposable people.  nonetheless, those 
monitors will draw their pay regardless of the outcome.  a political agreement 
is not a successful conclusion to a national election.  no one should be paid 
for this.

my respects to all for another national wound that will never heal. another 
national election with an asterisk [*] in the record books.

Stuart Leiderman

leidermn@christa.unh.edu