Potentially Dangerous Legislation Coming to the US?

The US Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department are examining ways to delay the US elections in the fall should a terrorist attack occur just before or during election day. The following is from Newsweek:

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. (click here for the full article)

While some may think it is prudent to have a new mechanism available to delay US federal elections in the event of a terrorist attack, I think it is the height of stupidity.

If interference in US federal elections were of such concern, why hasn't this issue been addressed earlier with regards to natural disasters. November is hurricane season.

Passing any kind of legislation that puts the decision of when to stop or hold an election into the hands of an appointed governmental body, like the Department of Homeland Security, is exceptionally dangerous.

Given the recent history of the US in the 2000 election: Where thousands of black voters were disenfranchised due to voter list rigging in the state of Florida, whose govenor was Jeb Bush, the President's brother. Where GOP activists prevented a proper Florida vote recount, which on subsequent independent investigation it was found that had the recount taken place Gore would have taken Florida. Where George W. Bush was subsequently appointed to the Presidency by Republican appointed judges on the US Supreme Court. It would seem idiotic to place trust in an unelected institution whose head is appointed by the current US President.

At worst any delay of an election should only be something that can be approved by a super-majority of Congress, the Senate and the Presidency, with a clear date set for reholding the election. Enacting legislation that formalizes a delay process is unnecessary. There are already emergency procedures should the US government need to declare a national emergency.

Taking the example of Spain; they suffered a terrible terrorist attack a few days prior to their federal election, yet they still held their election.

To be honest, this tactic looks like yet another attempt to erode the powers of the US Congress. It is another way of taking rights away from Americans under the guise of security, as the Bush Administration has already been doing with the Patriot Act, and Patriot Act 2.

It is simply a terrible and blatantly undemocratic idea, particularly when placed in context with the difficulties of the last Presidential election.