, Research Paper
The Election that Turned on the Lightbulb in America
The election process has finally ended, and out from the dust, a new president comes
forward. Like an old Western movie, the battle between two foes has prompted a new method of
handling the town’s affairs. As a result of the election, the country will benefit enormously from
the mistakes it had uncovered over the past month or so. We have found a new faith in our
judicial system. As well as a new found respect for the slogan, “every vote counts.” In addition,
the media has been forced to change their approach on reporting the election. Thus, the country
can only strive from overcoming adversity and gaining new knowledge.
The judicial system emerged to be a fair and powerful force during the final days of the
election fiasco. First, it gave a detailed lesson on the process of judicial review and constitutional
laws, that in effect, gave the American people a sense of fairness and truth. The exchange of court
battles from circuit courts, to appeal courts, to state supreme courts, to US Supreme Court,
seemed to bring no end to the conflict in the state of Florida. Finally, with the constitution on their
side, the Supreme Court of the United States made a decision that gave Americans a sigh of relief.
It gave the right to decide the election in the hand of the people, and more precisely, to the
secretary of state of Florida. The judicial system became the median between political parties that
were at warfare. At times, the decisions made by the courts favored both George Bush and Al
Gore. The election confirmed, our judicial branch was fair and not influenced by political belief.
Consequently, the courts came out of this election as a father figure that is not bias nor weak.
The voting process was affected heavily by the two thousand elections. Countless
problems with ancient voting ballots and machines, resulted in the media craze for the butterfly
ballots, the hanging chad, and the dimples. As a result, a push for a universal and modern
ballot has been expressed by the public. State funds will be invested to update the voting machines
and counters. The narrow presidential race has also proven the slogan, “every vote counts.” The
narrow victory in Florida for George Bush, will undoubtably motivate Americans to vote in the
next election. In fact, Americans will be encouraged to learn the issues and make an informed
vote. The election, which lasted for several weeks, will have a lasting effect on the future of this
country. Specifically, the election gave the country an informed and inspired voter.
The next election should bring a new form of election coverage to the American people.
The election night debacle of the Bush states, Gore states, and too close to call states, made that
night confusing and frustrating. The early predicted win by Al Gore in Florida had an influence on
the voters’ turnout in the west, which could have changed the outcome of this election. For this
reason, the media can make an improvement by holding their predictions until every last vote is
counted. The media also learned that night that being first in not important, but being right is
definitely important. Further media problems were discovered as well. For instance, pre election
polls were proven to be very misleading and inaccurate. George Bush had a 5% lead on Al Gore,
just a few days prior to the election. With Al Gore winning the popular vote of the country, the
polls were shown to be wrong and unnecessary. Therefore, the media has admitted to their
mistakes, and will redeem themselves in 2004.
In conclusion, the first presidential election of the new millennium, has brought a positive
change to America. During the countries time of crises, the judicial system kept itself strong and
assertive. Furthermore, Americans are now motivated to cast their vote in future elections. A
similar change can also be seen in the media. Its citizens will observe a media that is accurate,
patient, and responsible for years to come. The United States has overcome the mistakes left
behind by the election. The valuable lessons we have learned, will brighten the future for many
generations to come.