I put this in mudpit to avoid the new trolls we have around here.

Ok. We’re almost halfway through October and no "October Surprise" yet.

I for one do not believe that anything will happen while the entire world is watching for this event. Furthermore, Al-Quaeda is on record as wanting Bush to win because they can count on him to continue the war. So no terrorist attack.

What I'm more worried about is the "in between" time. November 2 to the inauguration in January 05.

No matter who wins the election, certain things need to come into play as soon as the elections are over.

The price of gasoline is being kept artificially low with respect to the increases in the price of oil ($53+), after all, the oil companies want their people to stay in the White House. So gasoline prices need to go up and the "jobless recovery" (newspeak if I ever heard any!) will be up in smoke.

Next, military operations in Iraq are on "hold" until after the election. There are plans for offensives in over 30 towns to "control" them for the January Iraqi elections (i.e. before the inauguration I believe) (Who are the candidates again?).

So if Bush wins we will have four more years of the neocon agenda.

If Kerry wins you can bet that this “lame duck” administration will let the whole mess go to hell, with Kerry unable to intervene until January.

I’m more worried about the “in between” time for things to get hairy.

How does the transfer of power work in the US?

Will Bush & Co. have free reign to go all out and leave the biggest mess they can for Kerry? Or are both parties restrained during this time with the situation evolving out of control?

Am I making any sense?


[edit on 10/12/2004 by Gools]

Transfer of power is immediate and absolute when done. At no time is there even a second of no one in command...I too sorta laugh at those that keep saying there will be another 9/11 before the elections, I could be wrong, but I just don't see it happening at all. I too, also see something happening more between the election date and the transfer of power...if there is a transfer...as much as I do not like Bush, I think he will win.

Thanks for the reply Lady V

So if Bush and Cheney lose they still have almost three months to wreck havoc!

So is it just LadyV and I on ATS who are worried about the nature of this transition time considering the bunch of neocons in charge?

After all, a terrorist attack during this time would allow Cheney to sneer, “told you so!” and be a blow to Kerry.

I agree with you. I believe that the time between the election and the inauguration is the time we need to be concerned about. Unlike LadyV I believe Kerry will be elected. I don't believe that Bush will do anything malicious to screw things up for Kerry but I do believe that if we are going to be attacked it would be the ideal time to do it. AQ might realize that Bush might go in and do a retaliatory strike but feel that it would be short lived and temporary because Kerry would not want to feel stretched too thin.

I am concerned about that time frame and I think it will be more dangerous if power is going to be shifted from Bush to Kerry, than if Bush is reelected. It isn't a matter of Kerry being weaker, but more the point that it would be somewhat chaotic while the power is shifted from current President to the newly elected President.

I hope we are worrying for nothing and that the time passes without anything happening.

Jemison

Hmmm...im thinking that if tehre was a terrorist attack in the "In Between Time" that somebody, somewhere, somehow would step in and say "Ya know what? This isnt a great time be switching presidents amistd a Crisis" Then we'd be stuck with him for.....who knows how long.

I don't think either way we go is a good direction. Even if Bush loses and transfers over the best America he can (other wise known as not "lame duck"ing it) then I'm not sure things will really change all that much.

The reasons and speach writers may change, but policy is pretty much going to stay the same (only for the dems it won't seem so bad since it's their guy in the chair this time).

The whole future is honestly my biggest concern. I'm not sure how big we can build this empire before we fall under our own weight.

I feel that the "tween time" has more of an average chance of the USA seeing another strike more because of the major Hoildays that could be used by terrorists as a big demoralizing effect. Ruin the joy of x-mass week or thanksgiving and the mood of the nation would be nice and gloomy.

My other big concern about the "twen time" is that the actual nut and bolt meetings and briefings that one administration would give to an incomming one would be an opportunity for terrorists to cause chaos. One lame side on the way out telling the new players what is really happening and whats going on would be a perfect time to cause friction between an outgoing and incomming administration. I can picture a a major srtike here the first week of Kerry's presidency as a serious test of his administrations prepreadyness and capasity to get right to the job of leadership....or show how much a cluster f can result form a poorly timed transition in governance. This is a major reason im against not re electing Bush.

The time lag and time that new policy will be being worked on and begun to be implemented resulting from an administration change i feel is a tempting time for terrorists to strike in order to maximise any confusions or confound reactions from a new administration in its earliest days.

Wow.

I got pro-Bush and pro-Kerry people to agree on something! ... On ATS! ...
In the mud-pit no less!

Is there a special medal ceremony or will I receive it in the mail?

Seriously though.

Has there ever been any history of a transfer of power not going smoothly between administrations? Or a policy dispute, scandal etc. during this time?

Originally posted by intrepid

The Blue Moon Award.

Thanks intrepid! It's blue-tiful! (where the "corny" emoticon?)

I'd like to thank the Academy, my parents .... hey don't take my mic!....hey!...

Originally posted by dreamlandmafia
Hmmm...im thinking that if tehre was a terrorist attack in the "In Between Time" that somebody, somewhere, somehow would step in and say "Ya know what? This isnt a great time be switching presidents amistd a Crisis" Then we'd be stuck with him for.....who knows how long.

Never gonna happen, so don't worry about it. The U.S. has changed Presidents many times during wars -- most notably World War I, World War II, and Vietnam. If President Bush loses his bid for re-election, he will still give up the office to the winner (most likely Senator Kerry) on January 20, 2005, even if there is a catastrophic terrorist attack in the U.S. between the election and the change in power.

Ok so here we are and Bush has won.

Something else that is worrying me...

If the electronic voting issue picks up steam as it appears to be doing then the "powers that be" will want this off the front page of mainstream media.

What better way to burry a story that have a more important story supplant it.

Am I the only one expecting a terrorist treat level increase or some other "event" to take people's attention away from this issue?

This would also serve to consolidate neocon power and make the populace affraid.

.