Electoral Reform

Chad is also a country

I got this quote from Wikipedia, which I thought deserved commentary:

In the United States, members of the Green Party of the U.S. have not been elected to the federal level. However, in 2000 the candidacy of Ralph Nader as the Green party candidate is thought to have made enough difference in the Florida election recount to throw the presidential race to George W. Bush, notwithstanding Al Gore's edge in the popular vote total.

1. This is a sad, and, in my view, unfair fact. Shouldn't the electoral system somehow count the opinions of Green party constituents for the Democratic constituency, especially in light of the fact that Democrats have what I assume most Greens would agree is a better environmental record?

2. Also, I hear Florida still hasn't got it's sh-- together, regarding their voting machines. If we are to have a functioning democracy, we have to have a democracy in which every vote counts. People like landslides, but some people also like slim victories, if only for the reason that it empowers the democratic process, telling the electorate that yes, they really can make a difference at the voting booth even on an individual level. People like close basketball games.
a)http://www.baselinemag.com/c/a/Intelligence/How-Floridas-Voting-Machine-Failed-Again/
b)http://techdirt.com/articles/20070802/001816.shtml

3. Also, maybe everybody should have the same, and best, voting machine possible.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_voting_machine

Close elections should be possible, and evenly happily welcomed. This can only happen if we have a thoroughly reliable system. And, I think, common sense should prevail. Then again, maybe the Greens are happier with Bush:
http://www.gp.org/impeachbush/