Rabbitrunning, I think you need to review the recount requests. The first recount was automatic. Then the Gore camp requested a manual recount that took into acount "Hanging" etc. chads. Then they asked for ANOTHER recount, this time counting dimpled chads.
Had the machines been truly defective, it would seem logical that they would jam up. There is no evidence that any did. Frankly, you can play "what if" all day to try to account for invalidated votes and that seems to be what the Gore team is doing to try to find those last few votes to win Florida for him.
Voting machines are quite expensive and most counties have other things to spend their limited money on, such as re-paving streets, better salaries for police and teachers, etc. Since elections are ocasional ocurrences, they tend to get shoved into the background until something like this comes along.
If you will, please cite the section of Florida law that "enshrines voter intent" as I am not familiar with it.
CarolC, don't say I didn't warn you. God-Emperor indeed! And, I'll have you know, our personalities are NOT deficient: they well developed and fully integrated.
Except for Freddy. He's new.
Ebbie, see what I mean. You have to give him credit. God love him, he tries SO hard.
Skeptic, we are all very proud of you. You are doing a find job for someone with so few social skills and so little aptitude for the work. I would suggest a study of Oscar Wilde. Perhaps someone on the forum knows of a (very) simplified collection of his less taxing works.
You might also try Groucho Marx and Dorothy Parker.

troll