Wednesday, November 29, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 7
Nation/World
For comments, contact Lori O'Toole at 864-4810 or e-mail editor@kansan.com
Gore wants speedy recount
The Associated Press
Al Gore sought a speedy hand recount of Florida's contested ballots yesterday to ensure "no question, no cloud" hangs over the nation's 43rd president. After a judge rejected his timetable, Democratic lawyers vowed to appeal and Republicans demanded. "It's time to wrap this up."
As the campaign played out in five separate courtrooms, the vice president sought to accelerate the proceedings to avoid further testing of the public's patience three weeks after Election Day.
"Seven days, starting tomorrow, for a full and accurate count of all the votes," the vice president said shortly after his lawyers asked Circuit Judge N. Sanders Sauls to order the recount of 13,000 questionable ballots in two Democratic counties
The judge instead scheduled a
"What is wrong with counting the votes?"
Al Gore
Democratic presidential candidate
Saturday hearing and ordered the ballots — along with one or two voting machines — sent to Tallahassee in case he agrees that a recount is needed. Bush's lawyers objected to Gore's timetable, saying they needed time to prepare their case against him.
Gore's advisers were disappointed by the ruling, believing Gore needs good news from the courts in the next two or three days to keep public opinion from turning heavily against him.
Sauls is working against a Tuesday, Dec. 12 deadline for states to assign presidential electors.
"We could count until everybody
is slap-happy, but if no one is on the same page, I don't know what's being accomplished," Sauls said, explaining why he wanted one broad-ranging hearing before considering Gore's recount request.
The political morass stretched to the U.S. Supreme Court, with Bush's lawyers asking the nine justices to bring legal finality to the election by overturning Florida's top court and ending any further recounts. The case has the "potential to change the outcome of the presidential election in Florida, and thus the nation." Bush lawyers said in legal papers.
Gore's legal team argued in its high court brief that the issue "does not belong in federal court." They want the justices to back the Florida Supreme Court, a Democratic-leaning body that extended the deadline for recounts. U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments are set for Friday.
Dutch vote to legalize euthanasia
The Associated Press
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Dutch parliament approved a bill legalizing euthanasia yesterday, making the Netherlands the first nation to let doctors openly help suffering patients end their lives.
Advocates of patients' right to die praised the vote, but many Christian groups and others condemned it. The Vatican said the law violated human dignity.
Fending off concerns that the Netherlands could become a haven for patients from abroad seeking to end their lives. Dutch officials stressed that foreigners would be unable to meet strict standards under the law for allowing euthanasia.
"There is no possibility for foreigners to come here for euthanasia," said Wijnand
Stevens of the Justice Ministry.
"The criteria call for a long-term doctor-patient relationship.
They are just too strict for that."
All 100 seats in parliament's public gallery were full for yesterday's vote, during which legislators announced their votes aloud as a Christian party opposed to the bill requested.
After the 104-40 vote in Parliament's lower house, the bill was expected to win approval in the upper house early next year and become law.
With the law, the Netherlands formalized the tolerance it has had for euthanasia — thousands of cases are reported every year here and many more go unreported. In 1993, legislators passed a set of guidelines that doctors could follow to carry out euthanasia and go unprosecuted. Still euthanasia was a crime.
Still, euthanasia was a crime
punishable by up to 12 years in prison. The new legislation largely adopts the informal guidelines, which say the patient must be constantly suffering and know all the medical options.
"Doctors should not be treated as criminals. This will create security for doctors and patients alike," said Health Minister Els Borst, who drafted the bill.
"Something as serious as ending one's life deserves openness," she said after the vote.
Switzerland, Colombia and Belgium tolerate euthanasia. Australia's Northern Territory approved the practice in 1996, but the federal Parliament revoked the law in 1997.
In Oregon, voters approved doctor-assisted suicide for the terminally ill in 1994. Since 1997, 43 people have died there in assisted suicides.
holiday shopping - holiday shopping - holiday sh
Dec 6,7 and 8-9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Kansas Union Lobby.
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New this Fall Brown Bag Classics
The KU. School of Fine Arts and Kansas Union present
Make your lunch a classic. Join the Music & Dance Department for free noon-time performances.Just bring your lunch because drinks are on the Kansas Union.
Time Location
12:30 pm to 1 pm Alderson Auditorium fourth floor, Kansas Union
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