The nation is deadlocked politically.
The Presidential race is too close to call. The new Senate will be divided 50-50.
What’s needed is a compromise that lets the new President take office with broad support and provides the divided leadership the country wants.
Here it is:
Bush and Gore ask Congress not to count the tainted Florida electoral votes. There is no electoral majority. Congress elects the next President and Vice President.
The House of Representatives, voting by state, elects Bush President.
The Senate, voting individually for Vice President, casts 50 votes for Lieberman and 50 votes for Cheney. Vice President Gore breaks the tie and Lieberman is elected, 51-50.
(Bill Hobby, a former Lieutenant Governor of Texas, teaches political science at Rice University.)
