Headlines in such trusted and admired newspapers as The Miami Herald, Washington Post, New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle on Saturday, Jan. 27, stated that the count of votes in Florida shows that Al Gore was definitely the winner.

Al Gore is actually the president, even though he is not the one who took the oath of office.

What should happen?

If this new administration was as full of honesty and integrity as it tells us it is, Dick Cheney would immediately resign.

President Bush would then appoint Al Gore as vice-president in Cheney's place. Once Gore was sworn in, George Dubya would then resign leaving Al Gore to take over the presidency that is rightfully his. That is what the majority voted.

We have known all along that George Dubya's only hope of taking the presidency was to stop the count and go to the legal route up to the Supreme Court where the justices lean to the conservative right.

Judges like Rhenquist, Scalia and Thomas owe loyalty to the Republicans that gave them power.

O'Connor admitted last week that these three pressured her until she gave in and sided with them.

What can outraged Democrats (and hopefully even some disappointed Republicans) do about it?

Keep the pressure on your representatives in Congress and the Senate to stand firm against outrageous appointments and divisive legislation.

Conservative? Yes. Compassionate? No.

Get mad and don't take it anymore.

Janey Callahan-Chin Rio Vista

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