[EM] Hitler-Stalin-Middle Example Again

DEMOREP1 at aol.com DEMOREP1 at aol.com
Thu Feb 29 23:53:34 PST 1996


Condorcet fans seem unable to comprehend that with 2 of 3 candidates being
"extremists" on a ballot that each "middle" voter will be in a tough
situation about what to do about their second choice vote (if any).

A middle voter may hate one extremist by "absolutely" minus 99.9 percent and
hate the other extremist by minus 100 percent- a "relative" differance of 0.1
percent. 

If the middle voter votes for either extremist as a second choice, then such
extremist may get elected with a majority and claim he/she has a "mandate"
(to go politically crazy).

If the middle voter does not vote for either, then one of the extremists may
get elected with a plurality.

Since all middle voters will probably not be alike, then each of them may
strategically ask what are the other middle voters doing ?

Should I vote for an extremist or not ?

An example again (50 votes for majority)--

Hitler         Stalin            Middle
  42              41                  16    First Choice votes

Does any voter dare vote for a second choice ?

This is the real world. Russian voters in June will very likely nominate 2
extremists for Russia President putting Russian "middle" voters into the
above situation in the runoff election (with potential world problems in view
of the President-is-dictator language in the Russia Constitution).

The approval voting remedy remains to encourage the voters for the extremists
to vote also for a middle candidate who hopefully could get a majority.

Hitler         Stalin            Middle
  45              46                  51    Approval votes

It is directly due to the gerrymander indirect minority rule of legislative
bodies in the U.S. that there is a major degree of power madness surrounding
the various chief executive officer positions in the U.S. - U.S. President,
Governors, Mayors, etc. 

If no reform comes to U.S. legislative bodies, then U.S. Civil War II is
highly likely (as in the last years of the Roman Republic with civil wars
between Sulla and Marius, Pompey and Julius Caesar and finally Antony and
Octavian (later Emperor Augustus Caesar)).

Witness the "personal" mudslinging among the Republican party candidates for
U.S. President- Can violence be coming between Republican candidates ?
Between Republican and Democrat presidential candidates ?



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