Always impossible! - not

[Mike Ositoff]

Regarding Mike S.'s suggestions for trying to get more honest
utility indications from voters, a poll tax is completely out
of the question. In at least some parts of this country we once
had that, and we fortunately no longer do. A fee charged according
to how many points you vote for or against someone is a poll tax.

The "essay assignment" solution is just another form of poll tax,
that discriminates in favor of those who have the most time.
I doubt that you'd propose either of those poll taxes.

If Mike S. no longer proposes -100 to 100, then I won't use his
name with it, but I still believe that such a proposal might
have a lot of appeal & popularity with voters, while really 
amounting to Approval. In fact, after offering -100 to 100, one
could, when interest & acceptance is expressed, then point out that
the utility-optimal strategy is all-or-nothing, and that therefore,
we could use our existing ballots, and not voting for someone
would be just like giving him -100, and voting for someone would
be just like giving him 100.

Mike Ossipoff