"more than half the voters???"

[Mike Ositoff]

> 
> At 11:26 AM 10/7/98 -0400, you wrote:
> >Dear Mike O,
> >
> >You wrote:
> >"A group consisting of more than half the voters should get their way.
> 
> It is this kind of bumper sticker issue that made me start
> the meta election. If 51% wants to send 49% to the gas ovens
> should they have their way?

I have to admit that it isn't quite clear what a bumper-sticker
issue is. Could you define that term?

Is it about gas ovens? Ok, new proposal: If less than half
the voters disagree with more than half the voters, the less-
than half should get their way. Then if 40% want to send
60% to the gas ovens, then you want them to get their way.

You're asking a bit too much of a voting system. Shall we
define a system in which majority rules unless it wants
to do something bad? Sorry, but democracy doesn't ensure
that the people will do the right thing, or won't do horrible
things. So that means that you'd take away democracy?

Mike




> 
> Removing that objection you still have to fill the office,
> more than half the voters may not be behind anyone. More
> than one candidate may have more than half the voters 
> behind him.
> 
> 
>