[EM] Condorcet Letter in Salon.com

[Alex Small]

Salon.com had a bunch of letters recently about whether the Nader voters
are to blame for bad things happening.  There was one letter of interest
to this group:  Somebody pointed out that the real problem is a system
that squeezes out third parties from serious competition, so the only role
they can hope to play is "spoiler."  The letter suggests Condorcet instead
of IRV.

For anybody interested in reading the entire exchange, go to:

http://salon.com/opinion/letters/2003/03/18/nader/index.html

Here's the letter about Condorcet:


Charles Taylor is missing the point. The important point is not that all
those Nader voters really blew it, but rather that it's absurd that our
system punished them -- and all Gore voters -- for voting their
conscience. Unlike countries with more recently formed election systems
than ours, in America voters have to try to guess the outcome of the
election to decide if it's safe to vote for the candidate we really want.
It's madness. It doesn't have to be this way.

There's a system called the Condorcet system, a refinement of the basic
"instant run-off" system, which neatly corrects this problem. A quick
Google search on "Condorcet" will give the interested reader -- which
should be every citizen -- all the details.

I'd hoped that after such a farcical excuse for an election, there would
be a clear outcry for electoral reform. Instead, there was a bit of
grumbling, and then we all went back about our business. Americans seem to
have forgotten that we have the option -- and the obligation -- to reform
our system when we become aware of correctible flaws.

If we don't stop whining about the "unelected president" and focus on the
real issue of needed electoral reform, we'll never give thoughtful people
the option of voting for the candidate they like, instead of against the
candidate they fear. Voting for Nader was an act of misguided hope by many
who are rightfully disillusioned with our suffocating two-party system.
Our system let them down and made them wrong for choosing the candidate
they really wanted. Let's reform the system rather than attack good people
for voting for the candidate who best represents them.

-- Roy Feague