[EM] ?groovy? new introduction for use by absolute beginners to voting methods

[Dr. Ernie Prabhakar]

Hi James,

On Jul 22, 2004, at 1:08 AM, James Green-Armytage wrote:
> For some crazy reason I spent the better part of the last two days
> writing yet another introduction to voting methods. I already had one  
> on
> my web page, but I wasn't satisfied with it in terms of accessibility.  
> So
> I wrote this one.

yeah, I know the feeling.

> 	Now that I've written it, I hope that someone reads it!

that too. :-)

> 	All ye voting methods veterans can scan it and look for errors,  
> offenses,
> missed opportunities. And if you want, you can send the link to your
> friends among the voting-methods-illiterate masses, and they can send  
> it
> to their friends, and lo, they may be enlightened... ?????

Alas, I'm just a marketing guy, so I'll only comment on your first  
paragraph:

http://fc.antioch.edu/~jarmyta@antioch-college.edu/voting_methods/ 
introduction.htm

> Our voting method is known as plurality, which is not the same as  
> majority rule. Plurality means that whoever gets the most votes wins,  
> whether they have a majority or not.

If you're writing for the "voting-methods-illiterate masses", then  I  
think you've missed your audience.  You start with the concept "voting  
method", but most people have no clue about, or interest in, what is.

If you're going to write for the masses, then I think you need an  
introduction that connects the world *they* care about (Nader,  
two-party monopoly, spoilers, corruption, whatever) with the world  
*you* care about (voting systems, plurality, Condorcet, etc.).

Just my $.02.  Didn't want you to think *everyone* was -completely-  
ignoring you. :-)

Best,
Ernie P.




---------------------------------
Ernest N. Prabhakar, Ph.D. <DrErnie at RadicalCentrism.org>
RadicalCentrism.org is an anti-partisan think tank near Sacramento,  
California, dedicated to developing and promoting the ideals of  
Reality, Character, Community and Humility as expressed in our Radical  
Centrist Manifesto: Ground Rules of Civil Society  
<http://RadicalCentrism.org/manifesto.html>