[EM] Kristofer: Yes, maybe Condorcet could overcome its disadvantages.

[robert bristow-johnson]

On 4/28/12 1:13 PM, Kristofer Munsterhjelm wrote:
>
>> But maybe the reason why that wasn't always done to IRV proposals
>> was because the big opponents knew that IRV wasn't going to really
>> improve on Pluralilty anyway, given current electorates.
>
> I doubt it. Of course it could be the case that high-profile people 
> who supported IRV, like Howard Dean, were complicit. But if so, 
> they're doing a *really* good job at faking their enthusiasm.

i supported Howard Dean, both for governor and also for president.  in 
fact, because lacking Single Payer, the State of Vermont has the closest 
thing going compared to any U.S. state (it's called VHAP, Vermont Health 
Access Program) and it was something signed into law by Dean and i was a 
beneficiary of it (it saved me from a heart attack).  in fact, i got to 
tell this story and introduce this presidential candidate to a town hall 
meeting two days after the infamous "Dean scream" and just before the 
New Hampshire primary (where Kerry beat Dean) in Wentworth NH.  got to 
talk with George Stephanopolis.  so i like Howard Dean.

but Howard's endorsement of IRV during our IRV repeal slugfest did 
little good.  *during* his endorsement, with the news cameras rolling, 
he said (sorta asked) that this (2009) was the first time we used it.  
in fact, it was the second time, the first time was in 2006.  but it 
made him look like he was outa touch with the town he lives in (at the 
time he was the Chair of the Democratic National Committee and probably 
spent more time away from home than at home) and outa touch with the 
facts of the debate.

it was sorta embarrassing for those of us against the repeal (and was 
touted big-time by the pro-repeal people).  Bernie also endorsed IRV.  
even Barack Obama had been noted to have endorsed it.  but all of this 
is in the context of FairVote selling IRV and Ranked-Choice Voting as 
one-and-the-same, which of course they are not.  this was why i wrote my 
first paper on the subject (in March 2009 as soon as i found out that 
there was a Condorcet winner and IRV failed to elect him) about how IRV 
*failed* to accomplish the very purposes we had adopted it for.  but i 
was not for the repeal.  i was hoping the repeal effort would lose, just 
barely, and then i wanted to try to get the anti-IRV people to consider 
Condorcet.  but as it happened, the "single mark ballot" people have 
been vindicated for at least a generation.  sad.


-- 

r b-j                  rbj at audioimagination.com

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."