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Re: topic alternatives & ELECTABILITY (SP?)

Mike 's Perot, Socks analogy is, of course, a combination of the dread 
alternatives and straw person approach.  But since it seems to be offered 
as a humorous parable or perhaps parody, I shall not comment on the 
obvious fallacy in his argument.  

I just find it strange that a viewpoint that once was a minority is 
trying so hard to squelch other minority viewpoints now that that 
viewpoint seems to have become the majority mindset.  Ironic, isn"t it?



Russ Church

On Fri, 5 Jul 1996, Michael Miroslav Korcok wrote:

> howdy.
> 
> yeah, i suppose the topic committee does like the list.
> 
> by all accounts, the topic committee did what it set out to do.  
> the announced goals at the start of the process were "diversity" and
> "creativity":  the list does both of those things admirably.
> 
> if i might provide an analogy: we have been given a ballot with Clinton,
> Perot, Stalin, Hitler, Hoe, and Socks to choose from.  diverse and
> creative, yesssirrreee.  but the trouble is that mom and pop in Kansas
> will look at the choices, smile briefly, and vote for Clinton without
> much thinking (env reg).  oh sure, our crazy uncle in Florida might vote
> for Perot just to keep his spot as our crazy uncle (clean acts).  but
> the ballot says "landslide" which is "early release".
> 
> so, a suggestion:  an additional standard for topic committee
> deliberations ought to be ELECTABILITY.  will folks vote for it?
> i think that ELECTABILITY was forgotten this time around.
> 
> so, get rid of one or two of the fringe candidates and replace them with
> less diverse and creative but palatable alternatives?
> 
> 10 days to go...
> michael korcok
>
References:
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