Re: [EM] Responses to some of Forest's ideas

[Blake Cretney]

On Wed, 18 Jul 2001 19:21:43 -0700
Richard Moore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> One thing to remember is that no election method can 
> distinguish between the case where A and C are extremists 
> and B is a moderate compromise (the electorate being highly 
> polarized), and the case where A and C are the moderate 
> representatives of opposing viewpoints and B is the village 
> idiot with 8 close friends or relatives.

That is true, as long as either
a)  The two moderate groups prefer the village idiot to the other
side.
b)  They don't prefer the village idiot, but vote as if they do.

If a is true, then maybe he isn't such an idiot.  If b is true, at
least the idiot is representative.

---
Blake Cretney