The subject of appointed or elected boards is a lot more complicated than that. In my opinion, if every position were elected, the sheer volume of positions would be overwhelming to people causing confusion and possibly even discouraging people from voting. It isn't exactly anti-democratic to appoint positions, as long as they are appointed by elected officials. I say that because I believe that when people vote for individuals, it's more than just a popularity contest - they are voting for the ideals the candidate espouses. One could infer that folks appointed by elected officials would at least embrace the ideals most likely to further the agenda of the elected official, so I guess what I'm saying is that appointed individuals (if appointed by elected officials or bodies) have the same legitimacy inherent in an elected position or body. Several ultra-conservatives have used the "appointed" argument in an attempt to discredit the legitimacy of the European Parliament, because representatives of each country are appointed rather than elected - those reps are appointed by the governments of each member country, all of which happen to be strong constitutional democracies...
While it's an odd thought to think that someone who lost an election might ultimately be appointed and get the position anyway, but there are other ways to look at this. For one thing, if the person has taken the time and effort to become a candidate, they've demonstrated a level of interest exceeding that of the general public. If the former candidate got more than a few votes, then they are at least popular with a portion of the voters. Further, I think the process cannot exclude anyone for reasons other than gross misconduct without the process itself becoming illegitimate. I didn't vote for the candidate referenced in the original post, and may or may not in the next election depending on circumstances at that time. However, it is her right to pursue an appointment just the way any one of us could have, and apparently about 30 people already have. David Piehl Central __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
