Re: [Gnu-arch-users] [OT] facism gaining ground in US

[James Blackwell]

>     Tom:
>     >> If a group of individuals each takes such beliefs as axiomatic then 
>     >> individuals within that group can independently reach seemingly 
>     >> absurd conclusions such as:  massive civil unrest in response to 
>                                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>     >> an election whose results are tainted by voting system failures
>        ^^^^^^^^^^^
>     >> is one good reason to suspend the electoral process;  quashing (and
>     >> even preparing to quash) such unrest is more important than, for
>     >> example, fixing the voting systems and ensuring a legitimate election.
>
>
>
>     James:
>     > Surely you jest. You want to hold elections during massive civil
>                                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>     > unrest?         
>       ^^^^^^^
>

Tom:
> Much of your reply is predicated on the highlighted misunderstanding.
>
>
>     > How on earth would you manage to hold trustworthy elections while police
>     > cars lay upside down, bonfires are being lit on the streets, and massive
>     > looting is going on?
>
> The more direct threat, I think, is that you have already held a vote,
> the results are tainted, and then the riots ensue.

Ok. Then I agree with you, for suffiently large values of X. If there
were an election in which 60% of the popular election went to one
candidate, yet the electoral vote went to another candidate, then yeah,
I'll absolutely agree.

For sufficiently small values of X (see Gore vs. Dubya), apathy wins
out.

-- 
James Blackwell          Try something fun: For the next 24 hours, give
Smile more!              each person you meet a compliment!

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