First, as a reminder to the list re a personal experience when I posted OT
that didn't agree with some posters.......I found myself (repeatedly)
'un-subscribed' from the list, so "poster emptor".

Second, I'd like to respond to Dave Darnell when he says
...
The average citizen in this country is not equipped educationally or
ethically to exercise a vote responsibly.

What equips you to make such a presumptive statement - you wouldn't be
average, would you?

Al Karman
IT Consultant
US Freightways
[log in to unmask]
773.824.2284


-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Darnell [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 3:57 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OT: Microsoft Windows 2000 Advertising


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dave Darnell
> Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 2:53 PM
> To: 'Nick Demos'; [log in to unmask]
> Subject: RE: OT: Microsoft Windows 2000 Advertising
>
>
While I'm at it, let me say that I've completely lost faith in the principle
that every adult citizen (felonies notwithstanding) ought to have the right
to vote.

The average citizen in this country is not equipped educationally or
ethically to exercise a vote responsibly.

Don't get me started on the criteria unless you want your blood pressure to
go way up!

-dtd



> Nick wrote, in part:
>
>
> > 2.  It is a shame that the one with the largest popular vote
> > does not get
> >      "elected".  Our "wonderful" politicians should have
> > fixed that a long time
> >
> >      ago.
>
> From my point of view, which is both reactionary and that of
> a person who has lived most of his life in the less populated
> states, changing to a purely popular vote would be truly
> going in the wrong direction.
>
> Many of us still take the view, as did many of the Founding
> Fathers, that this "Nation" is as much a federation of states
> as it is a nation (so call me a Federalist.)  The present
> system is a compromise between the extremes of totally
> Federal government and a loose confederation of independent
> states, both of which were common preferences in the late
> 18th century.
>
> I definitely do not want California and the East Coast
> deciding my fate!
>
> Aside:
> Those who read yesterday's Supreme Court opinion would
> realize that the states are not even compelled to hold a
> popular election for US President - the legislature may
> choose the electors if that is how the state wants to set it
> up.  I like that a lot because then those in less populated
> congressional districts get more say per voter (via their
> elected representatives), and again, the city dwellers don't
> have sole determination over the results.
>
> -dtd
>
> -Dave
>