On 10/17/16, Brian Kelly <
bkell...@gmail.com> wrote:
> This is great news and we should encourage people to get out and vote for
> it!
--It seems likely that, just like in Burlington and other places,
the voters will repeal IRV after they
enact it, leading to a complete waste of time.
> Why slam IRV? It is much better than FPTP and it's
> not like another voting
> system will replace it on the ballot.
--I am not "slamming" IRV. I am slamming lies and untruths.
If the proponents of IRV were actually to employ the truth, then
I think they'd find me on their side. That is, however,
almost vanishingly rare.
In fact, in Maine unlike practically everywhere else in the
USA where IRV referenda held, the referendum
is for IRV vs plain plurality -- unlike practically everyplace
where it was IRV vs two-round plurality + runoff.
That fact makes the IRV choice considerably more appealing
for Maine, that it usually has been.
It is very unfortunate that no "other voting system" is
offerred to Mainers. Here is what happens: IRV proponents,
using lies as their main tool, get IRV vs present system
referendum on a ballot. Sometimes that referendum passes.
Later, after years of disappointing results, a repeal referendum
comes. IRV proponents again make very very very sure
that no third voting system is offered to voters on this
repeal referendum either because it is absolutely essential
to them to never admit than any other voting system
could possibly be better. Then, IRV gets repealed.
Tell me, why is this cycle of events beneficial?
And will IRV get repealed? The answer is yes. In Australia,
the most IRV-using country in world (outweighing
all others combined), 3 independent polls all showed
that even in a forced choice
IRV vs plain plurality to elect their house, Australians
would repeal IRV by large margin. The only reason that has
not happened is no repeal referendum was ever held.
In the UK a couple years
back, in the largest ever referendum on IRV vs plurality
ever held by far (outweighing all others ever, combined)
IRV lost by massive landslide.
In San Francisco, the IRV-using
US city with the most IRV experience,
two polls show their voters in hindsight
regard their "enact IRV" decision as a mistake and
if a referendum were held today, they'd repeal it.
rangevoting.org/WhatVotersWant.html
rangevoting.org/Dean2016Refut.html
--
Warren D. Smith
http://RangeVoting.org <-- add your endorsement (by clicking
"endorse" as 1st step)