http://www.virushead.net/vhrandom/2007/03/28/half-full-or-half-empty Contagious Thoughts, Mutating as Needed Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:43:00 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.virushead.net/vhrandom/2007/03/28/half-full-or-half-empty/comment-page-1#comment-60114 Vance Harwood Thu, 29 Mar 2007 06:29:32 +0000 http://www.virushead.net/vhrandom/2007/03/28/half-full-or-half-empty/#comment-60114 Heidi -- Thanks for your thoughts on slippery slopes and the link to Eugene Volokh's article. It seems that whenever there are multiple groups with diverse motivations and priorities there is the real possibility of one small step significantly disturbing a previously balanced situation. A political example comes to mind. The people that voted for Nader in 2000 were making a statement--probably something like a pox on both your houses. The likely net effect of the Nader vote was the Bush presidency--which I doubt was the 2nd choice of the Nader supporters. Perhaps the shrewdest thing some Democratic benefactor could do to tip the next presidential election would be to fund a fringe Republican candidate (Tancredo comes to mind) that might wage an independent campaign. This would draw off a small percentage of the Republican vote that is very unlikely to vote Democratic. The next Presidential election probably won't be close, but this would be an insurance policy. A few millions spent this way would be a heck of a lot more effective than buying more repetitions of TV attack ads. Heidi — Thanks for your thoughts on slippery slopes and the link to Eugene Volokh’s article. It seems that whenever there are multiple groups with diverse motivations and priorities there is the real possibility of one small step significantly disturbing a previously balanced situation. A political example comes to mind. The people that voted for Nader in 2000 were making a statement–probably something like a pox on both your houses. The likely net effect of the Nader vote was the Bush presidency–which I doubt was the 2nd choice of the Nader supporters. Perhaps the shrewdest thing some Democratic benefactor could do to tip the next presidential election would be to fund a fringe Republican candidate (Tancredo comes to mind) that might wage an independent campaign. This would draw off a small percentage of the Republican vote that is very unlikely to vote Democratic. The next Presidential election probably won’t be close, but this would be an insurance policy. A few millions spent this way would be a heck of a lot more effective than buying more repetitions of TV attack ads.

]]> http://www.virushead.net/vhrandom/2007/03/28/half-full-or-half-empty/comment-page-1#comment-59905 JollyRoger Wed, 28 Mar 2007 14:24:57 +0000 http://www.virushead.net/vhrandom/2007/03/28/half-full-or-half-empty/#comment-59905 Well that surely settles that one. Well that surely settles that one.

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