;; Copyright 2007-2008, Matthew Welland. Kiatoa.com All rights reserved.
;; 
(s:div 'class "node" 
       (s:h1 "Approval voting works")
       "<p>Approval voting is very resistant to strategic voting and it is 
        extremely easy to implement using existing ballot technology.
       <p>Every four years voters must
       make a painful strategic choice, either vote for the candidate
       they <b><i>really</i></b> want and risk getting saddled
       with a candidate they <b><i>don't</b></i> want, OR
       vote for the most palatable frontrunner, and send a false
       message of disinterest in their true choice."
       (s:h1 "Thinking is required for a democracy to work")
       "<p>Consider trying the &quot;fool test&quot; on an unsuspecting friend or aquaintence.
        . Pick a popular smear or other known distortion aimed at a candidate you suspect your
        &quot;person under test&quot;, or PUT,
        doesn't like. Research the item and find out the truth about it as
        best you can. Start with <A target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://factcheck.org\">
        factcheck.org</a> but don't stop there. Use google or other search 
        engines to build up a picture of what is true.

        <p>Once you are armed with information you can apply the test. Ask your
        friend or collegue for the truth behind the smear. Be neutral. Accept
        their answer without judgement if it is incorrect. Say &quot;oh&quot;, or 
        &quot;thanks&quot; and let it be at that. Again, DO NOT CORRECT THEM!

        <p>If your PUT fails the test don't harp on them or correct them. 
        Although everyone is responsible for researching the facts many people will
        lock onto their existing ideas if challenged. Instead say something like,
        &quot;you may want to research that&quot; and accept that you are dealing with
        someone who just might be a fool, unwilling or unable to look at their
        favorite candidate with a critical eye.
        <p>Finally, be prepared to be tested yourself,
        aggressively research the smears your favored candidates put out. If they are true
        be prepared to prove it, if they are false, be prepared to put them in 
        context or simply admit they are false. No candidate will be perfect."
	(s:h1 "A strategy for change")
	"<p>Get a yes/no answer from your favored candidate about approval voting.
         If your candidate refuses to support approval voting first hear them out. If their 
         reasons are good then publish them so we can all learn from it. If their
         reasons are weak then look for an alternative candidate to support.

         <p>Improve your score here on approvalvote.org and then vote again in our front 
         page poll. Your score will adjust the power of your vote such that the poll 
         will reflect the choices of those who are willing to think. 
       
         We will advocate that everyone votes for an approval vote supporting independant 
         candidate if that candidate is at least 10% ahead of the next candidate of 
         the same leaning (i.e. liberal or conservative). Otherwise you should vote 
         for the frontrunner candidate of your choosen leaning due to the dangers of 
         plurality voting.")
