tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910523163031970481.post2900820196303141398..comments2023-04-05T02:58:06.303-07:00Comments on Macrofluff: Can you diagram this sentence?RhymesWithOrangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286545868199457106noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910523163031970481.post-43766259865264136772009-08-27T10:48:05.972-07:002009-08-27T10:48:05.972-07:00Actually, it's quite difficult to diagram form...Actually, it's quite difficult to diagram formally because of the amount of what is said that is left implicit. I guess the "no" is short for "I demand no" or something similar.<br /><br />It also raises a much sticker problem [for thinking people]: what does it mean for someone to be represented? Consider a winner-takes-all system such as how most representative bodies are elected in the US. Is it fair to say that Republicans in MN are represented by Al Franken? You could fairly say no, but many of them would not have selected Norm Coleman as a first choice either, and if they were being honest and rational [I know, a tall order for Republicans] they would admit that they would rather have Al Franken than Stalin. So, where do you draw the line? It's the nature of representation that it is imperfect -- direct democracy is flawed, too. Some systems have mechanisms called "proportional representation" that go a long way to correct this, but those systems were invented _after_ our constitution was written. So, if you are right winger in MN, you have to EITHER admit that you are fairly represented [by Al Franken, among others] OR admit that you are not a true believer in the US Constitution.RhymesWithOrangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13286545868199457106noreply@blogger.com