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Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2007 20:28:14 -0400 (EDT)
To: Daniel Reeves <dreeves &AElig umich.edu>
cc: improvetheworld &AElig umich.edu
From: James W Mickens <jmickens &AElig eecs.umich.edu>
Subject: Re: candidate calculator

> Who else wants to join?  (You can reply to just me if you want.)
> We really need some socialists (Michelle? Dave? Trixie? James?).

Being concerned about the negative effects of income inequality does not 
make me a socialist. I have no special distrust of capitalism or 
market-based systems. My ideal economy would look more American than 
European, and as I've mentioned before, a certain level of income 
inequality is needed to encourage our most productive citizens. However, I 
recognize that completely unfettered markets optimize wealth-based 
metrics, not welfare-based metrics. Thus, a basic sense of morality 
compels me to support government intervention when markets fail to protect 
the less fortunate. This is not a socialist stance, but a humanistic one.

~j


p.s. I will not join the endorsement pact because there is no guarantee 
that the selected candidate will be the best one from my perspective. I 
see no reason to cede my vote to the will of a collective that may not 
share my key political beliefs. The fate-sharing aspect of the endorsement 
process might encourage me to argue hard for my candidate; however, 
fate-sharing does not ensure the correctness of the group's decision from 
my perspective, and it is precisely my perspective which determines 
how I cast my vote on election day.