Originally Posted by
missydarlin
FWIW... I think a visible abstain option should be left available for those few instances where the Talkboard member feels strongly that they should not be part of the vote, but doesn't want to hold up the voting or risk being considered a missed vote.
However, I do not believe that someone who abstains should be counted as a defacto "no" vote, and the 2/3 majority should be only counted off of those who vote yes or no.
I think the danger with 'Abstain' is that the TB member then uses it as a "get of jail free card", meaning that they can distance themselves from every decision made by TB during their term in office. It seems to be odd that one would seek elected office and then refuse to make a decision on issues which you were elected to help decide. I've never had a problem making decisions, but perhaps I'm unusual in that.
I'd like to see the 2/3rds majority be abolished. It's frankly setting the bar too high for real change. Complaints that the TB does nothing, so often seen from the community, can in part be accounted for by the paralysis that the super majority creates. We are always acting in the most conservative, no change, way rather than being able to try a bold experiment and unpick it should it not work. It only needs two people to oppose any change for it not to pass, and that pretty much stifles any meaningful enhancements IMHO.