JW/Jake I don't which of you two is more exasperating!?

JW- I doubt there is as much vehemance as you imagine. The straw ballot gives you a chance to judge.

A straw ballot costs you nothing, obliges you to nothing but forces the opposing parties to take a stand. In any of our politcal conventions there are multiple ballots before a candidate is selected.

What you are trying to do is establish a platform (pun intended). That would normally be done in committee but can be done just as well here.

You're on the right track, you're almost there. Just push a little harder for a committment.

Jake- everytime you get frustrated you retreat into the world of engineering. This is not an engineering problem, mechanical analogies will not suffice. This is NOT a contraption. It is a socio/political debate. You, hopefully, are trying to move others to your point of view. You need to bring out the salesman in you and send the engineer home for a nap.