Your Brain's Secret Ballot

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/opinion/28wang.html?scp=1&sq=brain's%20secret%20ballot&st=cse

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From: barry levine <levinebar@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Oct 28, 2008 at 9:05 AM
Subject: Your Brain's Secret Ballot
To: letters@nytimes.com


To the Editor:

   Professors Wang and Gold simplify the poll process to make it easier to model, but in doing so they cease to reflect the process. Our choice in the election is not a deck of cards, insensitive to our expression of support. Rather, candidates modify their positions or drop out entirely as the polling evolves. Voters communicate their investment in an issue by flocking to a candidate who features it and communicate their disinterest in a tactic by remaining "undecided".

Barry Levine