"Laumer, Keith - Retief of the COTUC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Laumer Keith)

"Oh?" The Ambassador looked ominous.
"When do you think would be an appropriate
time? After disaster strikes?"

"I'd like to propose a rule limiting the num-
ber of political parties to P minus 1, P being
the number of voters," Magnan said hastily.

22 Keith Laumer

"Otherwise we run the risk that no one gets a
plurality."

"No good, Magnan," the Counselor for PR
Affairs spoke up. "We don't want to risk a
charge of meddling. However," he added
thoughtfully, "we might just up the nomina-
tion fee to a figure sufficiently astronomical
to keep the trash outЧthat is, to discourage
the weakly motivated."

"I don't know, Irving." The Econ Officer
ran his fingers through his thinning hair in a
gesture of frustration. "What we really need
is to prune the ranks of the voters more dras-
tically. Now, far be it from me to propose
strong-arm methodsЧbut what if we tried out
a modified Grandfather Rule?"

"SayЧa touch of the traditional might be in
order at that, Oscar," the Political Officer
agreed tentatively. "Just what did you have
in mind?"

"Actually, I haven't worked out the details;

but how about limiting the franchise to those
who have grandfathers? Or possibly grand-
children? Or even both?"

"Gentlemen!" Ambassador Clawhammer cut
short the debate. "We must open our sights!
The election promises to degenerate into a
debacle of ruinous proportions, career-wise,
unless we break through with a truly fresh
approach!" He paused impressively.

"Fortunately," he continued in the modest
tones of Caesar accepting the crown, "I have