Hilarious bad wording in Voter Information Guide

[Doctor Q]

I got a kick out of seeing a hilariously bad choice of words in the Voter Information Guide for an election in California today. Maybe you'll enjoy it too.

One item on our ballot today was Proposition 99. The Voter Information Guide had arguments both for and against the proposal, submitted by interested parties.

Here is the sentence I spotted in the argument in favor of the proposition:

Unlike other deceptive proposals, Prop. 99 has no hidden agendas.​

Does anybody else recognize what's wrong with it?

 

[SkyBell]

Does anybody else recognize what's wrong with it?

...Sorry, no.

 

[chilipie]

Unlike other deceptive proposals, Prop. 99 has no hidden agendas.

...Sorry, no.

Have another look at it

 

[Hyperfast]

What about prop 98?

 

[SkyBell]

Have another look at it

Isn't that just an advertising technique? Bash the competitor?

 

[Gelfin]

Our deceptive proposal is way better than that other one!

 

[CorvusCamenarum]

I got a kick out of seeing a hilariously bad choice of words in the Voter Information Guide for an election in California today. Maybe you'll enjoy it too.

One item on our ballot today was Proposition 99. The Voter Information Guide had arguments both for and against the proposal, submitted by interested parties.

Here is the sentence I spotted in the argument in favor of the proposition:

Unlike other deceptive proposals, Prop. 99 has no hidden agendas.​

Does anybody else recognize what's wrong with it?

The statement insinuates that Proposition 99 is deceptive? "Deceptive" is modifying "[all] proposals", which includes Prop 99?

 

[EricNau]

Indeed.

Although, at least you got your voter information guide!

 

[IJ Reilly]

I think the argument must be that our deception is completely up-front.

 

[Doctor Q]

Yeah, by saying

Unlike other deceptive proposals, Prop. 99 has no hidden agendas.​

it was saying that it too was deceptive.

If they had inserted punctuation, it might have been OK, e.g.,

Unlike other, deceptive, proposals, Prop. 99 has no hidden agendas.​

But it could have been corrected more clearly as either

Prop. 99 has no hidden agendas, while other proposals are deceptive.​

or

Unlike other proposals, which are deceptive, Prop. 99 has no hidden agendas.​

That's all I wanted to point out. I doubt it mattered.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

Yes on 98

No on 99




Basically, I knew what I was going to vote for, but after seeing the commercial for the "league of women voters", I just voted opposite what they were advocating. Imagine that, fit in with what I was going to vote anyway.

 

[IJ Reilly]

That's all I wanted to point out. I doubt it mattered.

It matters existentially, and how much more important can you get than that?

Really, good catch. That line has such a wonderfully cynical quality when you read it literally -- like a politician who says, "both my opponent and I are corrupt, only he won't admit it."

 

[sushi]

That line has such a wonderfully cynical quality when you read it literally -- like a politician who says, "both my opponent are I are corrupt, only he won't admit it."

I like your explanation.

Oh, and good catch Dr. Q.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I like your explanation. .

What about my dumb typo -- do you like that too?

 

[jb60606]

bad punctuation.

I bet few voters actually noticed though.

Commas are a bitch, aren't they?

 

[Counterfit]

So, uh, just what is prop 99?

 

[Much Ado]

Unlike other cats, mine isn't.

 

[IJ Reilly]

So, uh, just what is prop 99?

Eminent domain limitations. It was competing with Proposition 98, which was much more drastic. Proposition 99 won and Prop 98 was defeated, probably because Prop 99 was the more honestly deceptive proposal.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

Eminent domain limitations. It was competing with Proposition 98, which was much more drastic. Proposition 99 won and Prop 98 was defeated, probably because Prop 99 was the more honestly deceptive proposal.

God dangit. I really wanted 98 to pass. I abhor rent control.

 

[sushi]

What about my dumb typo -- do you like that too?

Care to elaborate?

 

[mithrilfox]

Unlike other deceptive proposals...

That means that this deceptive proposal, unlike the other deceptive ones, doesn't have hidden agendas.

By stating it that way, it is in fact stating that it is a deceptive proposal.

 

[Squid7085]

Wow, what a deceptive statement.

 

[Zwhaler]

Unlike other cheesy Doctor Q posts, this one is actually funny! Just kidding, nice spot

 

[IJ Reilly]

Care to elaborate?

I corrected it in my post but I was too late for your quote-back. It was kind of embarrassing to include a dumb typo in a post about a grammatical error. But thank you for not noticing.

 

[NC MacGuy]

The verbiage was exquisite in the Spanish version. Next time ask for the write ballot.