a letter to the editor of the Clearview newspaper

The following appeared in a letter to the editor of the Clearview newspaper.
"In the next mayoral election, residents of Clearview should vote for Ann Green, who is a member of the Good Earth Coalition, rather than for Frank Braun, a member of the Clearview town council(3), because the current members are not protecting our environment. For example, during the past year the number of factories in Clearview has doubled(1), air pollution levels have increased, and the local hospital has treated 25 percent more patients with respiratory illnesses(2). If we elect Ann Green, the environmental problems in Clearview will certainly be solved(4,5)." ★★★148


In the letter to the editor of the Clearview newspaper, the author claims that, in the next mayoral election, residents of Clearview should vote for Ann Green instead of Frank Braun. To bolster the argument, the author points out that to elect Ann Green will certainly lead to the solution of environmental problem in Clearview. However, there are some abvious flaws in the author's argument and reasoning and thus make the conclusion untenable and unjustifiable.

A threshold problem stands about the extent of environmental problem of Clearview city. Although the author cites some facts and evidence, they have very tenuous connection with the enviornmental problem of Clearview. Firstly, that fact that the number of factories in Clearview has doubled during the past year, might have nothing to do with the claim that the current members are not protecting the environment, or even anything about environmental problem. The author failed to point out the type of the factories which opened in Clearview last year, thus it does not make sense since it is entirely possible that the factories have no bearing? with any environmrnt problem. Secondly, the data of 25 percent more patients with respiratory illnesses does not mean anything since the increment of patients might result from other factors, for example, let say some famous respiratory specialist hospital in another city colsed last year and it was ever the first choice of respiratory diease patients in Clearview. So the author failed to point out the increment in the number of respiratory diease patients is exactly due to air pollution, therefore this data might be unwarranted to support the argument.

Another main flaw about the author's reasoning is the gratuitous claim that to elect Ann Green will lead to the solution of environmental problems. This claim seems too assertive because the author fail to provide ample facts or evidence to support this causal relationship. The only fact seems germane to the causal relationship is that Ann Green is a member of the Good Earth Coalition, which the author metion at the beginning of the excerpt of the letter. But there is no further explanation about what the Good Earth Coalition is, what kind of role Ann Green is playing in this institution, and it even raises another question - why not vote to other member of the Good Earth Coalition.

Furthermore, let assume Ann Green is definitely capable to solve the enviromental problem of Clearview, there is still somthing not clear for the author's preference of Ann Green to Frank Braun. It is wholly possible that, if Frank Braun is elected as the mayor, he can slove the environmental problems as well. The town council's current members are not protecting the environment, but it is not guarranted that they will not change the current policy in the future. Moreover, the author failed to point out the attitude of Frank Braun himself to the environmental problems because the policy is a collective decision of the whole town concil members and it is possible that Frank Braun himself is the minority who advocate environmental protection.

Last but not the least, what is the yardstick to a would-be mayor in Clearview? It seems the author consider the ability to solve the environmental problems as the only standard of Clearview's new mayor. From commmon sense, to vote for candidate of a mayor is based on comprehensive consideration, just like when people voting to Obamam they do not only think about if he is capable to protect US's natural environment. Other factors like people's well being, safety of communities etc are all very important to consider for electing a mayor. So the author's claim, which to elect someone just because he can protect our environment, seems too naive and biased to persuade the readers.

All in all, the author's claim that residents of Clearview should vote for Ann Green is fraugt with problems. To make it more persuasive, the author must provide firmer eviden of the environmental problems in Clearview and how and to what extent they have affected people's lives. Additionally, the author need to prove the certainty that to elect Ann Green is bound to slove the environmenal problems and Ann Green is definitly a better choice than Frank Braun or other members of the Good Earth Coalition. Last, the author also need provide some background knowledge about protecting environment is the only or most signigicant standard for a would-be mayor in Clearview.