The Martians were gray in color, with large heads and large dark almond-shaped eyes. What surprised me most was the fact that while some Martians seemed adequately fed; but many of them looked as though they were starving. They were surprisingly friendly particularly since it was obvious that I was from another planet. One of them; named Marvin; offered to take me to his farm for a meal and told me that he was willing to discuss their way of life.
When we reached the farm, I noticed a field that had just been harvested. In the field were a dozen pairs of grain piles.
“What’s with the piles of grain?” I asked.
“We’d divided the grain,” said Marvin, “between eleven workers and myself.”
“Why are there two piles, per person?” I asked.
“I have to deduct the taxes to the government,” replied Marvin, “before we can take our share.”
“The tax piles are nearly as high as, that of you and your workers,” I said.
“That’s what the Great One and his court jesters have decided they need to take from us to eat,” responded Marvin.
“But what about the starving people?” I asked.
“Pity, but there’s a famine, replied Marvin, “So there’s not enough grain for them to harvest.”
“I’ve noticed your field is surrounded by unused ground,” I said, “so why don’t you just expand the field to have a large enough crop to employ the starving?”
“If, I did the government would just take more of my grain,” said Marvin, “besides they have forbidden us from making our fields larger to protect the desert.”
“So let me get this straight,” I asked, “they limit how much grain you can grow and then take a large portion of that despite the fact that people are starving. Can’t you do anything about it?”
“Actually, we elect the Great One and his court jesters,” replied Marvin.
“So why don’t you elect people who won't do this to you so,” I asked.
“Well,” replied Marvin, “Every election the winner is a member of one of two families, the Tweetaldees and the Tweetaldumbs.”
“Doesn’t anyone else run?” I asked.
“Yes,” replied Marvin, “but they have no chance of winning so no one votes for them. After all the Tweetaldees are not as bad as the Tweetaldumbs and so wasting your vote on the third candidate will only help elect a Tweetaldumb.”
“That makes no sense,” I said, “both families when elected make you miserable, but you won’t vote for a candidate that will relieve the burden they place on you because you are afraid of electing the candidate that will make you the most miserable. If you and enough other people voted for the third candidate he would win and relieve your burden.”
“It won’t happen,” responded Marvin “because they never do well enough in pre-election polls to even get mentioned in the press and my one vote won’t change that.”
“Who does the polling and the reporting?” I asked.
“Members of the Tweetaldees and Tweetaldumbs,” Marvin responded.
“Have, you ever been asked in one of these polls?” I asked.
“No,” replied Marvin.
“Then how do you, know, they are even including the third candidate?” I asked, “After all if the pollsters don’t include the third candidates, then they would never show up.”
“Well, ah…” responded Marvin
“I’ll take you to our capital tomorrow,” said Marvin, “Maybe that will help you understand.”
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