4. One or more DEFERs on a document will cause the document
to automatically show up on the next telechat agenda,
unless all DEFERs change to a vote other than DISCUSS
and there are enough votes to approve the document.
I've been arguing for some time that the situation where:
- AD X requests a DEFER *before* the telechat, so that everyone knows it
will be deferred, so no real discussion occurs
- AD Y is "snowed under", and thinks problems are unlikely, so doesn't take
out his own DEFER, but think he'll get back to it next week
- AD X clears her DEFER
- Document passes because of enough votes
- AD Y is surprised
is NOT a good one, and that the system should not make this easy.
It should, of course, be allowed if it really is an "emergency hurry-upper"
- but that's why we decided many moons ago to allow the state to be set by
hand, even when the state jump isn't programmed into the state machine.
If this isn't something we want to do commonly, I think the added
complexity of the "DEFER column" on the ballot is Just Not Right.
The granting of defer power to the Chair can easily be handed by the Chair
(or the secretariat under the Chair's instruction) changing the date of the
telechat on the document. No need for special code, I think.