Angela Allen is perfectly correct when she observed in a reply to my earlier letter that at meetings of fiscal courts (or, for that matter, any democratic body), the chair, believing or hoping that with respect to a relatively routine matter there is a general agreement among the members of the body, may simply say something like, “Without objection, the motion is approved.”

In principle, however, (and this is the essential point) any member of the body may, indeed, object and call for discussion and/or a vote. Such a process is different in principle (not just in fact) from the military.

When a general gives a command to a private (or soldier of lower rank) to drop to the ground and do 50 pushups (to take a trivial example) the private, as a matter of principle, is not permitted to say to the general (or any superior officer), “Wait a minute, let’s discuss the matter and then take a vote on it.”

The two kinds of bodies are different, in principle.

Milton Scarborough

Danville