TOPIC: ARGUMENT7 - 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, because the current members are not protecting our environment. For example, during the past year the number of factories in Clearview has doubled, air pollution levels have increased, and the local hospital has treated 25 percent more patients with respiratory illnesses. If we elect Ann Green, the environmental problems in Clearview will certainly be solved."
WORDS: 569 TIME: 01:01:14 DATE: 2010-3-22 16:58:36

In this argument, the author draws a conclusion that in an effort to solve the environmental problems in Clearview, in the next mayoral election, residents of Clearview should vote for Ann Green in stead of Frank Braun. To justify his recommendation, he illustrates that the number of factories in Clearview has doubled, air pollution levels have increased, and the local hospital has treated 25 percent more patients with respiratory illnesses. In addition, he indicates that the current members of the town council have done nothing to protect our environment. Futhermore, he assumes that since Ann Green is a member of the G E C, she will solve all the environmental problems. This argument may seem reasonable on the surface; however, it is logically unconvincing in several aspects. The reasons are stated as follows.

In the first place, the author draws a hasty conclusion that Clearview's environmental situation is getting worse based on several invalid evidences. Firstly, the fact that the number of factories has doubled doesn't necessarily mean there is more pollution. It is likely that the factories belong to pollution-free industries, such as nuclear power plants, or the factories have strictly high standard to deal with the waste. Secondly, it is