Letter to the editor: Recently, the city council passed an ordinance that prohibits loitering at the local shopping mall  The council' s declared goal was to eliminate overcrowding and alleviate pedestrian congestion, thereby improving the mall' s business and restoring its family-oriented image
But despite these claims, reducing overcrowding and congestion cannot be the actual goals of this measure, because even when fully implemented, the ordinance would not accomplish them
The argument treats a condition that is necessary for achieving an action's stated goals as if this condition were sufficient for achieving these goals.