systemd and sysvinit, a question

Since this list seems prepared to stick to logic, facts and solutions, rather than heat and emotion, perhaps some kind soul would answer a question for me. I have no opinion on init systems. I accept what I am given and am grateful, but .... If sysvinit is as staggerigly marvellous as it is being painted by some, and if it was such a near thing that it got dropped as the Debian default init system, how come the vote was apparently between Upstart and systemd? And given that it was a vote between Upstart and systemd, why are some people so up in arms and ranting that sysvinit was dropped by a meaningless margin? (The chairman's casting vote.) When and how was the decison to drop sysvinit as the Debian default init system actually taken? Lisi