Reply #4: The weakness in the original poll option was the term "final authority"

[JeffR]

which can be construed to mean only that the host's say-so on a question is unimpeachable, or something much broader concerning contest rules. "Final arbiter" might have been better wording, pointing a little more toward the former construct rather than the latter.

I like the idea of hosts throwing a curve into things every now and then, but how far a host can go is a tough one. This confirms to me that more debate is needed before anything gets incorporated into the rules. Obviously there's broad sympathy for hosts being "in charge" but that sentiment might only go so far when it comes to specifics.