What does yesterday's vote tell us.

Discussion in 'Campaign & Political Reform' started by Molly David, Nov 5, 2014.

  1. Molly David

    Molly David New Member

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    With a total turnout of less than 40%. This means that over 60% of people didn't vote.

    If we convert this %age by Senate seats won as a %age of Senate seats total. Then it means that only .54x.40 (%) = 21.6% of the population voted for Republcan and 18.4% Democrat. This is hardly democratic for either party. I.e 100% of the people are being governed by a vote of less than 25% of the people.

    Worse still, my conspiracy thought tells me that the Republicans are driven by a very small number of people with a lot of money. Lets be generous and say 1/2 the Republican voters, which I perceive would be very generous. If this latter assumption was even remotely true then we would find our country governed by the power of maybe 10.8% of the people. Probably though more like 5.4% or less.

    Hardly democratic power.

    WE NEED A THIRD REPRESNTATIVE PARTY.
     
  2. Molly David

    Molly David New Member

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    I
    And I might add, I don't think the GOP strategists would want a big turnout, because then they might lose. Then the power behind their throne might have to act more according to the will of their supporters rather than the way they want to behave. My cynicism and conspiratorial self is very much alive, just now. Lets just see what they do now.
     
  3. Kranes56

    Kranes56 Banned

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    Of course we need the third parties to have a say in government. They're being excluded is one of the reasons why stuff isn't getting done. I wouldn't say that it's going to solve all of our problems, but it will help.
     
  4. Molly David

    Molly David New Member

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    I agree it won't solve all the problems but nothing will ever solve all the problems. To my mind it is why minorities get preference over the majority. The majority is being ignored, IMO, and whilst minority issues are important, we, the real middle ground Americans, are being forgotten, while the money men get there way. We have become overwhelmed by gay rights, female, blacks and the real issues about life in this country are pushed to one side.
     
  5. Molly David

    Molly David New Member

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    The fact that over 60% of people didn't vote could well mean that they don't feel their vote matters because they are not represented by either main party. But then neither party wants a third one that represents us all fairly because the small number of people that control the Repubs would have no power and the Dems would probably not get into power either.

    Someting needs to change or things will only get worse. People will eventually decide that what is happening is not right. I will be too old by then, I think.
     
  6. Mr_Truth

    Mr_Truth Well-Known Member

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    this is what the vote tells us:



    [​IMG]
     
  7. Smartmouthwoman

    Smartmouthwoman Bless your heart Past Donor

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    Not to worry... Barack claims he can hear what people are saying, even when they don't speak.

    He's a magic man.
     
  8. Molly David

    Molly David New Member

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    Not even he listens to the real majority. He doesn't want to hear them anyway.
     
  9. Kranes56

    Kranes56 Banned

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    Having third parties involved in elections will actually make it so the majority are hard, oddly enough. Since either the Democrats or the Republicans will win, anyone with any political aspirations, regardless of ideology will join one of the two parties. This in turn leads to the extremists forming a major part of any party. Having third parties would mean that those extremists could join an extreme party, thus letting the moderates, a majority have the say in government.
     
  10. flounder

    flounder In Memoriam Past Donor

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    I think most people are just not interested, the average person knows nothing about politics, and certainly not enough to make an educated vote.
    It would seem the only way people would take interest is if there were some major disaster. Lets face it, to most people politics is boring. Heck Big foot sitings get more attention,,,LOL
     
  11. Molly David

    Molly David New Member

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    That depends on how big a third party brcomes. Your theory seems to me to be dependant on third party not creating enough momentum. At 60% of voters its is potentially big enough to out vote both other parties together.
     
  12. Molly David

    Molly David New Member

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    I think this is why, in USA, it should be compulsory to vote with a fine if you don't. I think they do this in Australia, rated one of the best countires in the world to live ahead of USA. Not for me though. But I like the idea of compulsory voting.
     
  13. flounder

    flounder In Memoriam Past Donor

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    I hear you, but this is still not going to get you an educated vote. I really step back from people voting that have no idea what they are voting for, and that's exactly what you would get.
    I can not answer for Australia, I'm sure many things are involved. I'm not crazy about mandatory anything myself [with a few exceptions].
     
  14. Molly David

    Molly David New Member

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    It is my perception, rightly or wrongly, that the people who don't vote are actually the people who ought to be voting to balance those excessive minorities that somehow know they can and do wield power under the existing system. I don't like compulsory anything either, but somehow we have to get out of the current mess. I also agree it might not produce the educated vote you aspire too, but it would be more relevant than what we have now, IMO.

    How would you make it better?
     
  15. flounder

    flounder In Memoriam Past Donor

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    Tough one, and you may not like the answer. As I mentioned before sometimes it just takes a disaster to get people motivated but motivated they do get. Or perhaps not a disaster but a perceived or real threat to their Liberty, remember how the tea party stepped up,,[right or wrong], they saw [or perceived] a threat, they responded, we have seen this through American history.

    I believe this spirit is still alive [and has always been] in Americans and all just people. When the time and circumstances are right people will step up. Call me naive but I truly believe this about our country, our basic system works.

    I told you, you would not like the answer...LOL
     
  16. Molly David

    Molly David New Member

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    Thing is I do like your answer. Your not the first to suggest this. Someone has even put a timeline of 2015/2016 to it.

    Thing is though I think it will be preceded by another financial disaster. I just don't believe all the rhetoric and excuses that are given for blips in the official figures. We have to remember we have just had an election and I hope a little reality will begin to pervade the 'so called' pundits or political clones and political *livkers that seem to pervade Washington and the media these days.
     
  17. Mr_Truth

    Mr_Truth Well-Known Member

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    Howard Dean Rips Democrats: ‘You Cannot Win if You Are Afraid’



    Former DNC chair Howard Dean criticized the Democrats (including but not limited to the DNC) on Meet the Press Sunday morning for not staying on message, or even crafting a message, in the run-up to last week’s severe midterm loss.

    “The biggest problem was message,” Dean said. “Sure it was an off-year and we can make all these excuses. But even through the days of the fifty-state strategy and taking over the House, the Senate, and the White House in four years, I could never get the Washington Democrats to stay on message.”

    “The Republican message was ‘We’re not Obama,’ no substance whatsoever,” he continued. “What was the Democrats’ message? ‘Oh, we’re not either.’ You cannot win if you are afraid! Where was the Democratic party? You gotta stand for something if you’re gonna win!”

    http://www.mediaite.com/tv/howard-dean-rips-democrats-you-cannot-win-if-you-are-afraid/




    Democrats who won did so by running on their record.

    Those who lost did so by running away from their record.

    This proves that victory in politics is a matter of choice.
     
  18. flounder

    flounder In Memoriam Past Donor

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    You very well could be right, my son is in the market and he says this thing is BS,,,it's built on ziiiiiiiiip. He buying Gold now,,so yes we could be in for it again.
     
  19. Micketto

    Micketto New Member Past Donor

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    Didn't he say they were all his supporters or something silly like that ?

    If so, that explains why they aren't speaking.
     
  20. flounder

    flounder In Memoriam Past Donor

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    I agree, now I cant say they would have done much better, but running like that was just stupid in my opinion. They should have concentrated on what good they could find and embraced Obama. Heck there are so many people out there that had no idea, but to join with the Repubs and practically trash their leader was suicide,,in my opinion.

    They should have stayed on message and called the rest just adversary rhetoric.....

    Implying, we stink and it's all his fault is no way to win.
     
  21. Molly David

    Molly David New Member

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    Interesting, very interesting. That is the first time I have seen a comment that supports my own feeling. Quite often I think people would rather bury their head in the sand than face reality. I happen to think your son is probably right.
     
  22. Kranes56

    Kranes56 Banned

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    Not really. It more so has to do with the idea of what is and what isn't a moderate. We can have shifts of power, that much is a given. So when a third party gains control, it marks a shift which then in turn effects the other parties to try to adopt their positions accordingly. Even then we can change the style of voting to make it so the extremists aren't as successful. For example, have more then one round of voting, or have a minimuim threshold for parties to cross.
     
  23. Mr_Truth

    Mr_Truth Well-Known Member

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    Very low voter turn out among liberals was also a factor. But perhaps the low lib turn out was because the Dems failed to make that message clear.

    The problem may also be that the DNC needs new leadership. Debbie Schultz just isn't getting the job done unlike Howard Dean and Tim Kaine (her predecessors). Schultz is a Zionist and huge apologist for Israel and is far too preoccupied with defending that country. Instead of spending so much time doing that she should be working on strengthening Democratic party unity and putting together a message that, contrary to Koch brother propaganda, the Obama agenda has actually worked.

    Consider this:




    [​IMG]



    How is it that a Canadian can plainly see what so many Americans (from both parties) failed to see?


    Obviously, Canadians are not influenced so readily by the Fox network - but more importantly, the DNC just isn't getting the message out. Schultz is to blame for that.
     
  24. flounder

    flounder In Memoriam Past Donor

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    To be honest, you blamed everybody but Obama. He does have something to do with it,,matter a fact an awful lot
     
  25. perotista

    perotista Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Here are some interesting facts from ABC exit polls:

    44% of voters view the Democratic Party favorably, 53% unfavorably
    40% of voters view the Republican Party favorably, 55% unfavorably

    So the party which is viewed less favorable by the voter and more unfavorable won the election. There has to be a reason.

    Of those who voted in the mid term election 34% were Republican, 37% Democrat. Yet the Democrats lost, there must be a reason.

    Reason 1 65% of those who voted said the country is on the wrong track
    Reason 2 34% of voters said they were voting against Obama and his politices while 20% said they voted for Obama and his policies
    Reason 3 59% of voters said they were dissatisfied with President Obama to include 23% who said they were angry at the president

    I think you have your reasons.
     

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