Electoral Reality. By The Numbers
Here is something that I bet you have never heard from anyone else, even though it takes no more than fourth grade math and a few minutes with Google to figure one thing out: that Republicans' claim of a mandate from last week's election is nonsense.
In 2014, only 36.3% of eligible voters actually voted. Of that 36.3%, Republicans got 52%; that is to say, they actually got 18.9% of eligible voters to vote for them.
In 2012, 57.5% of eligible voters actually voted. Obama got 51.1% of those who voted, or 29.3% of eligible voters.
In fact, Romney got 47.2% of actual voters, or 27% of eligible voters.
Thus, even with the absolutely abominable performance of Democratic candidates this year, the percentage of eligible voters that Republicans got decreased by thirty percent.
And let us not forget that this was an almost perfect year for Republicans: their malignant stew of voter suppression, gerrymandering and massive dark money, and the fruits of their six year campaign to vilify the Democrats as their first priority, gave them an advantage that will never again (we hope) be as great; and their base is dying off.
This is the Republicans' massive electoral "mandate." Like everything they say, it is a colossal lie, and any Democrat who falls for their crowing (I'm talking you here, Barack) is a fool and worse than a fool, he is a collaborator with the Republican campaign to destroy American democracy.
In 2014, only 36.3% of eligible voters actually voted. Of that 36.3%, Republicans got 52%; that is to say, they actually got 18.9% of eligible voters to vote for them.
In 2012, 57.5% of eligible voters actually voted. Obama got 51.1% of those who voted, or 29.3% of eligible voters.
In fact, Romney got 47.2% of actual voters, or 27% of eligible voters.
Thus, even with the absolutely abominable performance of Democratic candidates this year, the percentage of eligible voters that Republicans got decreased by thirty percent.
And let us not forget that this was an almost perfect year for Republicans: their malignant stew of voter suppression, gerrymandering and massive dark money, and the fruits of their six year campaign to vilify the Democrats as their first priority, gave them an advantage that will never again (we hope) be as great; and their base is dying off.
This is the Republicans' massive electoral "mandate." Like everything they say, it is a colossal lie, and any Democrat who falls for their crowing (I'm talking you here, Barack) is a fool and worse than a fool, he is a collaborator with the Republican campaign to destroy American democracy.
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