What if we had an election...

[watajob]

... and nobody showed up? Seriously. With Obama's poll numbers looking like the low temperature in Atlanta during February and the Gooper's bunch is what can be charitably called weak, at best, I bet 55,000,000 votes gets you elected president in 2012.

[Tiggeroshii]

1. I'm sensing a similar thing based on congress' approval...

I mean, there is no way the Republicans will keep congress if their numbers stay this way. And if people vote against them in congress, would they really vote against Obama. I'm thinking there will be a coattails effect going from the bottom up next year, rather than top down. Meaning people will go hating congress, and just vote Obama along with it...

[XemaSab]

6. Two problems:

Most people think congress overall sucks but their congresscritter is doing a good job.

Also, here in the North State everyone hates our congressman, Wally Herger, but the democrats usually put up losers and the guy running against Wally in the republican primary is a black teabagger. (Yeah, I know.) Wally keeps getting re-elected through inertia.

[Ineeda]

2. well we Dems had better be out there voting or

there will be even more lunatics running the asylum and they'll doom this country forever.

[MFrohike]

3. Wake County, NC

The last school board election had a total of 55k votes out of a total of around 480k registered voters. The majority of the board is now made of up of a bunch of right-wing northeastern transplants who love to mix crazy religion with politics and can't quite understand why re-segregating the schools is a bad idea.

I fear a result is likely with a low turnout.

[TexasProgresive]

4. Then we would be in a world of shit

because only the teabaggers would go to the polls and we would deserve what we get.

Edited to add: It is always the RW strategy to reduce the vote by any means-one of their most effective is to give the impression that it doesn't make any difference so why vote. Of course they will be at the polls to vote and harass any Dem voters who dare to show up.

[LatteLibertine]

5. I sent this to Dylan Ratigan recently

In addition to campaign finance reform and term limits, I'd like to see our ballots altered.

Here's the idea. People would be able to select one of the following along with the candidate of their choice.

1. I'm happy with my available choice, I'm voting Republican.

2. I'm happy with my available choice, I'm voting Democratic.

3. I'm happy with my choice, I'm voting third party.

4. I'm not happy with the candidates and I'm voting Republican anyway.

5. I'm not happy with the candidates and I'm voting Democratic anyway.

6. I'm not voting for any candidate available. This vote is purely a vote of no confidence.

Obviously this idea needs to be tweaked and you may see where I am going with it. I'd love to be able to see public sentiment included with votes for the candidates. I'd like to see the no confidence numbers too.

[CakeGrrl]

7. Bill Clinton got elected with 47+ million votes in 1996.

Perot took 8 million running 3rd party.

If anyone runs 3rd party in 2012, my guess is it'll take more votes from the GOP.

[quakerboy]

8. At the rate things are going

A credible third party might do better than Perot, pulling from both sides. I can see how, for instance, Bachmann would shove a lot of R's and Centrists away to a third party, and the Democratic party seems to be doing a good job of shoving liberals out of the party. A charismatic person with the resources and the right words could come in and make a big dent in both sides.

[harun]

9. I totally agree and am a bit surprised there isn't more chatter about this.

I don't think it would be hard for a 3rd Party to get > 20%.

[quakerboy]

11. Maybe waiting for the R's to get a little more set in their tracks?

If they select Crazy to run for them, and don't even bother to keep a mask over it, I suspect that will bring out a 3rd party.

I think that there is a difference between the Teabaggers and the more moderate R's. The teabaggers can easily be manipulated to vote for a Romney... the ministry of truth will say he is good, and everything else can go down the memory hole.

The slightly less indoctrinated ones are the harder deal. If it's Obama VS, say, Bachmann, the machine will scream socialism and whatnot as long and hard as they can. And they will trot out every racist bit they think they can get away with. And in the end, many of the voters will do what they did when faced with McPalin. Vote for a horrible choice, because the scary black Muslim socialist is a step too far.

But that's where a 3rd party candidate could come in with a hope of success. Somewhere in the back of the brain, the more sane fringe of the R's knows that a Bachmann is batshit. Personally, I think the right candidate could pull 15 % of the total electorate right there.
Then make them charismatic, telegenic, credible, with a few populist themes, and they could pull another 10% out of the so called Independant camp.
And if that candidate were to balance things well and throw Liberals a bone or two (say a promise to Veto any reductions/changes to SS, and a solid pledge to end free trade agreements), I think that they could pull at least 5% off in the form of the disaffected liberal.

I dunno. The way the economy is going, I honestly think that the right 3rd party candidate could take the presidential election. The economy sucks, and people know that Republicans made it that way. And Democrats are getting blamed for it too.

[scheming daemons]

12. I'm betting Ron Paul ends up running as third party once he loses the GOP nomination

...and that would help Obama tremendously.

[great white snark]

10. Do something about it.

Whatever it takes: a gentle reminder or a kick in the ass. Inaction will have dire consequences.

[robcon]

13. If Democrats didn't show up, Repuglicans are motivated, IMO, and will win easily if we don't vote

n/t

[boxman15]

14. I think in the end, it'll be Obama vs. Parry vs. Paul

I for some reason think Ron Paul will run on a third party ticket, try to win over some disillusioned liberals with his anti-war talk and Tea Partiers with his hands-off approach to government, but we'll see what happens. Just a feeling.

In that scenario, Paul takes away enough votes from Parry to get Obama reelected.