The Election - Non-Emo Edition

Full Disclosure

I am not a mathematician, statistician, political strategist nor am I affiliated with the Republican National Committee or the Democratic National Committee.  I am however a former Democrat and a former volunteer for the John Kerry campaign as well as Barack Obama.  In 2000 I was a youth volunteer for Al Gore.

My observations are not based on any science other than my own observations and experience.  I have voted Democrat in every single mid-term and presidential election.  My party affiliation has been Democrat since March of 2011 when I switched from “Democrat” to “Republican”.  I have never voted for a Republican candidate until November 6th 2012 when I cast a ballot for Mitt Romney & Paul Ryan.

My observations are not scientific but they are based on experience dealing with Democrat voting strategies, Obama for America and it’s “Get Out The Vote” campaign circa-2007-2008.  My estimations of Obama are based on my disappointment with his message and ideology which at the time, I believed was ardently anti-Socialism, anti-Communism, anti-Terrorist.

Without further adieu here are my thoughts on the election from the perspective of someone who knows first-hand how Obama campaigns.

The maps redder but no where it’s better

Campaigning In Peoria Versus Campaigning In Chicago

n order for a candidate to win in a state such as say: Pennsylvania one would have to win in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia where the most people live.  Then why on Earth do you suppose Mitt Romney campaigned in backwoods areas with turkey farmers and mountain people whose districts total only a few thousand votes rather than a few million?

You see, you CAN win the entirety of a state but if all you win is the 50,000 individuals who live in the state versus the one population center of the state where 9,000,000 live then you’ve failed.  Epically Epically failed.

This trend is expressed best in Oregon, Washington State and Pennsylvania.  Romney won virtually the entirety of those states.  Except he missed the crucial population centers in them and thus lost because carrying a state is awesome but winning the populated areas so it counts is important.

Voter Relations aka How To Drag Them Out Of Their Houses

Democrats know something that you don’t know and despite this probably being common sense it doesn’t appear to have happened.  Examining voter activity you can tell that people who vote every four and six years don’t need coaxing.  They’re what the Kerry/Obama campaign call “in the cart voters”.  Meaning, these people are going to vote and they’ll vote Democrat no matter what.

Democrats know what voters don’t vote often or early.  They target these people actively.  If you don’t vote often and are a Democrat you know how many hounding calls they make on election day until you vote or tell them you did.  In some cases, Obama For America dispatches shuttle vans to pick people up from their lunch breaks and homes to take them to polls.

I saw a lot of derisive comments from Republicans about this practice on election day especially from Ohioans on Twitter.  Guess what assholes?  Three million Republicans didn’t vote in Ohio alone.  Seems like Obama’s idea of shuttling people to the polls isn’t such a silly one after all huh?

The Legendary Map Room

Obama when I volunteered for him had a campaign office “map room” where they mapped out trouble districts where voter turn-out for Democrats was low.  Trouble areas circled in red.  Moderate areas in yellow and large pockets of unregistered voters circled in orange.

Again, Obama knows where you live, who you vote for and he doesn’t just want you to vote, he wants you to help embarrass his opponent.  You see, Obama targets people even in areas where he has lots of votes.  He wants to beat you and rub your face into the dirt.

Is Conservatism dead?

No, it’s no more dead than Liberalism was in 2004 or again in 2008 when Peter Jennings with a tear in his eye declared it was and would never come back.  Disappointment is normal in life.  Mid-term elections are two years away.  Be upset, be depressed but use it.  Use it to motivate yourself.  Fight harder.