2000 election redux but GOP loses...

[Ombligo]

Back in 2000 the Dems kicked up a storm when they won the national popular vote and lost the election... Nothing came of it because the GOP had control of Congress and the Whitehouse. They went on to rule as if they had an overwhelming mandate of the populace.

Well politics in 2000 was a polite gentleman's game compared to the elections now. The only thing missing today is armed warfare between neighbors (currently they just don't talk to each other).

So let's speculate on what will transpire if Romney wins the popular vote but loses like Gore did in 2000?

I can just imagine the theatrics on Fox or the Tea Party lunacy calling for a change in elections. Then Congress trying to go along with it.

[Acer]

I dunno. Democratic party is still larger, even though not as consistent voters. And the Democrats still tend to appeal more to growing minorities, esp. Latino. If the GOP dumps the electoral college, they'll have to pay attention to the 47%, like it or not, and I'm not sure they want to do that even if it means a loss in the short term.

[Lemon Drop]

That scenario looks increasingly likely, just looking at polls and the possibility that Sandy might depress voter turnout in some big blue states.

We'll hear non-stop for the next 4 years that "Romney won." He can say he won without actually having to serve. Sounds like a dream scenario for a super rich retired tycoon.

But it won't matter, our guy will be in the White House.

[Pam]

I don't think that'll happen. I think Obama will win both by a comfortable margin.

[hal]

Florida was the issue in 2000, not that Gore won the popular vote and Bush the electoral college. No one was saying that Gore was the real winner because he won the popular vote. They were saying that because they thought he won Florida and therefore the electoral college vote as well.

So unless the whole thing comes down to a few hundred votes in Ohio and the whole thing is thrown to the Supremes, I don't think it will be a reasonable comparison to 2000.

[Dennis S]

In 2000, the Democrats would always mention that Gore won the popular vote, meaning that his ideas were valid and that Bush had no mandate to ram his ideas through. But, they would concede that the Electoral College is what matters.

If the reverse happens, all hell is going to break loose from Republicans who think they should be the winners because "Dammit, we got the most votes." They are too ignorant to understand the Electoral College. They will be whining "We got the most votes. We won. This is a Democracy, ain't it?"

[deckeda]

No I don't see that happening at all.

[hal]

Me neither - everyone knows that it takes 270 electoral college votes to win the election...

[Acer]

After the 2008 election, a righty email showed the electoral map, with the northeast and west coast in blue, with huge swaths of red in the middle and south, and a spin that seemed to imply something was wrong with Obama's win. I guess they think we should decide elections by square-footage.`

[Dennis S]

Exactly. What Acer said fits with what I said. "Look at all the red on that map." Also, I bet a very small percentage of all voters know what the number "270" means. Or, rather, if asked how many Electoral College votes it takes, couldn't answer correctly.