Bush 2004 % = Reagan 1980 %

[A18]

IMHO, the past election most like this one: 1980.

Bush and Reagan both got just under 51% of the vote.

In both elections, the Republicans made sizeable gains in Congress.

Imagine if the Green party had nominated Nader and actually campaigned this election. Let's say he takes 6.61% away from Kerry.

Now what's a map look like? An electoral blowout. So I can't help but get the feeling that this whole thing about us being a more polarized country than ever before is just hype -- we're right back where we were in 1980.

[A18]

You assume that Nader would have taken that much away from Kerry? I highly doubt that. It didn't matter what party he ran under.

No, you misunderstand me. I'm not saying he would. I'm saying IF he did take that much of the leftist vote, it would have been an electoral blowout.

That's what happened in 1980. The left and right were just as polzarized.

[A18]

What "fantasy results?" If you look at the raw data:

Bush got 50.75% in 2004
Reagan got 50.75% in 1980

It's an identical percentage, which is what made me think to post this.

[A18]

A 9.8% margin makes California, Hawaii, etc. close, so I don't see that that matters.

[A18]

This General Secretary Al guy is a snotty asshole. The GOP made sizeable gains in Congress in both elections. Nader took votes from both candidates.

And BRTD, WTF are you talking about?

[A18]

Were you dropped on your head as a child?

It's 6.61% from Kerry in the same way that 6.61% would be from Reagan. It's overwhelmingly from one candidate; I don't care that one or two of them voted for the other guy.

IT'S THE EXACT SAME PERCENTAGE OF THE VOTE. The conservative vote is the same. The liberal vote is the same. So we're not more polarized.

Yeah. I think I'll murder you in your sleep.