Say what you want about the GOP win depending upon turnout -- but what if the turnout of 2014 becomes typical for the next two big elections?
Why consider something that's close to impossible? This election had low turnout even by midterm standards. A lot people (disproportionately Democratic) think voting only matters when a president is on the ballot.
Which is a huge, huge problem. What are we going to do about it? Furthermore, what if those voters decide it isn't worth showing up if a Democrat other than Obama is on the ballot because "THEY'RE ALL THE SAME!!!111!!". It baffles me that anyone who lived through the Bush years can think this way, but I know some who do.
You've got me on that one. People talk every midterm cycle about how they're going to turn out their base from the presidential, but it never happens. I blame our awful education system, personally. People don't know how the government works, so they think only the president matters. Combine that with the general laziness of Americans, and this is what you get.
It doesn't really have to do with Obama. 2004 had much higher turnout than either 2002 or 2006 (55% vs. 37% for both of the midterms). Contrary to popular belief, Democrats did not win in 2006 because there was no midterm dropoff, they won because even a bunch of conservatives were pissed off at Bush, and voted accordingly (or stayed home).
