The Economist, an influential British news magazine, had a very interesting analysis in its issue of November 1 2014, just before the 2014 midterms:
"A survey by the Pew Research Centre finds that 73% of 'consistently conservative' Americans are likely to cast a ballot on November 4th, along with 58% of consistent liberals. Among those with 'mixed' views, however, only 25% are likely to bother. That, in a nutshell, is why both parties are pandering to the extremes. Their strategy relies less on wooing swing voters than on firing up their own side to get out and vote. Often, this involves telling them scare stories about the other lot. The same Pew poll finds that dislike of the other party is one of the strongest incentives to vote. Republicans with a 'very unfavourable' view of Democrats are far more likely to turn out, as are Democrats who loathe Republicans. With Barack Obama in the White House Republicans are angrier than Democrats, and that is one reason why they are expected to win."
If we could only raise the percentage of liberals voting to the same level as conservatives, we would have an overwhelming victory….
NOTE: This is a correction to a comment I made on Dartagnan’s October 8 diary, A New Study Shows TV Ads, Door-To-Door Outreach, Direct Mail, Are Useless At Persuading Voters.“
