We Won!

Finally, the politicking is over. Yes, I know this post is absurdly late, but in a few tight races, they’ve only just recently finished recounts and whatnot, without any surprises.

In my post on the Capillary Man, I echoed the assertion that Obama winning a second term was actually a far more significant measure of the integrity of the country than winning the presidency initially. In terms of the electoral college, his win was solid, but the popular vote was close. Luckily, the numbers showing the large percentage of whites that voted for Romney won’t be as much of an issue in the next election, since the country as a whole is becoming increasing less caucasian. I hope this concept gains some traction in the GOP and forces some major structural changes that allow them to be more inclusive. The constant pandering to the religious right has never actually garnered any significant increase in votes for the Republicans, has it? For whom else would they vote? The Democrat, Progressive or Green? Certainly not. The Libertarian? No way. Who does that leave?

Even if you can argue that the alignment with the religious right has added votes in the past, it’s increasing hard to see the benefit in today’s social climate when they’re such an exclusive group as a whole. That exclusion has at least caused severely diminished returns on voter turnout, when one considers the demographic groups that the GOP could chip away at if they weren’t claiming to fully back folks who believe that lots of members of said other demographics espouse beliefs or behaviors that are inherently evil.

In effect, this trend will only get worse because in the increasing diverse culture, the severe exclusion begins to look more and more like extremism. That can’t be good for your numbers.