In the News 30 Aug 2004 11:42 pm
Dumb and Dumber: Not Just a Movie Anymore
On the radio this evening, the talk show host was bemoaning the fact that the evening news shows maps of the United States and colors each state blue or red, depending on how that state (as a whole) is projected to vote. His point was that there are many areas in larger states that don’t vote with the “majority”. While I agree with the concept, I think that he really misses the main takeaway points:
- Every state is either a blue or red. There is no in between, nor is there a green for a viable third party candidate. (I think that corporate america and all of their lobbyists like it this way…there are only two sides to be bought instead of three or more.)
- The main stream media does not think that the average american is intelligent enough to comprehend a chart that shows data in something other than black and white, even if the chart ends up having absolutely no meaning. (Imagine a chart in which each state was shaded by a red, green, and blue percentage based on the vote in that state.)
- The main stream media is right. The people just want to know that their guy is ahead.
on 15 Sep 2004 at 9:23 pm 1.Chris said …
I think the second point is moot. Minus Maine, and possibly Colorado soon, all states are an all or nothing thing for the vote for the Presidency. Whether or not a particular candidate is winning one area of the state versus another is pointless if they’re not winning the state overall. If the US President was elected by a popular vote, then this might be a valid complaint. The first point is pretty much pointless as well as the way the system in the US has developed there as almost never been a viable third-party. The only times when one appeared have been when one of the two major parties at the time imploded for some reason. The list of total parties with viable national importance over the history of this country is limited to four (five if you count the Democratic-Republicans and the current Democrats has distinct entities).