Vote... even if your state is mostly red or blue

[protossenslaver]

The speaker (Matt) is still forgetting the electoral college's effect on Americans' votes. I.e. their votes are essentially worthless.

e.g. George Bush was chosen by the electoral college of Florida, securing his "win" over Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election; despite the state primarily voting for Gore.

Fuck voting.

[torq21]

Get out there and choose your master! If we're lucky the winner won't steal as much of our freedoms as the last guy. Good luck with that.

[dplind87]

Vote or don't vote, the 'practical reality' of it is that you get basically the same candidate either way; each candidate differs in minor ways, but hold the same broader social agenda.

The joke is on us who do vote - America is a 'democracy', yet we can go to the grocery store and choose from 38 different brands of cereal and we ONLY have 2 presidential candidates? No, we are more like a 'consumer-ocracy', and as long as we have our pointless consumer goods, sadly, most of us could care less.

[chaOsMastaGuru]

Why do Americans do these things by colours? It sounds a bit silly to me. (I'm gonna vote green...wait... or was it purple?)

[chitch1776]

If you vote red or blue, don't. Vote Libertarian or Green or Communist or Constitutionalist or Anarchist or Satanist or whatever. Voting Democrat or Republican is increasingly becoming a sign of idiocy.

[davitodude]

@chitch1776

Read up about the electoral college and it should give you insight on why we use color charts like this.

[ArcaneKarma]

Texas will turn from red to purple sometime within the next 10 years.

[dougmanjones]

Louisiana was redder than Texas...and we have 30% African-Americans. Still too much racism. Obama did win East Baton Rouge Parish though.

[ajuk1]

Kennedy won Texas.

[MrHOTCub08]

I did vote Blue in Texas, and was very surprised at how close the election turned out to be here. Arguably, most of the Blue voters were in relatively urban areas, like Travis County, Harris County, and Dallas County, but to be honest, it's in these primarily urban counties that the increasing majority of voters, nationwide, live, anyway. My point is that every vote counts. Even Omaha, Nebraska, went slightly blue, giving Obama even one more electoral tally.

[BomaBoi]

There is no point in voting.. between a douche and a turd. So don't vote, especially if you know know why u like the turd more then a douche

[RottingintheMidwest]

Vote 3rd party/independent!

[deadlytab]

Texas could go democrat easy...

It has in past elections and it can once again!

Also, Obama had an impressive percentage there (45-55), thats a lot better than New York which is like 63-37 or DC which is 94-5

[AnnCunter]

The demographic trends are on your side.

[meiowalot]

You sneaky guys put the picture of a cute girl on this video so that I watched the entire thing. At any rate, it's still a good video.

[deadlytab]

I C Wat They Did Thar

[Godisahomo]

I love fivethirtyeightdotcom.

[lesscunning]

i voted socialist worker. i live in georgia.

[leslieTS]

This Texan voted Obama, and im damn proud of it. ^_^

[synanthony]

I'm from Texas...I voted for McCain! (Oh, i see the thumbs down coming, lol!)

1. What ya'll haven't recognized is that Obama was spending a lot of money here...I had to sit through his commercials on local tv..not just national...

2. For all of Obama's unprecedented fundraising and registrations...the voter turnout was about the same as 4 years ago.

[lonelygreenteagirlie]

Yeah but the % was much different. The previous two elections were complete slaughters of the Democrats.

[magicalpoop]

The problem with that mentality is - if a large portion TRULY did so and a Florida happened again ...think about it ...

Look at the 1976 Vote. Texas and all the south states were BLUE. CALIFORNIA WAS RED. THINGS CHANGE. YOUR VOTE D O E S COUNT .

[tigeris24]

fuck you obama is presiden elect

[FarSideofTown]

Exactamundo!

[ozweblogs]

Looking at the 2008 figures there has been a 30% swing to blue in this election. that's huge and could make Texas a swinging state next time. That is proof that if you go out and vote your vote can count in the long run.

[captwasabi]

@ozweblogs I totally disagree with you and if anything I'm willing to bet a huge loss in voter turn out, especially for the 2012 race. Obama has backed off so many of the promises that he made in 2008 that there is a lot of resentment and it will be incredibly hard to get that positivity back. Each day that passes has Obama being a one-term president.

[davitodude]

@captwasabi

I disagree. The problem is Obama did exactly what he said he was going to do. For him it's about getting a win for his political party and not so much doing what's best for the country. That seems to sum up the Presidency for the last 30 years.

[captwasabi]

@davitodude Obama is facing some serious backlash from a lot of the groups that mobilized to get him elected. They all feel betrayed because they see him as having moved to the center after taking office. There is hardly any real buzz about his attempt at re- election so far compared to his initial run.

[davitodude]

@captwasabi

I don't disagree, but who else would run in his place? He completely owns the Democratic party. In fact, he owns the entire election. I seriously doubt a Mitt Romney type character who's as fake as plastic could even challenge him.

[captwasabi]

@davitodude I agree with you there. There has only been a few times when a sitting Pres has opted not to seek re-election. What I do find absolutely staggering and terrifying is the fact that there is not single reputable candidate on the other side of the fence to run up against him. How is that possible?

[davitodude]

@captwasabi

Well, there's Ron Paul. You might not like his libertarian views, but he's by far the most honest and selfless candidate on either side.

Also there's Newt Gingrich. I wouldn't put him up against Ron Paul's integrity but he's probably the most intelligent candidate on the right.

Personally I like Ron Paul but the media has a history of censoring him at the debates so he has very little chance winning.

[raby760]

I'm in a "blue state" and I'm for Obama but I didn't vote, because I figured my vote wouldn't count because most of NY is voting for Obama anyway. It's this stupid electoral college that I blame for it. I FUCKING HATE THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE!!!! They should just let all of the votes in the US add up to a huge total, this way every vote would count. But then again we have a lot of uneducated Americans who have the right to vote, so maybe that would be a bad thing.

[Greyghostvol1]

1. What you are describing is considered "popular vote".

2. Doesn't matter, I live in NYC and voted for Obama anyway. It may not have been nearly as big a deal if NY was a swing state, but that was one more vote saying "I support Obama" instead of no vote saying....pretty much nothing.

3. Every vote does cut, just not as directly as in a popular vote like system. And in either system the voice of the idiot has as much weight as the Scholar.

[raby760]

1. Yes, I would love for the popular votes to count, but the electoral college prevents that from happening, and I consider it illogical.

2. If I would have voted, then it still wouldn't have matter in my state, regardless of what you are saying. In reality it didn't matter, because of the electoral college.

3. Every vote does not count because "the national popular vote bears no legal or factual significance on determining the outcome of the election" due to the electoral college.

[Greyghostvol1]

Is it really hard to follow? Even if NY state is still majority blue, your vote would still be a useful tool in saying how you feel about the current political climate. "I support Obama." Not voting, on the other hand, doesn't say ANYTHING. It DOESN'T say "I don't support any of these people" and it DOESN'T say "I'm just too lazy", it says NOTHING.

[Cacovangor]

Not voting says nothing. You are correct. But, imagine a sizable portion of the voting population in a district simply not voting for a presidential candidate.

As I have said, there are far more issues on the ballot than PotUS come every four years, and I guarantee the results of local issues will affect you far more.

[raby760]

I understand what you are saying. I supposed that I meant to say that I was rooting for Obama and that I thought McCain was too unstable and made a bad decision by choosing Sarah Palin, instead of support, even though I always debated as to why choose Obama over McCain. But it's not about laziness. It's about anger and hatred with me, towards the stupid electoral college in a democratic society! I hate the electoral college. My voted wouldn't have mattered in the election,anyway you look at it.

[raby760]

And that's another thing, why should I have voted anyway? Ron Paul was the best candidate in my opinion. I wanted Obama to win over McCain only because I saw him as the lesser of two evils. Similiar to the South Park episode The Douche and the Giant Turd.

[Clausfarre]

DON'T vote! It is not a virtue in itself to vote if you find both candidates detestable. Be true to your opinions, feelings and moral basics and stay home. Don't let anyone pressure you to make a choice if you think both electees are harmful for the country.

[Cacovangor]

Everyone should vote.

Everyone who feels they are some rebellious individual for decrying the two-party system and choosing not to vote, is nothing more than a sheep of another color.

Far more exists on the ballot than PotUS. Strike down a frivolous or bigoted amendment. Get into office a local official who will have a much more direct impact on your life. Ignore that massive section on presidential candidates, I do not care.

But don't be so shortsighted.

[piecharthosen]

I hope the prop 8 and similar propositions in AZ and FL passing are not due to poor voter turnout. It would make me sadface

[Cacovangor]

I believe with Florida this is simply due to the ignorant being galvanized by signs such as those saying "Vote Yes on 2" featuring a blue stick figure and a pink stick figure with a dress.

I would be remiss to say that others, such as the case of CA's reversal, are simply due to the overriding popularization of the presidential elections, and it certainly is not poor voter turnout, but in FL it was definitely poor voter acknowledgment.

[Greyghostvol1]

You COULD vote for a third part, or vote for the lesser offices in your community. It isn't just about the head of state.

[neveruse513]

<3 :)

[BionicDance]

I'm just as glad I live in a rather blue state, myself. :)

[Prytanus]

I have felt this for a long time. It is a relief to hear this from ANYONE else. We must think in the long term, and vote with our consciences.

Thank you for posting.

[azaquihel]

hope that mean .....to hell with the political monopoly of red and blue assholes who expect tv to resume democracy for them,

and support real ideas by taking a good look at the third party candidates ....NEXT time i suppose. ralph Nader anyone ??

[changetomorrowtoday]

"NEXT time i suppose. ralph Nader anyone ??"

If you would have left out this line, I would have had some respect for your comments. But Nader compared to the real ideas of those in the Obama camp... shows Nadar to be bankrupt intellectually. It makes you look like a dogmatist too.

[azaquihel]

i do not get it..i assume that you are saying that obama has real ideas ??and nader was only hor air?

[amsoho75gr]

"Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing...after they have exhausted all other possibilities." -Winston Churchill

[whwsjackfrost]

@amsoho75gr "The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter"- Winston Churchill.

[BadYahweh]

Matt is one smart dude. And Micki is the cutest thing ever.

[humanman65]

Sickening. Penn g. mentioned that a vote was thow-away in a vid where he stood by a pupmkin. You are not voting to GET something you are voting to VOICE something. Just as no one could know what god thinks, also too(Palin speak)you know not the breadth of opinion UNTIL enough have voted. To include you.

A 'CEO capable' muddles his wants by asking employees 'what do you see'. You have acted blindly. It too is a vote but in absentee. Your vote-voice is zero. Indiference lets the base stealer ON.

[changetomorrowtoday]

I saw that video too. And it was in that video that I lost quite a bit of respect for Penn. His thoughts didn't seem at all coherent and seemed to be just stating why it was a throw away vote, as opposed to logically laying down the reasoning.

[changetomorrowtoday]

The gap between red and blue was much smaller this time around in Texas.

[yaerav]

Erm, Piro, off-topic but without meaning to offend... but what's the picture of Micki Krimmel doing in this vid?

[closedmouth]

It's there because she's hot.

[yaerav]

I doubt it not- she does live in a blue state though, and I'd be really be surprised if she voted red. But anyway.

Her YT-channel is called "Mickipedia" by the way- I find it just a little odd how Piro uploaded a couple of her vlogs and uses her picture without -afaik- ever mentioning that channel. But yep, she ís, undeniably, a great viewer-magnet, that's for sure.

[DeepSpaceStoner]

Didn't Obama almost get Texas?

[jbz3]

There were a lot of states that almost turned blue. Texas was only 3-4% away.

[csurrel]

Hmm...

Good point..

I still don't think the Overseers would allow it.

Nope.

[skywolf1969]

dude obama lost utah by 10 votes but he won the election so if you think your votes don't count DUDE that is CLOSE

[BigGreedyBastard]

and wouldn't you feel like shit today if you lived in utah and where going to vote for Obama, but, didn't make it out to vote...

[skywolf1969]

kudos to the guy who came up with early voting and i think it should be a 2 day national holiday and yes the feel would be the consistency of shit

[lonelygreenteagirlie]

Obama's got it!

[Preacher586]

For a perfect example of what you're saying, look at the voting record here in Colorado. I'm 26 and in just the past 8 years there has been incredible change and today, the state will officially turn blue :)

[johnnyk2112]

There is no such thing as "officialy" turning blue. TV made those words up. They don't mean anything. Most states are much closer to 50%....There is no award or plaque for being "red" of "blue".

[Preacher586]

Really? They don't mean anything?  So no one understands what I'm talking about when I say that the state turned blue this election year? hmm, interesting

[ConcernedHuman]

im the only republican athiest i know. though to be honest im not really pleased with the platform of either candidate.

[nbarrett100]

It's over already, Obama has it.

[Heathenfidel]

Green states? Hell yes! Gimme that reefer!

I mean, um, gimme that environmental responsibility, and humanitarian efforts.

[Meowbay]

I'm truly amazed by the stupidity of so many americans. I mean, wtf, Mc Cain actually winning in some states? You want more of the same BS?

[dragoonthief]

I live In Alaska and I voted Barack :)

[0HI0STATE18]

If Palin becomes the first female vice president, women's rights will be pushed back into the 19th century.

[ConcernedHuman]

which would be incredibably ironic.

[ampere11]

A good example of this is Colorado. (I am a Colorado Voter). We have slowly turned from red to purple and may be blue this time. I would say vote even in deep red states b/c of local candidates and issues on the ballot. Colorado voted with Bush in '04 but elected a Democratic state house, senate, and governor.

[UcanbeGOD]

North Carolina seems to always locally vote Democrat and Nationally for Republican. Why? I have no fucking clue! But anyway....Ron Paul.

[ampere11]

Interesting. How long has this been the trend?

[UmbrellaAl]

Is that Matt Dillahunty speaking?

[whenindoubtdo]

Fer sure it iz!

[JonO387]

See what George Carlin has to say about voting, then decide.

[whenindoubtdo]

Is it just me or did Matt sound like Morpheus when he said that it's "a meme that has polluted your mind"? :)

[TaylorX04]

Being an Austinite who hangs out with the ACA almost weekly, it's awesome to see the group and Matt getting so much attention these days. Much as I love Dawkins, Hitchens, and the others, I think Matt would tear O'Reilly, Hannity, and the other idiot interviewers a new one if he were on their show(s).

[whenindoubtdo]

Aren't those anarchist colors? ;)

[sausage4mash]

we have a two party system in the uk , I now spoil voting slips as a protest , NO PR NO VOTE ,spoiled votes need to be pulled so all can see , or last time ,secret ballet please ?

[a68rebel]

I don't have a vote because I live in Mexifornia.

[jbz3]

Actually, after having Nixon resigning, Gerald ford wasn't able to get enough votes from even Texas and they went to the democrat, Jimmy Carter. There's a possibility that people would see just how much McCain isn't much dif than bush.

I just don't know how much of a dif it would make having bush from Texas and then there's all the anti-Obama propaganda...

[Kloxboy]

Excellent point.

[Brettah31]

haha, ive been making that exact point in my electorate for the last 5 or so years.

no-one seems to listen though.

[imabeastnimadawg]

georgia is light red...

[Valkes]

You're assuming they won't just rig the election.. like last time.. I predict missing Obama ballets, machines that count backwards for each obama vote, and awkward/unreadable ballets that would have gone for Obama..

[jvondd]

I live in Kansas--another very red state--but I voted today anyway, even though the presidential candidate I voted for probably won't win Kansas. And I did it for the very reasons Matt was talking about. I just hope that I wasn't the only non-Republican in Kansas who decided to do my part.

[lydiasaintjohn]

I live in KS as well and both I and my husband voted Obama. I think one thing that polls miss are those who do not own land lines, such as myself, and so can not call to take data. You might just be surprised by turnout for the blues. Not to say I don't think KS will be red, but I do think it'll be closer than anyone has thought.

[jvondd]

I hope so. Fortunately for me, I live in Lawrence, so I know that most people in my town won't be voting for John McCain. It's the rest of Kansas that worries me, but if Kansas even comes close to turning anything other than red, my head just might explode from the shock.

[lydiasaintjohn]

God, I miss Lawrence. Hubby got PhD there, but even Topeka has quiet an Obama movement going, and remember we do have a democrat Gov despite being a red state. I know Sabilis is fairly moderate as far as Democrats go, but still it is a hopeful sign.

[CognosSquare]

Freaking love Matt.

[xXAkridXx]

Hey what about us Statist!? NO MORE RIGHT! NO MORE RIGHTS!

[ImaginaryGodBlessYou]

I live in Texas.. Sux o_O

[Brianswers]

My condolences

[rozeboosje]

Exactly.

[bleunt]

very good point.

[driubi]

i have argued this over and over. So many third party candidate supporters want to take the whole trip in one step. I suggest a more gradual shift.

[LeafInTheStream]

Brilliant! Who would have thought someone could come up with some new insight (at least new to me) into the dynamics of voting?

[deepsouthwrx]

no ron paul care

[GBart]

Go green!

[tstockt]

Thank you Matt, for acknowledging the libertarian listeners

[jbz3]

i agree completely! even if the state is definitely going a certain way, vote just to say there are numbers voting that way

[ThisguyQuake]

They said with in the next four years Texas could be toss up. Because of the large Hispanic vote which is going 80% for Obama.

That girl was cute BTW the only reason I click on this. Good marketing.

[Vinifera7]

I agree. What good does NOT voting do? Clearly if people want to make change happen, sitting on their thumbs on election day isn't going to work.

[helgihg]

You hit the nail on the head. Voting for someone who loses anyway, IS NOT, a waste of a vote. Never was, never will be.

[alphacause]

I can empathize with you because I also live Texas. I did find it uplifting that many more Democrats are coming out to the polls - more so than ever before. I think there is a great chance for Texas to turn Blue or Independent in the next two decades. Generally states that are Red have large rural and small town populations. As the population of a particular state shifts more from rural environments to urban environments, the state becomes Blue. This is happening to Texas.

[alphacause]

Good point. Several states that were Red during both the 2000 and 2004 election are now up for grabs. Furthermore, you can elicit great change on the local level, where the popular vote does matter. Once you get more local officials from your political party into office, and they perform well in office, then your state can become more receptive to voting for a President of your political party as well.

[FrogSplatScience]

Texas is bad? Try Utah! Ps, I voted!

[videochick770]

and if everyone went out and voted according to their actual interests and well-being THAT would be interesting. there might be green states then.

[tattypatty]

You guys gotta do a vid on the all the wackos who believe Obama is the Anti-christ.

[Rahab111222]

Is that Mickipedia?

[Neeboopsh]

yeah i think so.

[clicb4]

Yep, and I still have a HUGE crush on her. ;)

[carmie1818]

Good commentary, a very realist attitude. Myself, I vote for 2 reasons.

1) If you don't vote, you can't complain.

2) People died to give me the opportunity to vote.

[crateguy]

Although I don't agree that you can't complain if you don't vote, I agree that it really helps your argument. I'm in Indiana and Indiana hasn't voted Democrat since Johnson in 76. I hear that this year its neck and neck in Indiana, though.

[carmie1818]

If you plan on voting for Obama, get out there and vote. If not, feel free to take in one of the many daytime soap operas that can be offered on your local TV station. LOL.

Cheers, and good luck.

[undefinedego]

Although, if you do vote for a twat that fucks things up you have even less right to complain than the people who were indifferent.

[carmie1818]

Agreed, the problem is those people are too stupid or devoted to their party to admit when things are fucked up.