Thanks to RL Clark for bringing this to my attention. I present it without comment:

Some unreported stats about the 2008 election:

Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul, MN, points out some interesting facts concerning the 2008 Presidential election:

- Number of States won by Parties: Democrats - 20; Republicans - 30

- Square miles of land won by Parties: Democrats - 580,000; Republicans 2,427,000

- Population of the counties won by Parties: Democrats - 127 million; Republicans - 143 million

- Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by Parties: Democrats - 13.2; Republicans - 2.1

Professor Olson adds: “In aggregate, the map of the territory Republican won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens. Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in rented or government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare.”

Ralph Roberts - 17 December 2008 12:48 PM

Thanks to RL Clark for bringing this to my attention. I present it without comment:

Some unreported stats about the 2008 election:

Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul, MN, points out some interesting facts concerning the 2008 Presidential election:

- Number of States won by Parties: Democrats - 20; Republicans - 30

- Square miles of land won by Parties: Democrats - 580,000; Republicans 2,427,000

- Population of the counties won by Parties: Democrats - 127 million; Republicans - 143 million

- Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by Parties: Democrats - 13.2; Republicans - 2.1

Professor Olson adds: “In aggregate, the map of the territory Republican won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens. Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in rented or government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare.”

It makes it easy to see why we moved away from the landowners-only system of voting rights. Roughly 8.5 million more people voted for Obama than McCain, and those people represent the lifestyle and needs of the majority of Americans.

Olson’s lumping together of “citizens living in rented or government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare” is misleading. He might just have well have said that Democrat territory also encompassed areas with the greatest technical innovations, where the per-capita wealth was highest, where a greater density of colleges can be found, and in areas of greater ethnic and social diversity.

Turn it around like this: Republicans did well in areas where agricultural welfare (subsidies) are most pronounced and abused, where the per capita involvement in armed religious and racial separatist groups is highest, and where the greatest rates of crystal meth use can be found.

That’s probably true (I can’t be bothered to look it up), but it’s no less misleading.

And yet Obama received 69,460,098 votes, where as mccant received 59,930,180. a margin of 52.9% to 45.7%. But interesting theory. Do you have any numbers that show how many pets voted for either candidate, or how many head of cattle were owned by each voter?

Its a good think that our democracy affords one vote to one man and not one vote to one acre, then , ralph.

I know, I know, your still having trouble accepting the 14th amendment and its ramifications for your worldview. Theres a support group for folks like you.  http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-59948894.html

There are now more World of Warcraft players than there are farmers in the US, and the Democratic party was better this election in getting after new demographics.

You are overlooking the huge upsurge in people maintaining Li’l Green Patches on Facebook.

Ralph is reaching here.

Jason Bugg - 17 December 2008 07:06 PM

Ralph is reaching here.

Reaching around to be specific.

I’m not proposing anything, I just posted some interesting stats.

Interesting as far as what? That people who live in rural areas tend to be a bit more conservative?

OH MY GOD NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DISBAND THE UNION DEPOSE THE BLACK OVERLORD WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE DISBAND THE UNION MONTANA HAS SPOKEN THEY DON’T LIKE OBAMA IN THE MOUNTAINS SAWMILL GRAVY

What really offends you about those statistics, Bugg? You been hitting the ‘shine out there again?

They are what they are.

Ralph Roberts - 17 December 2008 10:42 PM

They are what they are.

Thats true. They are indeed irrelevant and random.

The (PFKaP) - 17 December 2008 10:58 PM

Ralph Roberts - 17 December 2008 10:42 PM

They are what they are.

Thats true. They are indeed irrelevant and random.

not necessarily, they mark the great divide in America that shift left (like now) and back right after people realize who they elected is no better than who they had.

So you’d post similar “statistics” (for lack of a better word) if your boy mccain had won? Or would that vast chasm not exist then? And what exactly is “leftist” about Obama anyway?

The (PFKaP) - 17 December 2008 11:19 PM

... And what exactly is “leftist” about Obama anyway?

not as much as the people who voted for him expected, I’d say.

But since you dont really know a lot of people who voted for Obama, much less have deep, understanding conversations with them about their political ideals, you really wouldnt know much about what Obama voters “expect” would you?

You guys just want Obama to be Clinton/Carter so bad, you dont really notice what regular people think.