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frazzled

(18,402 posts)
12. The something more is ...
Tue Nov 22, 2016, 04:10 PM
Nov 2016

It would be fairly unprecedented, historically, for another Democrat to be elected after two terms of a Democratic president, much less even after one term.* The public likes to sway:



The last Democrat elected to succeed a Democratic president was James Buchanan, the 15th president and the only one ever to come from Pennsylvania. Buchanan succeeded President Franklin Pierce.

You'd have to go back even further in history to find the most recent instance of a Democrat being elected to succeed a two-term president from the same party. The last time that happened was in 1836, when voters elected Martin Van Buren to follow Andrew Jackson.

http://uspolitics.about.com/od/presidenc1/fl/The-Last-Time-Voters-Elected-Two-Consecutive-Democratic-Presidents.htm


We thought it could be different this time, because of the obvious idiocy and vulgarity of the Republican candidate. But, alas, a goodly number of Americans seem to like, or overlook, those kinds of things. Crudeness and hate are the new black.

Other things that contributed have been discussed endlessly here: people who didn't vote, people who voted for third parties, media equivalence, voter suppression, and on and on.

But face it: we were bucking history in the first place. History also tells us that the Democrats should do well in midterm elections during a Republican presidency. But then, there won't be as many seats open in the Senate, and that pesky gerrymandering in the House just might blow that chestnut apart, too.


*ON EDIT: We might like to say that Harry Truman is also an exception, coming after Roosevelt (who had four terms before term limits were enforced). But Truman ascended to the presidency when Roosevelt died shortly into his fourth term. He was, however, elected on his own in 1948.
Michigan doesn't have a voter ID requirement. geek tragedy Nov 2016 #1
I remember being shot down when I showed concern about Minnesota on DU exboyfil Nov 2016 #10
Anyone that showed concerned SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2016 #11
Yup, not a discouraging word was to be heard even Raine Nov 2016 #26
to be blunt, I think the middle part of the country had major Clinton fatigue. geek tragedy Nov 2016 #13
but that was the same state that elected a pro wrestler governor and sent a SNL alum to the senate pstokely Nov 2016 #23
my bad, thanks Fast Walker 52 Nov 2016 #15
Pennsylvania has black box voting systems meow2u3 Nov 2016 #17
Yes we do! We in Michigan have been required to show ID Pathwalker Nov 2016 #22
Doesn't PA have a Democratic Gov.? The Wielding Truth Nov 2016 #2
Doesn't PA have a Democratic Gov.? LenaBaby61 Nov 2016 #6
True. The article said that the PA gov. was GOP. I thought it wasn't. That's all. The Wielding Truth Nov 2016 #7
True. The article said that the PA gov. was GOP. I thought it wasn't. That's all. LenaBaby61 Nov 2016 #9
Interestingly, news prior to the election... Blanks Nov 2016 #3
If you're going to use a news story SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2016 #8
I suppose if I was making a serious case... Blanks Nov 2016 #20
Gonna be ... LenaBaby61 Nov 2016 #4
How about the fact that Fl Governor Scott had a Super Pac for Trump?? RockaFowler Nov 2016 #5
The something more is ... frazzled Nov 2016 #12
the parallels between Gore 2000 and Clinton 2016 are pretty remarkable nt geek tragedy Nov 2016 #14
yes, that was a huge factor, no doubt! Fast Walker 52 Nov 2016 #16
Appreciate the information in your OP, but if we're not going to do anything about it NOW, politicaljunkie41910 Nov 2016 #18
What evidence do we have SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2016 #19
there's no direct evidence of course--- but we know Fast Walker 52 Nov 2016 #25
I agree so much about the Dem party-- they never fight like they should. It's damned annoying. Fast Walker 52 Nov 2016 #24
I think we will be re-adopting the "fifty state strategy" once more NWCorona Nov 2016 #21
Ugh Lotusflower70 Nov 2016 #27
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