Do the Math: Weiner is Polling Well Because His Fans Outnumber His Detractors

[SoDesuKa]

Because American democracy is based on one person-one vote, our elections are never more than poplarity contents determined by a show of hands. Intensity doesn't matter except as it influences efforts to get out the vote.

Accordingly, if people who are tepidly pleased with Anthony Weiner outnumber the voters who detest him, that's all that matters. Even more significantly, the people who don't vote in Weiner's Congressional district have no say whatsoever in whether he stays on in Congress.

European-style weighted voting might equalize the intensity factor between Weiner's supporters and opponents, but it's far too complicated to be practical here. American's like binary choices; they want to vote up or down on a candidate or measure.

It's almost amusing the number of pundits who say with confidence that Weiner can't last. The fact is that people in Weiner's district like him. Other people's opinions simply don't matter.



Pedro for Student Council President

[FBaggins]

1. Sorry. That's wrong.

1) He could be kicked out of the House (but won't be), regardless of how his constituents feel about him.

2) His district could easily be drawn out from under him

Democrats in the state house have to cut a deal with replicans on redistricting and will almost certainly lose one House seat in the process. Can you think of another Democrat that would be as easy to get rid of?