Obama’s atheist problem

Fresh Gallup data make it clear that President Obama is hemorrhaging support among white atheists. The president’s vote is down 10 points since 2008 among whites who profess no religion—more than among any segment of non-Hispanic white voters, except single white men and non-Christian whites.

One has to wonder who it is that this particular demographic would support. The Republican field doesn’t offer much and third parties are so marginalized that they just don’t make for serious players in the game.

This actually had me going.  “Atheists are a consitituency that needs stroking?  About !@#^ing time!”

Unfortunately it is intended as a ludicrous example of how current election analysis is flawed.

Honestly, who cares?  According to this we aren’t exactly a demographic powerhouse people.

This brings up a very important point that should not be overlooked. People need to stop treating politics like it’s a high school social club. This is not about Obama or Romney or about my personal feelings. It’s about what kind of country we want to live in. What might happen if the GOP gains control of the White House and the Senate—both very real possibilities? I shudder to think about it. That alone is enough to convince me not just to vote for Obama, but to work hard to see him get re-elected along with as many Democratic congresspeople as possible.

I heard a Republican strategist in 2008 predict that if they could get their man in the White House, we would see Roe v. Wade overturned within 8 years. He was dead serious. There are at least 4 S.C. justices who would probably vote that way now. All it would take at this point would be for Romney to get in and appoint one more ultra con. What else might happen in a Romney administration? If he also had the Senate, there is no doubt the Affordable Health Care Act is out the window. I don’t even want to think about the rest of it. Way too depressing.

So.. does Obama have an atheist problem? Or do atheists, freethinkers, Humanists, and progressives of all stripes have a much larger problem? Obama is far from perfect. But we need to decide which of the two candidates best represents our interests and get behind him 100%

In my (not so) humble opinion. 

I don’t know if Obama has an atheist problem.  (I don’t know of any major politicains who reach out to atheists.) But the country will have more problems if the Repubs buy their candidate into the Presidency.  Not the least of the problems is the continued stacking of conservative Justices into the Supreme Court as Free indicated.

This may be the first Presidential race in which the incumbent was outspent.  Romney basically bought the Repub nomination by vastly outspending the other primary candidates.  That is how he could win the Presidency.

OK, the latest polls indicate that 17% are atheists or agnostics.  Say, 8% atheists.  Assume about half are Republican, we’re down to 4%.  If 10% of them won’t vote for Obama that means a 0.4% loss of citizens.  Since about half of the people vote that’s down to 0.2%, and some of them may vote for Romney, but others will grit their teeth and still vote for Obama.  So the change will be miniscule.

In other words, this is just one more example of silly stuff that keeps pollsters and reporters in business.

Occam

Occam. - 10 July 2012 11:19 AM

OK, the latest polls indicate that 17% are atheists or agnostics.  Say, 8% atheists.  Assume about half are Republican, we’re down to 4%.  If 10% of them won’t vote for Obama that means a 0.4% loss of citizens.  Since about half of the people vote that’s down to 0.2%, and some of them may vote for Romney, but others will grit their teeth and still vote for Obama.  So the change will be miniscule.

In other words, this is just one more example of silly stuff that keeps pollsters and reporters in business.

Occam

You also should only consider the percentage of atheist voters in swing states, as that is what the election will come down to.  It is possible that the percentage of atheist voters is lower in swing states.

You also should only consider the percentage of atheist voters in swing states, as that is what the election will come down to.  It is possible that the percentage of atheist voters is lower in swing states.

The swing states are being fought over as we speak. Romney’s pushing hard there and hammering home the economy as the major issue. He’s definitely staying off religion as the dems could hit him hard with his Mormon connections. Notice that everyone has dropped the religious rhetoric as Romney became the front runner. The reps are frightened by the fundie right wing and don’t want to scare them off and Obama is anxious to bury Jeremiah Wright’s diatribe. Fact is, we represent less than 20% of the electorate so the major parties won’t pander to us, but they will watch to see how fast we grow. If atheists appear to represent a sizable number they’ll come a’ knockin’ but until then the POTUS will still bless America by god. I still want to see a statue of Tomas Paine on the Mall. Personally, I think Obama will better represent us given the choice. To vote otherwise, or not to vote would make life worse for freethinkers as Free mentioned earlier.

Cao’t Jack

This brings up a very important point that should not be overlooked. People need to stop treating politics like it’s a high school social club.

Or a High School student council election for that matter, which amounts to little more then a popularity contest. Unfortunately, that’s how real world elections go even though the people voted into public office are in a position to do a lot more damage.