General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHas the US population declined in the last four years?
It appears that several million people less voted in 2012 than in 2008. We also know there are fewer people actively participating in the labor force--whether through work or seeking employment--than four years ago. I'm wondering if the country hasn't undergone a population decline. Our country depends on immigration for population growth. Net immigration from Mexico is down, and deportations are at record highs.
So I'm wondering if the population could actually be down since 2008. What do you think?
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)more deportations of Mexican nationals for the lower voter turnout this year? SERIOUSLY???
Wow. Get a clue. You've been drinking teabagger Koolaid.
ETA: If fewer people have voted this time it would be BECAUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE WORKED OVERTIME TO DENY AMERICAN CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
BainsBane
(53,035 posts)I'm wondering. Immigration is down. We depend on immigration for population growth. Therefore it is possible that the population has declined.
BainsBane
(53,035 posts)because of the economy. The wild conclusions are your and yours alone. I don't appreciate your being rude.
former9thward
(32,019 posts)Less people on both sides were interested in this election than in 2008.
aaaaaa5a
(4,667 posts)Both sides. And it shocked the world that our side was bigger and had more energy.
Moderates and casual voters stayed away. This led to a lower overall turnout.
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)The Repukes did a worse job of motivating their base than they did four years ago, that more than made up for any feeling of being dispirited that our side had.
LeftinOH
(5,354 posts)economic depression. Never.
cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)The Union population even grew considerably during the Civil War (The Confederacy did not)
I would not be surprised if the US population declined in 1918, since the 1918 influenza pandemic killed 20 million people worldwide, in the middle of World War I, another mass casualty event.
But that's the only year that jumps to mind as a plausible US population-decline.
aaaaaa5a
(4,667 posts)What I find interesting is that the total vote total is down. But the new Democratic base was up. Young voters, Hispanics, single women, African Americans, Asians, etc. increased their voter turnout from 4 years ago.
For instance Hispanics were 8 percent of the National electorate in 2008. Last week they were 10 percent. The black vote in Ohio was 33% larger in 2012 than it was in 2008. Those numbers are not because of a growing population alone, but because of increased enthusiasm.
I guess now that the numbers are in we see who was really enthusiastic and had energy and who did not.
Yet another MSM talking point shot down. In what was suppose to be a GOP year with an angry base, Romney scored more than a million votes less than John McCain. In Ohio he finished behind McCain's total vote count too.
BainsBane
(53,035 posts)could be because of an aging population and more retirements. I believe Krugman wrote about that.
FSogol
(45,488 posts)jeff47
(26,549 posts)While the outstanding vote isn't going to change the result, there's still a lot of provisional ballots and such to be counted.
Also, keep in mind the baby boomers are starting to die off and Gen-X is smaller. So in the next few decades the population will skew younger than it has in the last few decades. Which means fewer voters.