it's true that there is an inverse relationship between congressional dysfunction and voter turnout. Check goes to Republicans

On the other hand, what do you think it says about Dem voters who know to show up every 4 years but stay home for midterms? I think we give our team too much credit when we make statements like Bernie's. IMO Dems don't show up during midterms in the same numbers simply out of ignorant. Too many don't understand the limitations of POTUS or the relative strength of Congress. It seems many think the POTUS is a monarch-like: now that we have a Democrat in the WH, he'll turn this country around.

That's just the impression that I get, anyway.

It is way too often about how "horrible" the other side is rather than the kind of uplifting politics of hope and change.

Midterms are ugly and nasty campaigns that attempt to scare people into voting AGAINST the other guy instead of voting for positive candidates/issues.

Demoralized bases stay home instead of taking the time out of their lives to stand in line and vote.

I also don't think most DEMs realize just how hard it is for some voters to go to a polling place, put up with the nasty and ugly comments, and wait hours to vote. They're asking people to put their lives and families on hold while they put up with this to vote. Unless they are INSPIRED, these voters don't take the time away from their kids.

Or words to the effect. Hell, I have to fight it myself and drag myself to the voting booth.

But, I don't wonder that this is the well deserved result.

speaking strictly in terms of marginal results--at the cost of 15 minutes to one hour, one gets exactly zero material benefit from voting

the real question isn't why people fail to vote, the real question is why they do vote

...isn't going to get people to The Polls.

Build something to vote FOR, and they will come,
but it will take a while to erase the damage from all the Broken Campaign Promises, "campaign Trail Charades",and decades of "hoodwinking of the American public." (see excerpt below for quote sourcing)
Unfortunately, Carnival like Campaign LIES followed by immediate reversals after the election have become the accepted norm.

In 1987, The League of Women Voters refused to host any future "Presidential Debates".

For the Democrats. The negative attacks on this President and the Party have taken their toll, in my opinion. In the past, the minimum wage increase has worked to get out the vote for Demcorats. I'm not sure it will work this time?

that will make it hard to turn out the Democratic vote. I voted for Campaign Obama and got President Obama instead. I didn't make that mistake and voted Green the second time. And before I get lambasted, I will say I live in Texas so there was not much chance of it hurting, but I sure as hell was sending a message to the Democrats. The message remains unopened.

bernie has demonstrated his solution: stick up for working people, physically meet and engage with constituents and potential constituents often, and represent regular people in D.C.

pronouncements and they're almost always flat fucking wrong.