1 00:00:00,810 --> 00:00:03,810 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. It's Chuck, and I'm rolling through the year 2 00:00:03,870 --> 00:00:07,330 Speaker 1: of COVID. This is October 6, 2020, and it's got 3 00:00:07,350 --> 00:00:10,100 Speaker 1: to be election season because we're talking about swing states. 4 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: And it's October before the election in November. What's the 5 00:00:15,620 --> 00:00:17,540 Speaker 1: deal with swing states is the title of this episode. 6 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:19,380 Speaker 1: And I know we did a few episodes that were 7 00:00:20,460 --> 00:00:24,060 Speaker 1: slightly political leading up to the election. And this is 8 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:25,780 Speaker 1: one of them, and it was a good one. Swing 9 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,659 Speaker 1: states are weird to me, but I think we get 10 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:30,370 Speaker 1: to the bottom of it. Check it out right now. 11 00:00:36,190 --> 00:00:46,010 Speaker 2: Welcome to Stuff You Should Know, a production of iHeartRadio. Hey, 12 00:00:46,070 --> 00:00:48,589 Speaker 2: and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh Clark, and there's 13 00:00:48,630 --> 00:00:51,740 Speaker 2: Charles W. Chuck Bryan over there, and Jerry's over there somewhere, 14 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:52,820 Speaker 2: I think in our office. 15 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:59,220 Speaker 3: And this is Stuff You Should Know, the swinging, super. 16 00:00:58,860 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 2: Hip, Cat edition. 17 00:01:01,470 --> 00:01:02,630 Speaker 1: Swing states. 18 00:01:04,030 --> 00:01:06,030 Speaker 2: They're the swinging estates of all. 19 00:01:06,530 --> 00:01:08,310 Speaker 1: They like to sleep with each other. 20 00:01:10,250 --> 00:01:12,830 Speaker 3: Based on keys they took out of a fish ball. 21 00:01:14,490 --> 00:01:18,670 Speaker 1: I should say up front, thank you to HowStuffWorks.com for 22 00:01:18,690 --> 00:01:23,310 Speaker 1: this article along with Politico, NPR, and I think 538blog 23 00:01:23,330 --> 00:01:24,140 Speaker 1: I got some stuff from. 24 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,900 Speaker 2: You sound like you're giving an acceptance speech. 25 00:01:27,780 --> 00:01:31,009 Speaker 1: Yeah, for politics. For best election podcast episode. 26 00:01:31,030 --> 00:01:33,870 Speaker 3: That's right. We are not going to win. 27 00:01:34,610 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, so this is on swing states, which are all 28 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,260 Speaker 1: the rage battleground states these days. 29 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 2: Everybody loves them. 30 00:01:42,660 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: And have been for a while, but some of this 31 00:01:45,819 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: stuff I thought was even enlightened me, and I thought 32 00:01:48,340 --> 00:01:49,540 Speaker 1: I kind of knew most of this stuff. 33 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. 34 00:01:51,260 --> 00:01:53,300 Speaker 3: It's one of those things that I found interesting. 35 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:56,940 Speaker 2: That you can make a lot more difficult than it 36 00:01:57,030 --> 00:02:00,530 Speaker 2: actually is, at least just the general concept of swing states. 37 00:02:01,150 --> 00:02:04,810 Speaker 2: But there's a lot of detail and info and history 38 00:02:04,850 --> 00:02:07,770 Speaker 2: to it that makes the whole thing really interesting. So 39 00:02:07,810 --> 00:02:10,810 Speaker 2: to keep from making the whole thing more difficult than 40 00:02:10,830 --> 00:02:14,410 Speaker 2: it is, let's just define swing states at the outset. 41 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: Okay, go ahead. 42 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:20,380 Speaker 2: Swing states are states during presidential elections in the United 43 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:21,220 Speaker 2: States here. 44 00:02:22,620 --> 00:02:25,820 Speaker 3: That are– So closely. 45 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 2: Divided politically that they could go either way. They could 46 00:02:30,620 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 2: vote one way or the other. And based on a 47 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 2: lot of, you know, governmental ins and outs that will 48 00:02:36,540 --> 00:02:41,260 Speaker 2: go over, depending on which way they flip, they could 49 00:02:41,490 --> 00:02:45,030 Speaker 2: make or break a presidential campaign and elect the president 50 00:02:45,130 --> 00:02:47,049 Speaker 2: or deny somebody else the presidency. 51 00:02:47,730 --> 00:02:49,690 Speaker 3: At the same time, even, they can do both. 52 00:02:49,990 --> 00:02:52,230 Speaker 1: That's right, and I'm glad you said that because more 53 00:02:52,250 --> 00:02:54,709 Speaker 1: than anything else in this episode, we want to drive– 54 00:02:54,750 --> 00:02:56,250 Speaker 1: or I want to drive home at least. I'm sure 55 00:02:56,430 --> 00:02:56,910 Speaker 1: you're on board. 56 00:02:56,930 --> 00:02:58,250 Speaker 2: Okay. 57 00:02:58,910 --> 00:03:02,150 Speaker 1: A swing state is not just a state that is 58 00:03:02,430 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: very closely divided politically among its constituents, and it just 59 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,260 Speaker 1: could go one way or the other. It is a 60 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,180 Speaker 1: state where there are people who– there are enough people 61 00:03:13,260 --> 00:03:16,740 Speaker 1: in that state who can be persuaded to change who 62 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,929 Speaker 1: they vote for that it can make a state go 63 00:03:20,030 --> 00:03:23,370 Speaker 1: one way or the other. We're talking down to the 64 00:03:23,850 --> 00:03:25,669 Speaker 1: thousands or even hundreds of votes. 65 00:03:26,150 --> 00:03:26,330 Speaker 2: Right. 66 00:03:26,930 --> 00:03:29,780 Speaker 1: And that is why it is so, so, so, so 67 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: important that everybody votes, everybody votes, but especially if you 68 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,380 Speaker 1: live in one of these swing states, because there are, 69 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,700 Speaker 1: believe it or not, there are people that still haven't 70 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:42,140 Speaker 1: made up their mind in this country. 71 00:03:43,170 --> 00:03:47,500 Speaker 2: Which is really surprising in this particular election because things 72 00:03:47,530 --> 00:03:51,060 Speaker 2: have gotten super partisan and polarized in America. And they 73 00:03:51,100 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 2: had been going that way for many, many years now. But, 74 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 2: I mean, it is, I don't want to say it's 75 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,860 Speaker 2: reached its apex. I hope it's reached its apex. I'm 76 00:03:59,900 --> 00:04:02,510 Speaker 2: sure it could get way worse. But things are real 77 00:04:02,570 --> 00:04:05,670 Speaker 2: polarized here. So it is very surprising that there's undecided voters. 78 00:04:06,070 --> 00:04:08,830 Speaker 2: And I remember from our election polling episode, we were 79 00:04:08,850 --> 00:04:10,710 Speaker 2: saying one of the reasons that the state polling was 80 00:04:10,770 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 2: so far off is because there were so many undecided 81 00:04:13,580 --> 00:04:16,750 Speaker 2: voters at the end of 2016. That in and of 82 00:04:16,790 --> 00:04:19,610 Speaker 2: itself is pretty surprising because the candidates were so different. 83 00:04:19,950 --> 00:04:22,969 Speaker 2: Things were so polarized then. It's even more surprising now 84 00:04:22,990 --> 00:04:24,669 Speaker 2: that there's any undecided voters. 85 00:04:25,190 --> 00:04:27,210 Speaker 1: But they're out there. There's not a ton of them, 86 00:04:27,270 --> 00:04:29,690 Speaker 1: but there's enough of them to swing an election and 87 00:04:29,770 --> 00:04:37,270 Speaker 1: swing a state. Brookings Institution says 75% or more of 88 00:04:37,350 --> 00:04:41,180 Speaker 1: a presidential candidate's spending occurs in these swing states. And, 89 00:04:41,380 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: you know, they're spending on ads. A lot of it 90 00:04:44,150 --> 00:04:48,450 Speaker 1: is ad buys and social media ad buys, you know, robocalling, 91 00:04:48,510 --> 00:04:49,150 Speaker 1: stuff like that. 92 00:04:49,170 --> 00:04:49,650 Speaker 2: Right. 93 00:04:50,089 --> 00:04:51,950 Speaker 1: But we should go over just, you know, I know 94 00:04:51,970 --> 00:04:54,650 Speaker 1: we did one on the Electoral College, but just for 95 00:04:54,710 --> 00:04:58,700 Speaker 1: our friends across the many ponds, we should give kind 96 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,140 Speaker 1: of a quick overview of the very odd way that 97 00:05:01,180 --> 00:05:01,860 Speaker 1: we do things here. 98 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:06,140 Speaker 2: Yeah, because everybody thinks in the United States that everybody 99 00:05:06,180 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 2: goes to the polls and during a national election, like 100 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:14,020 Speaker 2: the presidential election, and elects the president. One person has 101 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 2: one vote. And that is definitely true. Each person does 102 00:05:17,470 --> 00:05:20,310 Speaker 2: have a vote. But the thing is, we have something 103 00:05:20,370 --> 00:05:24,590 Speaker 2: called the electoral college. And rather than directly elect the 104 00:05:24,630 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 2: president through a popular vote, we have an indirect way 105 00:05:29,070 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 2: of electing the president, where all those people who go 106 00:05:31,660 --> 00:05:34,859 Speaker 2: to the polls are going to the polls to cast 107 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:37,610 Speaker 2: a ballot, whether they know it or not, for the 108 00:05:38,550 --> 00:05:43,289 Speaker 2: electors for each party. So if you voted for Donald 109 00:05:43,350 --> 00:05:47,090 Speaker 2: Trump in 2020, say, what you're voting for is not 110 00:05:47,130 --> 00:05:51,070 Speaker 2: necessarily Donald Trump. You're voting for your state's Republican Party 111 00:05:51,190 --> 00:05:54,860 Speaker 2: electors to go to the electoral college to cast their 112 00:05:54,900 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 2: vote for Donald Trump, hopefully. That is the indirect way 113 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 2: of electing the president that we have. And under this situation, 114 00:06:02,700 --> 00:06:06,990 Speaker 2: under this indirect electoral college setup that we have, You 115 00:06:07,029 --> 00:06:12,270 Speaker 2: can actually get elected president without winning the popular vote. 116 00:06:12,610 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 2: And that's what happened in 2016. It's happened four times. 117 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 3: Yes. Twice very recently. 118 00:06:18,540 --> 00:06:21,780 Speaker 2: It happened in the 2000 election where Al Gore, I think, 119 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:25,020 Speaker 2: won the popular vote by half a million votes. It 120 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,380 Speaker 2: happened in 2016 where Hillary Clinton won the popular vote 121 00:06:28,420 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 2: by almost 3 million votes, like 2.9 million. Then it 122 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 2: happened a couple of times in, I think, the 19th century, 123 00:06:33,860 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 2: didn't it? 124 00:06:34,540 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, four times. Yeah, the other two were pretty far back. 125 00:06:37,700 --> 00:06:42,570 Speaker 1: And all four times, Republican candidates lost the popular vote 126 00:06:42,610 --> 00:06:47,810 Speaker 1: and ended up winning the election. And we'll get into 127 00:06:47,930 --> 00:06:49,930 Speaker 1: changes on the horizon as far as that goes. But 128 00:06:50,589 --> 00:06:52,430 Speaker 1: to kind of put a pin in the Electoral College, 129 00:06:53,029 --> 00:06:57,330 Speaker 1: how it specifically works is each senator from each state, 130 00:06:57,380 --> 00:07:00,900 Speaker 1: which is two senators because each state has two, get 131 00:07:00,980 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: a vote. And then... For each representative in the House, 132 00:07:06,460 --> 00:07:09,100 Speaker 1: they get a vote. And everywhere except for Maine and 133 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:14,330 Speaker 1: Nebraska does what's called a winner-take-all. So if everyone in 134 00:07:14,390 --> 00:07:17,790 Speaker 1: Georgia or, you know, if Georgia votes for, let's say, 135 00:07:17,830 --> 00:07:21,910 Speaker 1: Joe Biden, then everybody, all the electors would have to 136 00:07:21,950 --> 00:07:25,390 Speaker 1: vote for Joe Biden and cast that vote. In Maine 137 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:29,220 Speaker 1: and Nebraska, what they do is I think they– and 138 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: the goal here, by the way, is 270 electoral votes 139 00:07:31,820 --> 00:07:35,050 Speaker 1: if you want to win. the presidency. But they do 140 00:07:35,130 --> 00:07:37,430 Speaker 1: the district system, which is they award two of those 141 00:07:37,490 --> 00:07:41,190 Speaker 1: electoral votes to the statewide popular vote winner. And then 142 00:07:41,250 --> 00:07:44,790 Speaker 1: they go, I think, just district by district, don't they? 143 00:07:45,650 --> 00:07:49,590 Speaker 2: Yeah, they do. And so you can win, you know, 144 00:07:50,170 --> 00:07:54,700 Speaker 2: if you win your statewide election in Maine or in Nebraska, 145 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:59,650 Speaker 2: you get two electoral votes automatically. And And then you 146 00:07:59,670 --> 00:08:01,670 Speaker 2: get one for each district that you won. 147 00:08:01,910 --> 00:08:03,790 Speaker 1: Yeah, which seems a little more fair. 148 00:08:04,630 --> 00:08:06,010 Speaker 2: It does seem a little more fair, but I saw 149 00:08:06,050 --> 00:08:09,730 Speaker 2: that on fairvote.org, they said if you do the math, 150 00:08:09,830 --> 00:08:12,900 Speaker 2: it's actually way less fair on the national level. Yeah, 151 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 2: like maybe it works for Maine and Nebraska, but if 152 00:08:15,660 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 2: all states did that, you would be able to eke 153 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:23,060 Speaker 2: out an even more imbalance between an electoral college win 154 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,930 Speaker 2: and a loss of the popular vote. I saw somebody 155 00:08:26,310 --> 00:08:34,540 Speaker 2: put out that, There is a path to 270 electoral votes. 156 00:08:34,900 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 2: So you would win the presidency while also getting just 157 00:08:38,059 --> 00:08:41,059 Speaker 2: like 23 percent of the popular vote. 158 00:08:41,140 --> 00:08:41,420 Speaker 1: Wow. 159 00:08:42,860 --> 00:08:44,500 Speaker 2: You like to think that that could never happen. But 160 00:08:44,540 --> 00:08:48,150 Speaker 2: apparently mathematically with this setup of the electoral college. 161 00:08:48,660 --> 00:08:49,500 Speaker 3: It could happen. 162 00:08:49,580 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 2: And the reason why is because one, the electoral college exists, 163 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 2: like you said, and then two, because of that winner 164 00:08:55,850 --> 00:08:58,770 Speaker 2: take all system to where it doesn't matter whether you 165 00:08:58,809 --> 00:09:01,790 Speaker 2: win a state by one vote, you get all of 166 00:09:01,870 --> 00:09:05,370 Speaker 2: the electoral votes for that one state. And so in 167 00:09:08,130 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 2: creating swing states, the electoral college also creates what are 168 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:16,380 Speaker 2: called safe states. And a safe state is where so 169 00:09:16,410 --> 00:09:20,559 Speaker 2: many people so reliably vote for the party that that 170 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:25,780 Speaker 2: candidate is running for, that you can just count on 171 00:09:25,820 --> 00:09:30,439 Speaker 2: that state giving, like winning their electoral votes. And you 172 00:09:30,500 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 2: actually start with a base of that, that like, let's 173 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:40,310 Speaker 2: say there's 170 solid electoral votes among like 20 states 174 00:09:40,429 --> 00:09:43,740 Speaker 2: for Democrats, right? That is what you would rely on, 175 00:09:44,100 --> 00:09:47,340 Speaker 2: not just on election day, but throughout the campaign. And 176 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:49,660 Speaker 2: so you're not spending much time or money in those 177 00:09:49,700 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 2: states because those are safe states. You don't need to. 178 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:53,929 Speaker 2: It doesn't make any sense to do that. It makes 179 00:09:54,110 --> 00:09:56,510 Speaker 2: way more sense to spend all of your time and 180 00:09:56,590 --> 00:10:00,060 Speaker 2: money and attention on those swing states because those are 181 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,900 Speaker 2: the ones that aren't necessarily safe, but they're also not 182 00:10:02,940 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 2: necessarily leaning the other way either. And you could conceivably 183 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:10,060 Speaker 2: put those swing states together to create that 270 or 184 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 2: more electoral votes, which should lead you to the presidency. 185 00:10:14,210 --> 00:10:16,590 Speaker 1: Right. But, you know, it's gotten a little tricky here 186 00:10:16,610 --> 00:10:20,859 Speaker 1: in recent years because... there are a few swing states 187 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:24,860 Speaker 1: that are kind of really solidly swingy. And then there 188 00:10:24,900 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 1: have been a few that were more swingy or less swingy. 189 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:30,180 Speaker 1: And you have to make a decision as a candidate 190 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:31,860 Speaker 1: where you're going to spend your money and your time. 191 00:10:32,540 --> 00:10:35,700 Speaker 1: And that's where polling comes in. A lot of people 192 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: say that perhaps Hillary Clinton didn't spend enough time in 193 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:43,590 Speaker 1: certain states that ended up flipping to Donald Trump. It's 194 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:47,740 Speaker 1: all strategy. I think now we can maybe take a 195 00:10:47,750 --> 00:10:50,679 Speaker 1: little extended sidebar here about this whole blue state, red 196 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 1: state thing, which I thought was very interesting. 197 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. 198 00:10:53,980 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: Because here in America, we have blue states and red states. 199 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 1: The blue states are the Democratic-leaning states. The red states 200 00:11:01,780 --> 00:11:05,380 Speaker 1: are the Republican-leaning states. If you are sort of in 201 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:07,540 Speaker 1: the mix, maybe a swing state, they might call you 202 00:11:07,980 --> 00:11:09,870 Speaker 1: purple in the news. If you hear that, that's what 203 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:13,550 Speaker 1: that means. But it didn't always used to be these colors. 204 00:11:13,910 --> 00:11:16,660 Speaker 1: And I got this from NPR. I found it interesting 205 00:11:16,700 --> 00:11:20,460 Speaker 1: to know that when the colors first started being assigned 206 00:11:20,540 --> 00:11:27,679 Speaker 1: in the mid-1970s, the Democrats were red and the Republicans 207 00:11:27,710 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: were blue. 208 00:11:29,350 --> 00:11:35,210 Speaker 2: Yeah, so supposedly blue was traditionally the Republicans' color because 209 00:11:35,250 --> 00:11:37,569 Speaker 2: it was the color of the Union during the Civil War. 210 00:11:38,670 --> 00:11:40,830 Speaker 2: And the Union was led by Abraham Lincoln, who was 211 00:11:40,850 --> 00:11:44,969 Speaker 2: a Republican. And then also apparently in Europe, the conservative 212 00:11:45,030 --> 00:11:47,510 Speaker 2: parties are typically associated with the color blue. So it 213 00:11:47,550 --> 00:11:51,330 Speaker 2: made more sense, at least at first, to have Republicans 214 00:11:51,370 --> 00:11:55,030 Speaker 2: be blue and Democrats be red. And supposedly that's where 215 00:11:55,050 --> 00:11:58,930 Speaker 2: it debuted back in 1976 here in the United States 216 00:11:59,190 --> 00:12:03,670 Speaker 2: on NBC because NBC was the first network to go 217 00:12:03,750 --> 00:12:07,340 Speaker 2: full color. And so in election night 1976, they said, 218 00:12:07,380 --> 00:12:09,359 Speaker 2: check out our amazing interactive map. 219 00:12:09,620 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 3: Uh-huh. 220 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:13,260 Speaker 2: Blue states are going to be ones that Republicans have won. 221 00:12:13,620 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 2: Red states are going to be ones that Democrats have won. 222 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,079 Speaker 2: And did you see a picture of the map? Yeah. 223 00:12:20,140 --> 00:12:22,980 Speaker 2: It looks like a giant stained glass window of the 224 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:26,459 Speaker 2: United States. It does not look super flashy or anything now, 225 00:12:26,500 --> 00:12:28,990 Speaker 2: but at the time it was like knock your socks off, 226 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:31,469 Speaker 2: technologically advanced, I guess. 227 00:12:31,830 --> 00:12:34,850 Speaker 1: Yeah, but here's the thing is those colors weren't locked in. 228 00:12:34,929 --> 00:12:37,630 Speaker 1: Like there was never any, you know, vote about those 229 00:12:37,690 --> 00:12:39,590 Speaker 1: colors or anything like that. They just sort of went 230 00:12:39,630 --> 00:12:43,500 Speaker 1: that way. As more and more TV networks went color, 231 00:12:44,620 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: they went with other colors and it got a little 232 00:12:46,900 --> 00:12:50,570 Speaker 1: bit confusing. Depending on which network you were watching, you 233 00:12:50,610 --> 00:12:54,270 Speaker 1: might see different colors representing different parties. I think always 234 00:12:54,309 --> 00:12:56,910 Speaker 1: red and blue, but they were kind of flip-flopped. And 235 00:12:56,929 --> 00:13:02,710 Speaker 1: it wasn't until 2000 and the Washington Post, they credit 236 00:13:02,730 --> 00:13:05,890 Speaker 1: Tim Russert. I think the late Tim Russert, he passed away, 237 00:13:05,910 --> 00:13:06,230 Speaker 1: didn't he? 238 00:13:06,370 --> 00:13:07,189 Speaker 2: Yeah, unfortunately, yeah. 239 00:13:07,530 --> 00:13:09,869 Speaker 1: Yeah, they credit Tim Russert with kind of locking in 240 00:13:10,570 --> 00:13:13,410 Speaker 1: what we now know as blue states and red states, 241 00:13:13,490 --> 00:13:16,650 Speaker 1: blue being for Democrat, red for Republican during the 2000 242 00:13:16,650 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: election between Gore and Bush. And these colors are important 243 00:13:20,510 --> 00:13:24,420 Speaker 1: because it's, and one of these writers in here, what's 244 00:13:24,460 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: his name? Bill Bishop. He's from Texas. He wrote a 245 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 1: book called The Big Sort. And he kind of makes 246 00:13:30,179 --> 00:13:33,110 Speaker 1: a really good point that it's become a shorthand of 247 00:13:33,190 --> 00:13:35,809 Speaker 1: not just a leaning of a state, but sort of 248 00:13:35,850 --> 00:13:39,540 Speaker 1: a lifestyle like you hear things like, you know, it's 249 00:13:39,580 --> 00:13:43,420 Speaker 1: a really blue neighborhood or a red community. And you 250 00:13:43,460 --> 00:13:45,719 Speaker 1: kind of know that's shorthand for a certain thing in 251 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:46,420 Speaker 1: this country now. 252 00:13:47,100 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. And part of the problem with especially designating entire 253 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:54,490 Speaker 2: states as like red or blue is that it makes 254 00:13:54,540 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 2: it seem like there's this homogenous group that the whole 255 00:13:58,470 --> 00:13:59,750 Speaker 2: state thinks that way. 256 00:14:00,070 --> 00:14:01,990 Speaker 3: And that's not necessarily true. I mean, there's plenty of. 257 00:14:01,950 --> 00:14:05,309 Speaker 2: States out there that are considered red states, but they 258 00:14:05,350 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 2: were won by One and a half percent or three percent. 259 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:11,540 Speaker 2: You know, it's like a very close call, but it 260 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,569 Speaker 2: went Republican in the presidential election. So it's a red state. 261 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 2: Or like you said, you can get it down to 262 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 2: community level, that kind of thing. And in doing so, 263 00:14:20,580 --> 00:14:25,150 Speaker 2: all you're doing is sowing this division of tribalism that 264 00:14:25,210 --> 00:14:27,830 Speaker 2: exists in the United States to where it's just so 265 00:14:28,030 --> 00:14:30,770 Speaker 2: easy to have this allegiance to blue or red. They 266 00:14:30,810 --> 00:14:33,490 Speaker 2: don't even make it donkey or elephant any longer. It's 267 00:14:33,570 --> 00:14:35,610 Speaker 2: blue and red. It's one of the most basic things 268 00:14:36,270 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 2: you can sort by, which is colors. And it's a 269 00:14:40,340 --> 00:14:48,020 Speaker 2: real problem in that it somehow– stokes that mentality, that in-group, 270 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 2: out-group mentality that is so problematic in the United States 271 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 2: right now and is drowning the country as we speak, basically. 272 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 3: I hate to say it, but it's absolutely true. 273 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: It really is. And it's especially annoying if you have 274 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:03,940 Speaker 1: political leanings like I do and live in a state 275 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: like Georgia that is for the past, you know, 20 276 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:12,460 Speaker 1: plus years been solidly red. And then, you know, you 277 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: have I used to live in California. I have plenty 278 00:15:14,500 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: of friends in California who say things about places like 279 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: Georgia with such disdain. It just bothers me so much 280 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,180 Speaker 1: because it is– and the same can be said for 281 00:15:26,220 --> 00:15:28,550 Speaker 1: people on the other side of the political spectrum. It's 282 00:15:28,590 --> 00:15:32,250 Speaker 1: not exclusive to me being a liberal in Georgia. I'm 283 00:15:32,290 --> 00:15:36,770 Speaker 1: sure the same frustrations happen for Republicans in Massachusetts. 284 00:15:37,510 --> 00:15:41,250 Speaker 2: Absolutely, yeah. I'm quite sure in the– I think it was– 285 00:15:41,540 --> 00:15:43,900 Speaker 2: I don't know what article that came from. They point 286 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,980 Speaker 2: out that those people are some of the most diehard 287 00:15:47,580 --> 00:15:51,030 Speaker 2: partisans you'll find, you know, people who are minority in 288 00:15:51,070 --> 00:15:53,810 Speaker 2: their state. Sure. Because they feel like they're really carrying 289 00:15:53,830 --> 00:15:57,550 Speaker 2: the flag for their party or whatever. But yeah, it's 290 00:15:57,570 --> 00:16:00,190 Speaker 2: a real problem. It takes away all nuance. And it 291 00:16:00,230 --> 00:16:03,620 Speaker 2: also makes people think like, oh, you're from a red state. 292 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 2: I can't work with you. My constituents won't like it 293 00:16:06,660 --> 00:16:08,900 Speaker 2: if I work with you, red state person, rather than 294 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 2: you're from Wisconsin and I'm from California. Let's figure out 295 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,340 Speaker 2: how to make this highway bill make more sense kind 296 00:16:15,380 --> 00:16:16,570 Speaker 2: of thing, you know? Yeah. 297 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:18,670 Speaker 1: Emily and I have a lot of conversations about the 298 00:16:18,710 --> 00:16:23,810 Speaker 1: lack of nuance in today's world. And it's, I think 299 00:16:23,830 --> 00:16:25,550 Speaker 1: that's one of the biggest problems we have going on 300 00:16:25,610 --> 00:16:28,870 Speaker 1: right now. Nuance has been lost and everything is carved 301 00:16:28,930 --> 00:16:31,190 Speaker 1: very much into red and blue and black and white. 302 00:16:31,250 --> 00:16:32,450 Speaker 3: And it's sad. 303 00:16:32,990 --> 00:16:35,010 Speaker 2: And you know what is another thing that makes it 304 00:16:35,050 --> 00:16:39,330 Speaker 2: sad too is it's not just like That's just appealing 305 00:16:39,370 --> 00:16:43,030 Speaker 2: to the lowest common denominator. It activates in all people, 306 00:16:43,170 --> 00:16:47,700 Speaker 2: including brilliant, intelligent people who are otherwise normally level-headed. 307 00:16:48,380 --> 00:16:50,140 Speaker 3: They still have that part of their brain somewhere. 308 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:50,860 Speaker 2: They're like, I'm blue. 309 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 3: I'm red. 310 00:16:53,260 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 2: I affiliate with that, and I hate the opposite. It 311 00:16:58,180 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 2: is that when you lose nuance, a lot of stuff 312 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:01,490 Speaker 2: goes out the window with it. 313 00:17:02,140 --> 00:17:04,139 Speaker 1: All right. Well, let's take a break. That was our 314 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:05,100 Speaker 1: first soapbox of the day. 315 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:09,100 Speaker 2: I thought we started out on a soapbox. I thought 316 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:10,439 Speaker 2: this whole episode was going to be on. 317 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,530 Speaker 1: I think pretty even-handed soapboxes though, right? Sure. All right. Well, 318 00:17:14,650 --> 00:17:17,510 Speaker 1: we'll come back and we'll build another soapbox in the 319 00:17:17,550 --> 00:17:19,650 Speaker 1: next couple of minutes. We'll be back right after this. 320 00:17:50,530 --> 00:17:55,100 Speaker 2: Okay, so we're back on swing states, right? And I 321 00:17:55,140 --> 00:17:58,459 Speaker 2: think we should kind of talk about how they swing 322 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:01,460 Speaker 2: or how they have swung or swanged. 323 00:18:02,900 --> 00:18:03,380 Speaker 3: Recently. 324 00:18:04,100 --> 00:18:07,000 Speaker 2: Because with swing states, you kind of get this idea 325 00:18:07,060 --> 00:18:10,640 Speaker 2: that they're the same all the time. That's just not 326 00:18:10,660 --> 00:18:15,750 Speaker 2: the case, especially not lately. It seems like 1992 and 327 00:18:15,750 --> 00:18:20,629 Speaker 2: 2016 were both watershed years as far as just completely 328 00:18:21,170 --> 00:18:26,690 Speaker 2: recoloring the electoral map. And in 1992, Bill Clinton did it. 329 00:18:26,850 --> 00:18:29,410 Speaker 2: And in 2016, Donald Trump did it. And it just 330 00:18:29,750 --> 00:18:31,530 Speaker 2: surprised everybody both times. 331 00:18:31,990 --> 00:18:37,369 Speaker 1: Yeah, 92. And if you're our age or younger, you 332 00:18:37,430 --> 00:18:40,010 Speaker 1: might not have been super hip to politics when you 333 00:18:40,050 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: were in high school, let's say. or early college. And 334 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:45,640 Speaker 1: you may not know that there was what was called 335 00:18:45,700 --> 00:18:47,940 Speaker 1: a red wall. They didn't call it a red wall 336 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,120 Speaker 1: back then, but it was a red wall where there was, 337 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: Republicans had a pretty firm lock on the electoral college 338 00:18:57,380 --> 00:19:03,369 Speaker 1: in that from 1966 to 1988, 21 states voted Republican 339 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:08,050 Speaker 1: every single election. And that included, you might be surprised 340 00:19:08,090 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: to hear, California, Illinois and New Jersey and Virginia. 341 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:16,780 Speaker 3: And here's the one that's going to really make your 342 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:17,260 Speaker 3: heart stop. 343 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 2: Vermont. Yeah. 344 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 1: Traditionally Republican voted 21 times in a row. 345 00:19:23,540 --> 00:19:24,379 Speaker 3: Yeah. 346 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:29,030 Speaker 1: And that is 191 electoral votes. So they the Democrats 347 00:19:29,050 --> 00:19:33,190 Speaker 1: had a pretty big disadvantage going into 1992 historically, meaning 348 00:19:33,230 --> 00:19:36,070 Speaker 1: that they had to win more than three quarters of 349 00:19:36,109 --> 00:19:39,709 Speaker 1: the remaining electoral votes and Um, for these, you know, 350 00:19:39,730 --> 00:19:42,330 Speaker 1: quote unquote competitive or up in the upper grab states. 351 00:19:42,770 --> 00:19:45,270 Speaker 1: And that's not counting DC, which Democrats have always got 352 00:19:45,290 --> 00:19:45,689 Speaker 1: a lock on. 353 00:19:46,210 --> 00:19:46,470 Speaker 2: Yeah. 354 00:19:46,510 --> 00:19:49,590 Speaker 3: For the last 14 elections, D.C. 's always gone Democrat. 355 00:19:49,730 --> 00:19:49,930 Speaker 1: Right. 356 00:19:50,650 --> 00:19:55,900 Speaker 2: So the common wisdom was that when George H.W. Bush 357 00:19:55,940 --> 00:19:59,400 Speaker 2: went up for reelection, not only was he the incumbent president, 358 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 2: which means that you're supposed to be favored typically. But 359 00:20:03,450 --> 00:20:06,570 Speaker 2: He also had this red wall, which I don't know 360 00:20:06,590 --> 00:20:09,210 Speaker 2: what they called it, but this lock on the electoral college. 361 00:20:09,790 --> 00:20:12,730 Speaker 2: And it was presumed that he was probably going to win. 362 00:20:12,780 --> 00:20:17,580 Speaker 2: And then Bill Clinton came along and he flipped nine 363 00:20:17,740 --> 00:20:21,420 Speaker 2: states from that red wall. Not just the swing states. 364 00:20:21,460 --> 00:20:24,740 Speaker 2: He flipped nine of those red wall states, which was 365 00:20:24,740 --> 00:20:29,450 Speaker 2: 118 electoral votes. And ended up winning 370 to 168 366 00:20:29,450 --> 00:20:33,929 Speaker 2: in the electoral college votes. 367 00:20:34,150 --> 00:20:38,440 Speaker 1: Somebody bring me a sledgehammer. That's basically what he did, though. 368 00:20:38,460 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 1: I mean, it was pretty unprecedented and, like you said, 369 00:20:42,900 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: just flipped the political thinking in this country on its ear. 370 00:20:47,710 --> 00:20:51,300 Speaker 2: And flipped them so hard that California, Illinois, New Jersey, 371 00:20:51,380 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 2: and Vermont haven't voted Republican since the 1992 election. 372 00:20:56,740 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, really reshaped the map. 373 00:20:58,420 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, he flipped those Republican lock states into Democrat lock states. 374 00:21:05,260 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: That's right. And now they call it the blue wall, 375 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:09,680 Speaker 1: and they do call it the blue wall now because 376 00:21:09,700 --> 00:21:13,909 Speaker 1: blue is firmly ensconced as Democrat. And there are 18 377 00:21:13,910 --> 00:21:18,389 Speaker 1: states supposedly among this blue wall. along with D.C., that 378 00:21:18,430 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: have voted Democrat in each of the most recent six 379 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 1: elections from 92 to– well, previously from 92 to 2012. 380 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:30,020 Speaker 2: Right. 381 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:32,440 Speaker 1: And that's when Trump came in and flipped it on 382 00:21:32,510 --> 00:21:33,850 Speaker 1: its ear once again. Yeah. 383 00:21:34,010 --> 00:21:40,470 Speaker 2: So he flipped some traditionally Democrat strongholds like Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania. 384 00:21:42,090 --> 00:21:46,790 Speaker 2: And he did so by– first of all, energizing voters 385 00:21:46,859 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 2: that hadn't really been seen at the polls very much, 386 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,899 Speaker 2: like voters without a higher education diploma, a lot of 387 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:59,750 Speaker 2: rural workers, especially blue collar workers who had been lifelong Democrats, 388 00:21:59,990 --> 00:22:04,350 Speaker 2: went out and voted for Trump and ended up taking, 389 00:22:04,390 --> 00:22:08,350 Speaker 2: I think he flipped more than just those three. Oh, yeah. 390 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:12,120 Speaker 3: He flipped five, Maine and Minnesota. 391 00:22:12,140 --> 00:22:12,399 Speaker 1: No, no, no. 392 00:22:12,460 --> 00:22:14,570 Speaker 2: I'm sorry. He flipped those three and that's how he 393 00:22:14,590 --> 00:22:17,090 Speaker 2: won the electoral college. But he almost won Maine and 394 00:22:17,109 --> 00:22:20,590 Speaker 2: he almost won Minnesota. Right. And both of them were pretty, 395 00:22:20,670 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 2: pretty strong Democratic states. Minnesota hadn't voted for a Republican 396 00:22:25,859 --> 00:22:26,859 Speaker 2: in like 50 years. 397 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:27,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. 398 00:22:27,500 --> 00:22:30,020 Speaker 3: And he came close to flipping that. And so here's 399 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:30,360 Speaker 3: the thing. 400 00:22:30,500 --> 00:22:34,020 Speaker 2: We're talking about all these states being flipped because when 401 00:22:34,060 --> 00:22:37,470 Speaker 2: a state gets flipped in an election and especially if 402 00:22:37,510 --> 00:22:41,649 Speaker 2: it's kind of close or narrowly held rather than flipped, 403 00:22:42,170 --> 00:22:45,730 Speaker 2: that state is probably going to be a battleground or 404 00:22:45,810 --> 00:22:47,630 Speaker 2: swing state in the next election. 405 00:22:48,230 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 1: Yeah. So if you're wondering, I mean, we'll list out 406 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 1: the swing states and sort of end that drama right here. 407 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:54,580 Speaker 1: But if you're wondering if you might be in a 408 00:22:54,619 --> 00:22:58,780 Speaker 1: swing state, it has to do with quite a few things. Obviously, 409 00:22:58,820 --> 00:23:03,780 Speaker 1: the voting history there being predictable. If you voted for 410 00:23:03,980 --> 00:23:07,050 Speaker 1: a long, long time for a specific party, You're probably 411 00:23:07,090 --> 00:23:12,190 Speaker 1: not a swing state. If your demographics in that state 412 00:23:12,390 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 1: are traditionally really support the same candidate, then you're probably 413 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: not going to be a swing state. The fact is 414 00:23:20,300 --> 00:23:24,479 Speaker 1: that most voters in most regions of the country or 415 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,740 Speaker 1: most regions of the states in this country, they vote 416 00:23:28,820 --> 00:23:32,510 Speaker 1: based on they have really different opinions based on the 417 00:23:32,570 --> 00:23:36,160 Speaker 1: experience of just literally the physical place where they live. Right. 418 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:41,189 Speaker 2: So like the rural voters typically go GOP or Republican, 419 00:23:41,650 --> 00:23:47,330 Speaker 2: whereas people in metropolitan areas, major metropolitan areas, frequently go 420 00:23:47,410 --> 00:23:50,649 Speaker 2: toward the Democrats. And they have different experiences based on 421 00:23:50,710 --> 00:23:56,830 Speaker 2: their geography. And depending on how balanced that is, how 422 00:23:56,890 --> 00:23:59,730 Speaker 2: big the metropolis is, how big the rural area is 423 00:23:59,790 --> 00:24:03,630 Speaker 2: in a state compared to whatever metropolis or capital is there. 424 00:24:03,980 --> 00:24:06,160 Speaker 2: that can make that state a swing state. Like North 425 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:08,920 Speaker 2: Carolina is a really good example of that. There's a 426 00:24:08,940 --> 00:24:14,140 Speaker 2: lot of highly educated tech types, scientific researchers who live 427 00:24:14,180 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 2: in the research triangle in North Carolina. There's also a 428 00:24:18,660 --> 00:24:22,169 Speaker 2: ton of rural voters, too, who are active in politics. 429 00:24:22,730 --> 00:24:24,910 Speaker 2: And those two balance each other out. And so North 430 00:24:24,970 --> 00:24:29,150 Speaker 2: Carolina is very frequently a swing state in presidential elections 431 00:24:29,210 --> 00:24:29,970 Speaker 2: because of that. 432 00:24:30,590 --> 00:24:32,710 Speaker 1: Yeah. And, you know, I want to be clear. We're 433 00:24:32,730 --> 00:24:37,230 Speaker 1: not like disparaging... people who don't have college diplomas. There 434 00:24:37,250 --> 00:24:39,810 Speaker 1: are all kinds of ways to be smart. There are 435 00:24:39,830 --> 00:24:42,030 Speaker 1: a lot of people with college diplomas that can't change 436 00:24:42,070 --> 00:24:47,169 Speaker 1: their oil on their car or build a fence. And 437 00:24:47,210 --> 00:24:49,980 Speaker 1: those are other types of smarts. And there are all 438 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:51,020 Speaker 1: different ways to be smart. 439 00:24:52,020 --> 00:24:52,420 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah. 440 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:53,300 Speaker 3: I'm not saying that at all. 441 00:24:53,340 --> 00:24:53,710 Speaker 1: No, of course not. 442 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,139 Speaker 2: I think if you listen to our election polling episode, 443 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:04,510 Speaker 2: a divide between college-educated and non-college-educated voters... was created in 444 00:25:04,510 --> 00:25:07,860 Speaker 2: 2016 where it hadn't been there before. And now that 445 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 2: is a major part of American politics. Right. 446 00:25:10,900 --> 00:25:14,159 Speaker 1: So along with North Carolina this year, and again, you know, 447 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,139 Speaker 1: this is what they expect to see. It could be 448 00:25:17,180 --> 00:25:19,260 Speaker 1: turned on its ear once again, and states could be 449 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:22,130 Speaker 1: in the mix that we didn't even forecast. You never know. 450 00:25:22,690 --> 00:25:26,390 Speaker 1: But right now they're saying that North Carolina, Arizona, Florida, 451 00:25:26,950 --> 00:25:28,250 Speaker 1: always Florida is so important. 452 00:25:28,590 --> 00:25:29,109 Speaker 2: Yeah. 453 00:25:29,190 --> 00:25:34,030 Speaker 1: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin. Some people say New Hampshire. Some people 454 00:25:34,090 --> 00:25:34,750 Speaker 1: say Georgia. 455 00:25:34,770 --> 00:25:36,090 Speaker 3: That's a big one. 456 00:25:36,130 --> 00:25:40,330 Speaker 1: That's a big one. Georgia hasn't voted for a Democratic 457 00:25:40,369 --> 00:25:43,810 Speaker 1: presidential candidate, I think. I mean, has it been since Clinton? 458 00:25:44,270 --> 00:25:45,510 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's what I would say. 459 00:25:45,550 --> 00:25:51,490 Speaker 1: Since 92. And I think Texas, remarkably, and Georgia have 460 00:25:51,619 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: both drifted left by four points with each of the 461 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:58,680 Speaker 1: last couple of elections. And they're saying that, you know, 462 00:25:59,260 --> 00:26:02,020 Speaker 1: it's going to be very Tight in Georgia. And I 463 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:04,639 Speaker 1: don't think anyone is anticipating that it will flip. 464 00:26:04,660 --> 00:26:05,380 Speaker 2: Right. 465 00:26:05,500 --> 00:26:07,530 Speaker 1: But it's purple and in the mix for the first 466 00:26:07,570 --> 00:26:08,310 Speaker 1: time in a long time. 467 00:26:08,910 --> 00:26:12,949 Speaker 2: Yeah. Which is really saying something, because, I mean, in 468 00:26:13,050 --> 00:26:16,189 Speaker 2: Georgia for many years, if you were a Democrat, it 469 00:26:16,270 --> 00:26:18,950 Speaker 2: just did not matter. Like you just didn't need to 470 00:26:19,010 --> 00:26:21,780 Speaker 2: bother to vote. And that's a big problem with swing 471 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:23,940 Speaker 2: states in the electoral college that we'll talk about. 472 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:25,420 Speaker 1: And you mean that metaphorically, by the way. 473 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:28,379 Speaker 2: Right, exactly. But, I mean, there's this whole concept of 474 00:26:28,820 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 2: a wasted vote in a safe state for the opposition party. 475 00:26:31,980 --> 00:26:34,879 Speaker 3: Their vote's wasted. But we'll talk about that later. 476 00:26:35,220 --> 00:26:39,810 Speaker 2: But just like there's some surprising states that are now 477 00:26:40,369 --> 00:26:43,770 Speaker 2: considered swing states or battleground states in 2020, there's also 478 00:26:43,810 --> 00:26:48,149 Speaker 2: some that have customarily been swing states that aren't necessarily swing. 479 00:26:48,530 --> 00:26:52,190 Speaker 2: And the big standout one for that is Ohio. Ohio 480 00:26:52,210 --> 00:26:57,919 Speaker 2: has voted for the president correctly, or I should say 481 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:04,480 Speaker 2: they went. The nominee or the candidate that Ohio voted 482 00:27:04,540 --> 00:27:07,869 Speaker 2: for has been the president, the one who won the 483 00:27:07,910 --> 00:27:14,700 Speaker 2: presidential race in, like, dozens of elections. Maybe not dozens, 484 00:27:14,780 --> 00:27:18,500 Speaker 2: but they've been voting correctly for the president, correctly picking 485 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,620 Speaker 2: the president. I feel like I'm digging myself deeper into 486 00:27:21,660 --> 00:27:26,010 Speaker 2: a hole here. Anyway, what that says about Ohio is that, wow, 487 00:27:26,070 --> 00:27:30,169 Speaker 2: Ohio is like really a thinking group, politically speaking, because 488 00:27:30,790 --> 00:27:34,310 Speaker 2: we have had Republican presidents and we have had Democrat 489 00:27:34,350 --> 00:27:39,169 Speaker 2: presidents throughout the last few decades. And Ohio has, you know, voted... 490 00:27:40,140 --> 00:27:43,900 Speaker 2: differently just about every time. And that says that Ohio 491 00:27:43,940 --> 00:27:47,179 Speaker 2: is a longstanding swing state. Well, Ohio was flipped in 2016, 492 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:49,120 Speaker 2: and there's a lot of political observers who are like, 493 00:27:49,180 --> 00:27:53,409 Speaker 2: Ohio now leans conservative. It's now a red state. And 494 00:27:53,430 --> 00:27:56,129 Speaker 2: that's a really surprising turn of events for 2020. 495 00:27:56,130 --> 00:27:59,129 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think Colorado, Ohio, and Virginia are three of 496 00:27:59,170 --> 00:28:02,350 Speaker 1: the traditional swing states that have been taken off that list. 497 00:28:03,550 --> 00:28:06,869 Speaker 1: Arizona and Georgia. I don't think Texas is officially on 498 00:28:06,910 --> 00:28:10,399 Speaker 1: the list at all, but I think because Texas has 499 00:28:10,500 --> 00:28:15,340 Speaker 1: always been so solidly conservative, for it to eke towards 500 00:28:15,980 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 1: the Democrats at all just makes a lot of hay. 501 00:28:19,340 --> 00:28:21,139 Speaker 1: So there's a lot more talk about it on the 502 00:28:21,180 --> 00:28:24,420 Speaker 1: news and stuff like that because there's so much media influence. 503 00:28:24,460 --> 00:28:27,899 Speaker 1: And I think that the liberal media probably thinks that, like, oh, 504 00:28:27,940 --> 00:28:30,179 Speaker 1: Texas is leaning. Maybe we can help push them over 505 00:28:30,220 --> 00:28:31,820 Speaker 1: the edge if we talk about it all the time. 506 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:32,740 Speaker 2: Yeah, probably. 507 00:28:33,609 --> 00:28:35,129 Speaker 1: Because that's how things work if you listen to the 508 00:28:35,170 --> 00:28:40,300 Speaker 1: polling podcast. And like you mentioned earlier, Minnesota– hasn't voted 509 00:28:40,340 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 1: for a Republican in about 50 years. And they are, 510 00:28:45,220 --> 00:28:46,830 Speaker 1: you know, they have inched a little bit right. 511 00:28:47,690 --> 00:28:52,070 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think Trump just missed Minnesota and Clinton just 512 00:28:52,150 --> 00:28:56,290 Speaker 2: barely won Minnesota by like 3% and Maine by one 513 00:28:56,330 --> 00:28:58,690 Speaker 2: and a half percent. So those two are definitely in 514 00:28:58,750 --> 00:29:00,490 Speaker 2: play like they haven't been in a while. 515 00:29:00,930 --> 00:29:01,710 Speaker 1: Should we take another break? 516 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:03,780 Speaker 2: Let's take another break. And then we're going to come 517 00:29:03,820 --> 00:29:06,300 Speaker 2: back and talk about, get this, swing states. 518 00:29:07,970 --> 00:29:14,620 Speaker 1: Learning stuff is fun with Josh and Chuck. 519 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:27,530 Speaker 2: Stuff you should know. Learning things with Chuck and Chuck. 520 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:32,010 Speaker 1: Learning all the things. Stuff you should know. 521 00:29:36,620 --> 00:29:38,530 Speaker 2: So Chuck, one of the things that we talked about 522 00:29:38,610 --> 00:29:44,770 Speaker 2: early on is that swing states basically tell campaigns where 523 00:29:44,830 --> 00:29:50,150 Speaker 2: they need to concentrate their focus. Right. Their money, their candidates' time, 524 00:29:51,190 --> 00:29:54,430 Speaker 2: you know, election stops, that kind of thing, stumping. Right. 525 00:29:56,560 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 2: They do that. 526 00:29:57,200 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 3: Like that's where the vast. 527 00:29:59,220 --> 00:30:02,340 Speaker 2: Majority of the money goes is the advertising campaigns in 528 00:30:02,380 --> 00:30:05,020 Speaker 2: these swing states. Florida is a really good example of 529 00:30:05,220 --> 00:30:08,420 Speaker 2: a longstanding swing state that gets tons and tons of 530 00:30:08,580 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 2: advertising money. 531 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:13,180 Speaker 1: Yeah, Florida is such an interesting state to me because 532 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:18,350 Speaker 1: it's really hard to pin down politically. And I think 533 00:30:18,530 --> 00:30:22,830 Speaker 1: it's because I think more so than almost any other 534 00:30:22,930 --> 00:30:28,750 Speaker 1: state except– maybe California, I feel like there are more 535 00:30:29,030 --> 00:30:33,050 Speaker 1: versions of Florida than almost any other state has versions 536 00:30:33,110 --> 00:30:33,650 Speaker 1: of itself. 537 00:30:34,250 --> 00:30:34,910 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 538 00:30:35,270 --> 00:30:38,209 Speaker 1: And it's not, I mean, Florida's not small. It's not 539 00:30:38,230 --> 00:30:40,370 Speaker 1: the size of California, but, you know, you think about 540 00:30:40,390 --> 00:30:44,530 Speaker 1: the Gulf Coast and then inland from the Gulf Coast, 541 00:30:44,790 --> 00:30:45,610 Speaker 1: very different people. 542 00:30:46,190 --> 00:30:49,430 Speaker 2: Yeah, the people inland wouldn't be caught dead in Floribama. 543 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. You think about Miami Beach. And that area and 544 00:30:55,100 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: Key West and Fort Lauderdale. And then you've got the 545 00:30:57,510 --> 00:31:01,490 Speaker 1: interior of like the Tampa Clearwater area, which is really different. 546 00:31:01,550 --> 00:31:04,010 Speaker 2: And then let's not forget about the most magical place 547 00:31:04,070 --> 00:31:05,030 Speaker 2: on earth, Orlando. 548 00:31:05,730 --> 00:31:07,690 Speaker 1: Well, you've got Orlando and then you've also got up 549 00:31:07,730 --> 00:31:10,670 Speaker 1: in the north, you know, borderline Georgia. You have places 550 00:31:10,710 --> 00:31:15,150 Speaker 1: like Jacksonville and St. Augustine and just Florida has so 551 00:31:15,170 --> 00:31:18,450 Speaker 1: many different kinds of places within its own state. It 552 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 1: doesn't surprise me that it's really hard to pin down 553 00:31:20,980 --> 00:31:23,890 Speaker 1: politically because it's hard to pin down just sort of culturally. 554 00:31:23,930 --> 00:31:26,510 Speaker 2: I think. Right. And because you have so many different 555 00:31:26,590 --> 00:31:32,070 Speaker 2: places that geographically inform the voters that are so demographically diverse, 556 00:31:32,670 --> 00:31:36,640 Speaker 2: all in one state, then that, of course, is going 557 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 2: to be a swing state. And Florida probably always will 558 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:41,800 Speaker 2: be a swing state just for those reasons. 559 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:45,020 Speaker 1: Yeah. The retirees are a big, they always point to 560 00:31:45,060 --> 00:31:50,340 Speaker 1: retirees in Florida, traditional conservatives. But apparently the youngest three 561 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:54,370 Speaker 1: generations of amount to 54% of registered voters there now. 562 00:31:54,670 --> 00:31:55,730 Speaker 3: That's surprising. 563 00:31:55,850 --> 00:31:58,830 Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean, I guess the sad way to say 564 00:31:58,850 --> 00:32:01,640 Speaker 1: it is that many of these people are dying. 565 00:32:02,540 --> 00:32:06,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean, surely. I mean, an elderly population is 566 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,500 Speaker 2: going to eventually die off. Then you got a younger 567 00:32:09,540 --> 00:32:11,720 Speaker 2: population that's actually going to age into it. But it 568 00:32:11,780 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 2: seems like right now the elderly population in Florida has 569 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:20,530 Speaker 2: been losing ground numbers-wise while the younger populations have been 570 00:32:20,570 --> 00:32:21,150 Speaker 2: gaining ground. 571 00:32:21,380 --> 00:32:22,350 Speaker 1: That's right. They're coming after you. 572 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:23,900 Speaker 2: It's good for a state because you need all those 573 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:25,670 Speaker 2: young people to work to take care of all those 574 00:32:25,730 --> 00:32:30,550 Speaker 2: old people. So Florida gets a tremendous amount of attention, 575 00:32:30,590 --> 00:32:33,710 Speaker 2: a lot of money, a lot of campaign visits, all 576 00:32:33,770 --> 00:32:38,130 Speaker 2: that stuff. And because it's a swing state, all swing 577 00:32:38,150 --> 00:32:42,580 Speaker 2: states get that kind of stuff in presidential elections. But 578 00:32:43,180 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 2: people in other states, especially in solid states that have 579 00:32:46,820 --> 00:32:52,030 Speaker 2: gone one way for many, many election cycles– Those people say, well, hey, 580 00:32:52,070 --> 00:32:54,870 Speaker 2: what about us? We want attention. We want these campaign stops. 581 00:32:54,910 --> 00:32:56,930 Speaker 2: We have things that are important to us that we 582 00:32:56,950 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 2: want to talk to you about and hear from you about. 583 00:32:59,580 --> 00:33:04,820 Speaker 2: We don't care about Florida. We care about Idaho. So 584 00:33:04,900 --> 00:33:08,020 Speaker 2: come to Idaho and talk to us in Idaho. And 585 00:33:08,060 --> 00:33:10,270 Speaker 2: the candidate usually says, like, I don't even know where 586 00:33:10,350 --> 00:33:11,050 Speaker 2: Idaho is. 587 00:33:11,470 --> 00:33:12,310 Speaker 3: Please leave me alone. 588 00:33:12,350 --> 00:33:14,350 Speaker 2: I'm trying to pay attention to Florida, and you're being 589 00:33:14,390 --> 00:33:15,630 Speaker 2: very distracting right now. 590 00:33:16,030 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, and here's the thing. Like, in my mind, I say– 591 00:33:19,810 --> 00:33:22,170 Speaker 1: who cares if a presidential candidate comes and talks to 592 00:33:22,190 --> 00:33:25,810 Speaker 1: people at a dumb rally? Like, does that really matter? 593 00:33:25,890 --> 00:33:28,390 Speaker 1: But what they do is, you know, it's not just 594 00:33:28,430 --> 00:33:31,150 Speaker 1: a broad sort of, let me make a stop there. 595 00:33:31,190 --> 00:33:35,010 Speaker 1: It's very pinpointed and calculated. Like, they might be going 596 00:33:35,070 --> 00:33:40,260 Speaker 1: after a really specific constituency there. Like, because how close 597 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,620 Speaker 1: some of these swing states are, and they might say, 598 00:33:43,660 --> 00:33:47,959 Speaker 1: you know what, if we can get auto workers to 599 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:51,590 Speaker 1: vote for you, will be set. Or if we can 600 00:33:51,610 --> 00:33:57,420 Speaker 1: get people that work on public roads and infrastructure flipped 601 00:33:57,480 --> 00:34:00,960 Speaker 1: our way, then we can win by a thousand votes. 602 00:34:01,660 --> 00:34:03,800 Speaker 1: And so they may make pit stops in these states 603 00:34:04,540 --> 00:34:06,300 Speaker 1: to go to the factory. I mean, that's why they 604 00:34:06,340 --> 00:34:09,850 Speaker 1: do that stuff. It's not just to, you know, I mean, 605 00:34:10,070 --> 00:34:12,030 Speaker 1: it's all just very calculated and very specific. 606 00:34:12,489 --> 00:34:14,779 Speaker 2: Right, because the viewer on TV is like, hey, I 607 00:34:14,820 --> 00:34:16,900 Speaker 2: work in a factory and they're in a factory right now. 608 00:34:16,940 --> 00:34:19,800 Speaker 2: They must mean that they really identify with my needs 609 00:34:19,860 --> 00:34:20,260 Speaker 2: and wants. 610 00:34:20,500 --> 00:34:22,540 Speaker 1: Well, true. And that's someone from another state that also 611 00:34:22,580 --> 00:34:24,839 Speaker 1: just happens to work in a factory. But the people 612 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:28,140 Speaker 1: in that state feel like, wow, they're here to talk 613 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:29,609 Speaker 1: to the coal miners. 614 00:34:30,110 --> 00:34:32,910 Speaker 2: Right. I can't believe they came to Michigan. No one 615 00:34:33,110 --> 00:34:34,770 Speaker 2: ever comes to Michigan on purpose. 616 00:34:35,790 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: Hey, we went to Michigan on purpose. Once. Are we? 617 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:42,140 Speaker 1: We haven't ragged on Detroit in a long time. 618 00:34:42,160 --> 00:34:44,319 Speaker 2: No, it's been a while. But that's really what we're 619 00:34:44,340 --> 00:34:47,000 Speaker 2: talking about. Michigan is code for Detroit when you're talking 620 00:34:47,020 --> 00:34:48,080 Speaker 2: about not going to Michigan. 621 00:34:48,420 --> 00:34:52,219 Speaker 1: But it's just interesting how pinpointed and how just like 622 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:56,250 Speaker 1: razor sharp and focused and laser focus campaigns are these 623 00:34:56,290 --> 00:34:59,549 Speaker 1: days with talking to very specific groups of people. If 624 00:34:59,590 --> 00:35:01,910 Speaker 1: they think they can win a thousand votes out of 625 00:35:01,930 --> 00:35:03,430 Speaker 1: a state, that could make a difference. 626 00:35:03,910 --> 00:35:05,640 Speaker 3: It can because, again, here's why. 627 00:35:05,650 --> 00:35:13,850 Speaker 2: Literally a thousand votes– could make the president in a 628 00:35:13,930 --> 00:35:18,810 Speaker 2: state because of that winner-take-all electoral votes. Whereas if like 629 00:35:18,850 --> 00:35:21,850 Speaker 2: those states use the district system like Maine and Nebraska, 630 00:35:23,030 --> 00:35:26,950 Speaker 2: you know, if you won 51% to 49%, you might 631 00:35:26,989 --> 00:35:29,550 Speaker 2: get half of the delegates and they get the other half, basically. 632 00:35:29,910 --> 00:35:32,450 Speaker 2: But the fact that it's winner-take-all is that, yeah, those 633 00:35:32,550 --> 00:35:36,029 Speaker 2: extra thousand votes really count in a good-sized state for 634 00:35:36,030 --> 00:35:41,140 Speaker 2: 10 electoral votes, 20 electoral votes. So it's definitely worth 635 00:35:41,180 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 2: spending that much time and focus on one single state. 636 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:46,100 Speaker 2: And a lot of other states resent a lot of 637 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:49,939 Speaker 2: non-swing states. So safe states resent swing states because they 638 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:54,160 Speaker 2: say basically it's up to Ohio and Virginia to decide 639 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:56,330 Speaker 2: who gets to be president. The rest of us are 640 00:35:56,350 --> 00:35:59,110 Speaker 2: going to go vote as we're expected to, because if 641 00:35:59,130 --> 00:36:00,910 Speaker 2: you're in a safe state, it doesn't matter if you 642 00:36:00,950 --> 00:36:04,150 Speaker 2: win by a thousand votes or win by a million votes. 643 00:36:04,650 --> 00:36:06,590 Speaker 2: You're going to it's winner take all again, too. So 644 00:36:06,610 --> 00:36:08,529 Speaker 2: you're not going to pay that much attention. And really, 645 00:36:08,570 --> 00:36:11,890 Speaker 2: you're not in a way you're not producing the president. 646 00:36:12,489 --> 00:36:16,089 Speaker 2: That's a little cynical, in my opinion, because without that solid, 647 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:19,560 Speaker 2: safe state, you wouldn't have that foundation that the president, 648 00:36:19,940 --> 00:36:25,040 Speaker 2: the candidate is building these swing state electoral votes off of. Yeah, 649 00:36:25,660 --> 00:36:27,440 Speaker 2: I don't think that's fully accurate, but there does seem 650 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:30,100 Speaker 2: to be like some sour grapes among safe state people. 651 00:36:31,219 --> 00:36:32,160 Speaker 3: That makes sense to me. 652 00:36:32,850 --> 00:36:36,570 Speaker 2: But most of all, Chuck, when you're talking about people 653 00:36:36,590 --> 00:36:39,410 Speaker 2: who feel like their vote is wasted because they're voting 654 00:36:39,469 --> 00:36:43,160 Speaker 2: for the party that's the opposite of how the state 655 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:45,980 Speaker 2: traditionally goes. So if you're a Georgia voter and you're 656 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:50,020 Speaker 2: a Democrat for the last several elections, you could very 657 00:36:50,100 --> 00:36:52,600 Speaker 2: easily feel like your vote was so wasted. You might 658 00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:55,400 Speaker 2: not even bother going to the polls because your vote 659 00:36:55,900 --> 00:36:58,879 Speaker 2: in this sense of electoral college. This is a really 660 00:36:58,900 --> 00:37:01,400 Speaker 2: good reason to do away with the electoral college vote. 661 00:37:02,050 --> 00:37:04,390 Speaker 2: as far as the electoral college is concerned, your vote 662 00:37:04,550 --> 00:37:08,509 Speaker 2: didn't count. You, you had no reason to go vote 663 00:37:08,670 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 2: as far as electing the president goes, because it was 664 00:37:12,260 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 2: washed away and drowned out by all the other votes 665 00:37:15,100 --> 00:37:17,040 Speaker 2: that went toward the other candidate. And since it's a 666 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 2: winner take all system of, of electoral votes that, that 667 00:37:20,739 --> 00:37:23,000 Speaker 2: your vote didn't matter because they were always going to 668 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:25,680 Speaker 2: win all those delegates because you were going to get outvoted. 669 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:31,430 Speaker 1: Right. But, um, And I'm glad you said president specifically. 670 00:37:31,489 --> 00:37:34,109 Speaker 1: You should always vote for the president, of course, but 671 00:37:34,610 --> 00:37:39,719 Speaker 1: there are so many ballot measures and local considerations on 672 00:37:39,739 --> 00:37:42,980 Speaker 1: the ballot, local elections that really have such an impact 673 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:48,540 Speaker 1: that you always, always, always vote. But it's almost like 674 00:37:48,580 --> 00:37:51,120 Speaker 1: filling out your census form in a way. It's the 675 00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:54,810 Speaker 1: only information that we have of where a state is 676 00:37:54,870 --> 00:37:59,109 Speaker 1: politically is you casting your vote. So if you cast 677 00:37:59,130 --> 00:38:02,469 Speaker 1: your vote in Georgia like I do and Donald Trump 678 00:38:02,489 --> 00:38:06,150 Speaker 1: wins Georgia again, it's not a wasted vote because the 679 00:38:06,190 --> 00:38:08,890 Speaker 1: Democratic Party will look up the numbers and say, wow, 680 00:38:09,130 --> 00:38:12,129 Speaker 1: like they're doing now. Look how many– Stacey Abrams almost 681 00:38:12,150 --> 00:38:15,640 Speaker 1: got elected, the first African-American female governor in the United States, 682 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:19,419 Speaker 1: almost won in Georgia in an election that many people 683 00:38:19,460 --> 00:38:23,000 Speaker 1: thought was undermined by the Republican candidate with voter suppression. 684 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:25,580 Speaker 1: And that was a big deal. So now that's why 685 00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:28,400 Speaker 1: so much attention is on Georgia. Because it's like you're 686 00:38:28,420 --> 00:38:31,000 Speaker 1: filling out your little census thing. You're casting that vote. 687 00:38:31,300 --> 00:38:33,560 Speaker 1: And they're saying, OK, well, Georgia's in the mix now. 688 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:36,109 Speaker 1: We're going to campaign in Georgia more. 689 00:38:36,820 --> 00:38:39,040 Speaker 2: Plus, also, there's another really good reason to vote in 690 00:38:39,060 --> 00:38:42,540 Speaker 2: those situations as well. Like I'm sure other voters in 691 00:38:42,580 --> 00:38:45,109 Speaker 2: Vermont who felt like they were probably wasting their vote 692 00:38:45,130 --> 00:38:48,330 Speaker 2: in 1992, but they went dutifully to the polls and 693 00:38:48,450 --> 00:38:52,529 Speaker 2: exercised their real basic important right as a citizen, their 694 00:38:52,570 --> 00:38:53,189 Speaker 2: right to vote. 695 00:38:54,550 --> 00:38:56,669 Speaker 3: And Bill Clinton ended up flipping the state. 696 00:38:57,070 --> 00:38:58,850 Speaker 2: Had those people been like, it's just a waste of 697 00:38:58,890 --> 00:39:02,700 Speaker 2: vote anyway and stayed home, that state wouldn't have been flipped. Right. 698 00:39:02,739 --> 00:39:05,120 Speaker 2: The same goes for Wisconsin or Michigan. 699 00:39:05,140 --> 00:39:05,299 Speaker 1: Right. 700 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:10,100 Speaker 2: For Trump in 2016. So there's a lot of good 701 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:13,020 Speaker 2: reasons to go out and vote, even if you feel 702 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:16,240 Speaker 2: like your vote is wasted. That's just, it's just too cynical. 703 00:39:17,390 --> 00:39:21,570 Speaker 2: You know, and I understand, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, 704 00:39:21,930 --> 00:39:26,569 Speaker 2: you know, things are definitely different. But under normal circumstances, especially, 705 00:39:27,190 --> 00:39:29,550 Speaker 2: the idea of just staying home and not voting, unless 706 00:39:29,570 --> 00:39:32,520 Speaker 2: you're pro against your party's candidate, that's different. 707 00:39:33,140 --> 00:39:34,720 Speaker 1: Well, then go write in a candidate. 708 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:37,400 Speaker 3: Okay, sure. I mean, just the idea of. 709 00:39:37,420 --> 00:39:39,899 Speaker 2: Getting out to the polls on Election Day and participating 710 00:39:39,940 --> 00:39:43,480 Speaker 2: in government on that one day every four years even, 711 00:39:44,520 --> 00:39:48,120 Speaker 2: It's important. It's just important in ways that you can't 712 00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:50,319 Speaker 2: fully put your finger on, but you just know it's 713 00:39:50,380 --> 00:39:52,650 Speaker 2: important and important enough to just do it. 714 00:39:52,930 --> 00:39:55,910 Speaker 1: Well, it's a right that people in this country literally 715 00:39:55,950 --> 00:39:58,200 Speaker 1: lost their lives to ensure. And it's a right that 716 00:39:58,790 --> 00:40:03,270 Speaker 1: not everyone in this country had until fairly recently. And 717 00:40:03,310 --> 00:40:05,070 Speaker 1: so it would be a very sort of privileged. I 718 00:40:05,650 --> 00:40:07,370 Speaker 1: know that word is thrown around a lot, but it's 719 00:40:07,390 --> 00:40:11,069 Speaker 1: a it's a truly privileged frame of mind to think, 720 00:40:11,450 --> 00:40:14,260 Speaker 1: why bother voting? when so many people in this country, 721 00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:16,530 Speaker 1: women and people of color, didn't even have the right 722 00:40:16,550 --> 00:40:20,770 Speaker 1: to vote in, you know, within the last, like, hundred years. Right. 723 00:40:21,110 --> 00:40:24,529 Speaker 1: So it just, that's something that, that's the only thing 724 00:40:24,550 --> 00:40:26,690 Speaker 1: that really burns me up. Vote for whoever you want 725 00:40:26,710 --> 00:40:28,290 Speaker 1: to vote for, but if you sit at home and 726 00:40:28,330 --> 00:40:29,299 Speaker 1: you don't even vote, then. 727 00:40:30,980 --> 00:40:31,600 Speaker 1: Just get out. 728 00:40:31,620 --> 00:40:35,140 Speaker 2: And you know what, Chuck? Yeah, vote or die, as P. 729 00:40:35,180 --> 00:40:35,840 Speaker 2: Diddy says. 730 00:40:36,219 --> 00:40:36,969 Speaker 1: Who's that, P. Diddy? 731 00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:39,910 Speaker 2: Yeah. So one other thing that really has grabbed me 732 00:40:39,969 --> 00:40:44,129 Speaker 2: in the last, like, several years is the idea, you know, 733 00:40:44,390 --> 00:40:46,150 Speaker 2: when I was a younger lad, I was like, voting 734 00:40:46,190 --> 00:40:48,410 Speaker 2: doesn't even matter. It doesn't count. Everything's controlled by the 735 00:40:48,469 --> 00:40:49,490 Speaker 2: Illuminati anyway. 736 00:40:49,530 --> 00:40:51,250 Speaker 1: Yeah, you were a young anarchist. Right. 737 00:40:51,670 --> 00:40:53,330 Speaker 3: So the idea that. 738 00:40:54,900 --> 00:40:58,510 Speaker 2: That the Russians are meddling in our election and that 739 00:40:58,550 --> 00:41:04,609 Speaker 2: the candidates take the election so seriously and super PACs 740 00:41:04,630 --> 00:41:06,860 Speaker 2: raise so much money to spend to try to sway 741 00:41:06,900 --> 00:41:10,739 Speaker 2: people's public opinions. The idea that that actually happens in 742 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:13,839 Speaker 2: real life, to me, goes to support the idea that 743 00:41:14,550 --> 00:41:17,690 Speaker 2: your votes actually do count that voting really does matter 744 00:41:17,930 --> 00:41:20,390 Speaker 2: in the United States still. And things are not so 745 00:41:20,790 --> 00:41:23,190 Speaker 2: thrown off course and controlled and under the thumb of 746 00:41:23,250 --> 00:41:26,160 Speaker 2: people who, who, um, you know, are really pulling the 747 00:41:26,219 --> 00:41:28,839 Speaker 2: strings and calling the shots that that actually doesn't exist 748 00:41:29,340 --> 00:41:31,620 Speaker 2: that in reality voting matters. 749 00:41:32,120 --> 00:41:34,919 Speaker 3: And I think that the, the, the threats to. 750 00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:38,279 Speaker 2: Voting that we've seen over the last like several years, um, 751 00:41:38,480 --> 00:41:41,220 Speaker 2: have really kind of driven that home for me. Yeah. 752 00:41:41,300 --> 00:41:43,050 Speaker 1: And you know what? By the time this comes out, 753 00:41:43,060 --> 00:41:44,680 Speaker 1: there'll be a couple of months to go before the 754 00:41:44,719 --> 00:41:49,250 Speaker 1: election or actually maybe one month to go. Check your 755 00:41:49,290 --> 00:41:51,729 Speaker 1: voter registration. Make sure you know where you're going to vote. 756 00:41:52,310 --> 00:41:54,570 Speaker 1: If you're voting early, make sure you understand that. If 757 00:41:54,590 --> 00:41:58,640 Speaker 1: you're voting absentee or by mail, make sure you fully 758 00:41:58,700 --> 00:42:03,319 Speaker 1: understand how that all works. Don't be surprised on election day. 759 00:42:03,560 --> 00:42:05,219 Speaker 1: You don't want any surprises. You want to make sure 760 00:42:05,700 --> 00:42:07,980 Speaker 1: you know exactly how you're going to vote and that 761 00:42:08,020 --> 00:42:09,879 Speaker 1: you can ensure that you can vote. 762 00:42:10,739 --> 00:42:11,339 Speaker 3: Absolutely. 763 00:42:12,020 --> 00:42:18,540 Speaker 2: Go to USA.gov to check out voter registration and to 764 00:42:18,620 --> 00:42:21,860 Speaker 2: make sure that you are, to confirm that you're registered 765 00:42:21,900 --> 00:42:22,219 Speaker 2: to vote. 766 00:42:22,320 --> 00:42:22,900 Speaker 1: I still check. 767 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:26,259 Speaker 2: Yeah, I checked recently, too, and I tweeted it out 768 00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:29,410 Speaker 2: on the Stuff You Should Know podcast Twitter platform, too. 769 00:42:29,550 --> 00:42:32,029 Speaker 1: Totally. And we should put a bow on this one 770 00:42:32,050 --> 00:42:34,189 Speaker 1: by talking a little bit about the national popular vote. 771 00:42:34,760 --> 00:42:35,860 Speaker 1: Interstate Compact. 772 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:37,020 Speaker 2: You read my mind. 773 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:40,840 Speaker 1: And this, the NPVIC, this is a group of states 774 00:42:40,900 --> 00:42:44,450 Speaker 1: that advocate for a different plan moving forward. These are 775 00:42:44,530 --> 00:42:48,710 Speaker 1: states and people that say, how can a candidate win 776 00:42:49,489 --> 00:42:54,390 Speaker 1: by 3 million votes or 500,000 votes and not be president? 777 00:42:54,410 --> 00:42:56,730 Speaker 1: Because that is clearly not the will of the people. 778 00:42:56,790 --> 00:42:59,330 Speaker 1: We have a broken system. Let's get rid of this 779 00:42:59,390 --> 00:43:04,900 Speaker 1: electoral college. And right now there are Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, 780 00:43:04,940 --> 00:43:11,620 Speaker 1: New Mexico, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, D.C., 781 00:43:11,700 --> 00:43:16,989 Speaker 1: and Hawaii are all signed up in a past legislation 782 00:43:17,469 --> 00:43:22,069 Speaker 1: to enter this compact with several more pending. Ohio, Pennsylvania, 783 00:43:22,590 --> 00:43:24,490 Speaker 1: South Carolina, and Virginia are pending. 784 00:43:25,469 --> 00:43:27,490 Speaker 2: Right. And so what this compact says is the state 785 00:43:27,550 --> 00:43:31,750 Speaker 2: signs on to the compact that says under normal electoral 786 00:43:31,790 --> 00:43:35,719 Speaker 2: college rules, we give our electoral votes to whoever wins 787 00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:39,100 Speaker 2: the statewide ballot. Instead, we're going to give it to 788 00:43:39,160 --> 00:43:43,140 Speaker 2: whoever wins the national vote, the national popular vote. So 789 00:43:43,260 --> 00:43:48,140 Speaker 2: even if, say, Joe Biden loses Idaho, if Idaho was 790 00:43:48,180 --> 00:43:50,250 Speaker 2: signed on to this and this thing were in effect, 791 00:43:50,650 --> 00:43:53,350 Speaker 2: but he won the national popular vote, Idaho would give 792 00:43:53,410 --> 00:43:56,570 Speaker 2: its electoral votes to Biden. So that the states are 793 00:43:56,590 --> 00:43:59,410 Speaker 2: going to follow the popular vote and basically go around 794 00:43:59,469 --> 00:44:00,470 Speaker 2: the Electoral College. 795 00:44:00,489 --> 00:44:01,330 Speaker 1: Yeah, not abolish it. 796 00:44:11,610 --> 00:44:14,670 Speaker 2: This requires none of that. It's the state signing on 797 00:44:14,710 --> 00:44:18,470 Speaker 2: to go around the Electoral College by using the Electoral College. 798 00:44:18,820 --> 00:44:21,240 Speaker 2: And I mean, we should say, too, the Electoral College 799 00:44:21,300 --> 00:44:24,120 Speaker 2: is part of the framers vision for the Constitution. But 800 00:44:24,140 --> 00:44:28,520 Speaker 2: they specifically added this provision to keep the popular vote 801 00:44:28,820 --> 00:44:32,209 Speaker 2: from selecting the president. They wanted to keep this elite 802 00:44:32,250 --> 00:44:36,490 Speaker 2: group of politicos in charge of who actually picked the president. 803 00:44:36,510 --> 00:44:39,370 Speaker 2: And that's they created the Electoral College to get in 804 00:44:39,390 --> 00:44:40,549 Speaker 2: the way of the popular vote. 805 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:41,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's interesting. 806 00:44:42,380 --> 00:44:45,799 Speaker 3: It really is. So that's swing states, eh? 807 00:44:46,590 --> 00:44:47,430 Speaker 1: That's swing states. 808 00:44:48,410 --> 00:44:50,150 Speaker 2: If you want to know more about swing states, start 809 00:44:50,210 --> 00:44:52,830 Speaker 2: reading up on swing states. Start reading up on politics. 810 00:44:52,890 --> 00:44:57,110 Speaker 2: It's pretty interesting stuff. And like we said earlier, go vote. 811 00:44:57,610 --> 00:44:58,150 Speaker 2: Just vote. 812 00:44:58,950 --> 00:45:01,399 Speaker 3: And since I said that, everybody, it's time for Listener Mail. 813 00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:06,380 Speaker 1: This is from McKenna Bridge, and this is in defense 814 00:45:06,420 --> 00:45:10,129 Speaker 1: of baby carrots. Just like Chuck, the thought of baby 815 00:45:10,170 --> 00:45:14,670 Speaker 1: carrots disgusted me in the past, conjuring up images of 816 00:45:14,730 --> 00:45:17,670 Speaker 1: towering piles of food waste that I imagined were the 817 00:45:17,710 --> 00:45:20,529 Speaker 1: byproduct of these smooth little suckers. But we got it 818 00:45:20,550 --> 00:45:23,210 Speaker 1: all wrong, my friend. While the baby carrot is, of course, 819 00:45:23,250 --> 00:45:26,390 Speaker 1: a very manicured and aesthetically pleasing version of the real 820 00:45:26,430 --> 00:45:29,550 Speaker 1: carrot pulled straight from the soil, their invention basically changed 821 00:45:29,580 --> 00:45:33,400 Speaker 1: the entire carrot industry forever. And there was a guy 822 00:45:33,580 --> 00:45:39,980 Speaker 1: named Mike Urosik. who decided to smooth carrots down in 823 00:45:40,000 --> 00:45:44,759 Speaker 1: the 1980s into these little aerodynamic bite-sized cylinders, and they 824 00:45:44,780 --> 00:45:48,520 Speaker 1: were called baby carrots. He figured carrots were ugly and 825 00:45:49,100 --> 00:45:53,930 Speaker 1: too plentiful to profit from as farmers, so they had 826 00:45:53,950 --> 00:45:56,410 Speaker 1: a long growing season, and the people just weren't buying them. 827 00:45:56,469 --> 00:46:02,950 Speaker 1: So Mike Urosik introduces the baby carrot, and boom, carrot 828 00:46:02,969 --> 00:46:07,489 Speaker 1: sales absolutely skyrocketed. And even today's baby carrots frequently top 829 00:46:07,510 --> 00:46:10,190 Speaker 1: the list for the largest share of supermarket sales. 830 00:46:10,790 --> 00:46:11,050 Speaker 2: Wow. 831 00:46:11,550 --> 00:46:14,770 Speaker 1: Asking about the peels, guys? Well, they are just about 832 00:46:14,810 --> 00:46:18,910 Speaker 1: the perfect byproduct for making carrot juice. Baby carrots are tasty, convenient, 833 00:46:18,950 --> 00:46:22,380 Speaker 1: and turns out a wonderful invention. The more you know, right? Anyway, 834 00:46:22,420 --> 00:46:25,020 Speaker 1: I'm not completely caught up on your podcast, so maybe 835 00:46:25,040 --> 00:46:27,060 Speaker 1: someone has beat me to the punch. But I didn't 836 00:46:27,100 --> 00:46:29,799 Speaker 1: want to chance y'all making fools of yourself the next 837 00:46:29,840 --> 00:46:33,020 Speaker 1: time baby carrots comes up. I think you guys are great. 838 00:46:33,060 --> 00:46:35,310 Speaker 1: Keep up the amazing work. You're a loyal listener and 839 00:46:35,390 --> 00:46:40,719 Speaker 1: baby carrot convert. McKenna Bridge. And I even looked it up, too, 840 00:46:40,760 --> 00:46:42,660 Speaker 1: and I think I saw that it was a myth 841 00:46:43,120 --> 00:46:44,020 Speaker 1: that they are bleached. 842 00:46:45,360 --> 00:46:47,160 Speaker 3: It sounds like something I would buy into. 843 00:46:47,219 --> 00:46:50,879 Speaker 1: It sounds like something I'd buy into, too. Big carrot. Or, 844 00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:52,020 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, small carrot. 845 00:46:52,340 --> 00:46:55,529 Speaker 2: Yeah, carrots are bleached. The Illuminati really runs things. 846 00:46:56,190 --> 00:46:58,790 Speaker 1: So, you know, I haven't fully vetted all that, but 847 00:46:58,830 --> 00:47:01,589 Speaker 1: that's what McKenna Bridge says, is that they really turned 848 00:47:01,630 --> 00:47:03,990 Speaker 1: around carrots as a whole thing. And that they do 849 00:47:04,140 --> 00:47:08,569 Speaker 1: use those shavings for characters is what she says. 850 00:47:09,710 --> 00:47:12,109 Speaker 2: Well, McKenna, that was really great stuff. Thank you for 851 00:47:12,150 --> 00:47:14,810 Speaker 2: trying to keep us from making fools of ourselves again. 852 00:47:14,830 --> 00:47:15,930 Speaker 1: It's not going to work. 853 00:47:16,650 --> 00:47:19,630 Speaker 2: No, it won't stick. If you want to get in 854 00:47:19,670 --> 00:47:22,290 Speaker 2: touch with us like McKenna did, you can send us 855 00:47:22,350 --> 00:47:25,759 Speaker 2: an email to stuffpodcasts at iheartradio.com. 856 00:47:29,040 --> 00:47:31,870 Speaker 1: Stuff You Should Know is a production of iHeartRadio. For 857 00:47:31,890 --> 00:47:36,030 Speaker 1: more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 858 00:47:36,190 --> 00:47:37,950 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.