I sure as heck voted and my comments might fit under your “disillusioned” category. I suspect many non-voters refused to play along with our rotten system, as a passive-aggressive protect, even if unconsciously.
Perhaps many non-voters were protesting the shallow, idiotic way our campaigns are run. Candidates are marketed as products, and empty vessels. Marketers play on emotions; ideas and specific intentions are avoided, because the opposition can easily attack them. Our “debates” are a travesty of the concept. Robocalls are literally fake, insult our intelligence, and invade our privacy. Radio and TV ads mostly come across as transparent fakery.
The marketing model for candidates, just as for junk products on TV, works best with those who are emotionally driven, have weak characters, and/or have relatively low IQ. Such people will always be in the majority. To the extent that Republicans play “me too” in this game, they drive away their natural allies. When Republicans in office deliver the same growth of Big Government as their leftist opponents, they reduce the reason for Conservatives to vote. Other non-voters are protesting the fact that our electoral proess is so corrupt that “voting” merely legitimizes a rigged game.
Note that “Exit Polls” are not a satisfactory resource for explaining this election. Republicans lost because millions of their natural voters, did not turn out. Those who were not there to “Exit” don’t get polled. People look for excuses to justify doing the wrong thing. The Republicans had better figure out what those excuses were, and how to counter them, if they want to win elections.
ref your last two lines.
Have you looked at these results like others have?
Just asking because if you had and seen what many others had seen then you would know that republicans did turn out, that not turning out is a media talking point to have us move on.
Look at FL and how West has seen republican votes were not counted in the Dem county.
Look at how precincts had 100% votes for obama
Military votes in just one state VA went evenly which is unheard of
WI went republican but did not for for Ryan but for a Dem senator and obama
Look at the republican observers thrown out in over 20 precincts in Philly and in FL
It goes on and on, I think it was WI which had 44 polling station but Romney got 1 vote
Mia Love in UT wh was up double digits just before the election but lost and who the left knew was a threat to them