FACT: GOP voters are overwhelmingly older, whiter, and maler

[enlightenment]

46. Problem is that when this started,

the comment that was made was constructed as an absolute. I believe the expression was "Older white people are the GOP demographic. Period"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025065109#post65

Words have meaning - and a failure to use words also conveys meaning. Your original statement was an absolute - no modifiers - followed by a doubling down absolute ("period&quot , followed by a reply of "bullshit, it's a fact".

Now you are annoyed because people are upset with you, but you keep layering it on without considering what you are actually saying. NOW you are modifying your statement to "older, white and male" but that isn't what you said before.

What you said yesterday - an absolute - is that ALL older white people vote GOP. That's a brush so broad it's a wonder you could hold it up to make that swipe.

Today it is slightly modified to MOST older white males (an overwhelming majority, presumably) vote GOP.

Slightly better, but still encompassing a pretty broad swathe in an indeterminate statement.

Now, I believe that isn't what you mean. You mean that SOME older white males fall into that demographic - or even MOST older white males - or perhaps A MAJORITY of older white males. Problem is that we, the readers, just don't know what you mean, because the addition of modifiers that would make your statement sound like you care enough to be accurate are missing.

You are offering no evidence for your assertion - the most reliable sources I have found suggest that yes - white voters tend to lean GOP. They do not suggest that "older white people" or "older white males" overwhelmingly lean GOP.

Gallup (2013) agrees that most GOP voters are non-Hispanic white (89%), but offers no evidence of age groupings or even gender.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/160373/democrats-racially-diverse-republicans-mostly-white.aspx

The 2012 Pew Poll, which is much more detailed, reveals a similar percentage (87%) but the breakdown into gender and age shows no "overwhelming" percentage - unless, of course, you are classifying "older" as anyone over 30.


It is your lack of precision that creates the problem. People are going to read what you write; on a message board that's all they have to go on.