This election is a binary event. Calling for Obama's defeat *IS* advocating for Romney's victory.

[TheKentuckian]

73. There is no way to pressure a politician other than votes and money.

I don't think you actually mean pressure, you mean complain and then come out the pocket and vote which gives the politician every license to ignore any and all complaints because there is no consequence to do so.

The real reason protest voting doesn't work is because too few people do it. A small number can be replaced, at least in theory, by being a little more regressive. A large chunk makes the argument foolish because there isn't enough room to get them and be of any value to your existing coalition to hold it together and attract firm GOP voters.

You have a fair chunk telling you to go to hell and damn the torpedos, a chunk you cannot capture by any stretch of the imagination replacements from the Reich for and the win go right, lose go right action is halted and reversed.
This is done because it can arguably be gotten away with.