The difference of 2% (and 192 electoral votes)

After the significance of the electoral vote was belittled by various groups with Al Gore's 2000 loss, this cartoon illustrates just how quick those people are to forget about the popular vote.

In fairness, the cartoonist is rounding up for Bush (he had 50.7% of the popular vote) and down for Obama (he had 52.7% of the popular vote).

Still, it illustrates what we all know: the electoral vote is all that matters. If your election for mayor has a gap of 6.7%, you'd call it a tight race. If your election for U.S. Congress has a gap of 6.7%, you'd call it a tight race. If your election for president has a gap of 6.7%, it means nothing. In electoral terms, Obama won this election by 35.6%. Obama had over twice as many electoral votes as McCain. That's a colossal defeat for McCain and a gigantic victory for Obama.

I support the electoral college. We can't forget that in a federalist government, the states should have the primary authority. We vote to choose which candidate our state will support.

Of course, in an era of big government, we tend to forget our fundamental federalism. But every 4 years, we are reminded.