But the decisive factor, as in Spain, was a big increase in the percentage of voters taking part. In the French regional elections in 1998 a mere 57.7% of voters participated--and the Right won a majority of regional councils. Last Sunday 62.1% of voters went to the *urnes*, and the Left emerged with a strong lead. Then today fully 65.3% of voters participated, and the Left won decisively--50% of votes versus some 37% for Chirac's UMP-UDF coalition (the FN got about 13%, much of which came from workingclass voters).
The lesson we should draw from these encouraging victories is clear--the decisive factor for the Left's electoral prospect is *voter turnout*. This is what Nader and the Greens have been insisting all along. Those whose "leftism" has come down to nothing more than panic-stricken lesser evilism, whose support (shamefaced) for the Dumbocrats is manifested in carping at Nader, sneering at his supporters, and denigrating his candidacy, are in reality doing their (very puny) best to depress voter turnout. Perhaps the Spaniards and French will prompt at least a few second thoughts.
Shane Mage
"When we read on a printed page the doctrine of Pythagoras that all things are made of numbers, it seems mystical, mystifying, even downright silly.
When we read on a computer screen the doctrine of Pythagoras that all things are made of numbers, it seems self-evidently true." (N. Weiner)