Want To Actually Be The Difference In America's Future?

Here's Why You Just Could Be: More Boaters Than Voters

& the States that Matter

Nationally, the American electorate seems deeply divided more or less in thirds between Republicans, Independents, and Democrats.

Regardless of your position on the 2016 Presidential election, it was essentially determined by only about 80,000 votes in three states. Out of the approximately 137 million votes cast, the winning margin of only 80,000 was about the size of a good football stadium.

That is such a small percentage lets make sure we understand. 1% of the total votes cast of 137 million is 1,370,000. 1% of that 1% is 13,700. So the winning margin was about 5.8% of 1% or 0.058394160583942% of 137,000,000.

To put that in perspective, that's only about 25 people per county in the United States. Or of the 172,242 precincts in the country that's less than one vote difference in only 1/2 of the precincts.

Or of the 435 Congressional Districts each representing approximately 747,000 people, that's about 184 people per district or 0.024631860776439%.

2020 Was Much Closer!

2020 reportedly had record voter turn out of 158,542,513. Arizona 10,457, Georgia 11,779 and Wisconsin 20,682 or about 42,918 (out of 158 million) in those three states which Trump won in 2016 and Trump would have won in 2020!

Future Elections Will Be Even Closer!

And boaters are uniquely positioned to play an every increasingly determinant role in closely contested state and national election outcomes.

Boaters have a lot of influence and a lot of friends

Boating statistics will vary somewhat depending on the compiler and definitions of such terms as "in use", "registered" and just what does constitute a "vessel". Nevertheless several sources seem to be fairly close and consistent in their findings:

In 2016, about 15.8 million boats for recreational purposes were in use. Of the total recreational boats in the United States, around 11.9 million were registered vessels in 2016.

Recreational boating-interesting numbers ...

Source: National Marine Manufacturers Association, 2017 U.S. Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract, 2016 Recreational Boating Participation Study.

There were an estimated 12 million registered boats in the U.S. in 2017.

Boating is primarily a middle-class lifestyle as 62% of American boat owners have an annual household income $100,000 or less.

Americans are taking to the water: 141.6 million Americans (adults & minor children) went boating in 2016. That's an average of about 12 people per boat. Granting we are counting all Americans - adults and children - but it's an interesting and undeniable fact - that could possibly be suggestive of American priorities and passions:

In 2016 more Americans boated than voted in the Presidential election.

Not to overstate the potential significance of boaters, but let's not understate it either - as the potential may not be obvious. Allowing for half of that number to be minor children too young to vote, that would still be more than half of all of the voters in 2016.

Even a casual look at the numbers, suggests boaters could be influential in future elections. Boat owners have a unique and highly desirable platform from which to regularly meet in a casual relaxing setting to persuade friends and family - that have already expressed an affinity for the boating lifestyle and benefits - to the merits of electing reasonable, and rational candidates supporting realistic economic and environmental policies.

Efforts to educate, mobilize, and motivate the greater community of boat owners - especially those independent and swing voters and owners of smaller boats in a few key states could be important . History is full of instances where a small group or even just one man made the difference in the course of world events.

If one actually dives deep in the 2016 and 2020 election results, past the electoral college count, victory was by the narrowest of margin. It really only came down to about 80,000 and 40,000 votes respectively in 3 states. And there were several other states that were won by just a few percent.

Just a cursory review of Wikipedia is revealing.

Close races

Red denotes states (or congressional districts whose electoral votes are awarded separately) won by Republican Donald Trump; blue denotes those won by Democrat Hillary Clinton.

States where the margin of victory was under 1% (50 electoral votes; 46 won by Trump, 4 by Clinton):

Michigan, 0.23% – 16
New Hampshire, 0.37% – 4
Pennsylvania, 0.72% – 20 (tipping point state, including 2 faithless Texas GOP electors)[455]
Wisconsin, 0.77% – 10 (tipping point state, excluding the 2 faithless GOP electors)[455]

States/districts where the margin of victory was between 1%-5% (83 electoral votes; 56 by Trump, 27 by Clinton):

Florida, 1.20% – 29
Minnesota, 1.52% – 10
Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, 2.24% – 1
Nevada, 2.42% – 6
Maine, 2.96% – 2
Arizona, 3.55% – 11
North Carolina, 3.66% – 15
Colorado, 4.91% – 9

Now compare the states with the largest per capita of boat owners.

Finally, most have seen these types of election interactive maps.

It's noteworthy that in 2020 if Trump won all the states he won in 2016 EXCEPT Pennsylvania and Michigan, Trump would have won 270 to 268. Remember also, in 2016 Trump lost Minnesota and its 10 electoral votes by only 1.5% and Minnesota has the most boat owners per capita at 15%.

Many of the most contested states have per capita boat ownership exceeding the margin of electoral victory or loss. Per Capita Boat Ownership in Florida (4.9%), Michigan (8.2%), Minnesota (15.3%), Wisconsin(10.8%), Pennsylvania (2.9%), Maine (8.4%), New Hampshire (7.2%) - close states having significant boating populations exceeding the margin of victory or loss.

There are numerous worthy and worthwhile uses for your time, talents, and treasure, yet Boaters For A Brighter Future seems especially well positioned to provide the greatest bang for the buck - especially for those like minded freedom loving Americans and boating enthusiasts in states that are largely already controlled by one part or the other.

If we can successfully pool our resources to educate, mobilize, and motivate the greater community of boat owners, water enthusiasts - and their friends and families too- especially those owners of smaller boats in the few key contested swing states with relatively large boating populations, we could actually make a difference in future elections and in the country for generations to come.

The Sensible Alternative

Nobody wants clean water and a healthy environment more than boaters - the stewards of the seas. Or a dynamic growing economy for everyone as outdoor water recreation can be expensive.

Unfortunately, while acknowledging the economic impact of the boating industry, many Democrats as per the GND, see destroying the boating industry and others that burn fossil fuels as just a necessary cost of saving the planet from greenhouse gases.

Precious few Democrats are aware, or even care, much less understand or appreciate the many other positive contributions boat owners and the boating industry make to the global environment and American society beyond the obvious economic benefits. But now we can change their perceptions of the boating industry.

Boaters For A Brighter Future believe there is an alternative to radical environmental policies proposed by the vast majority of national Democrats - and certainly as proposed by the leaders of the Democratic Party.

We support a rational, realistic, and responsible environmental policy and those public officials officials that do also.