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What do you consider to be an "overwhelming majority"?

What do you consider to be an "overwhelming majority"?

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Hatuey

Hatuey

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Easy question. I thought we could reach a consensus on what it meant from a percentage point.

55-45
60-40
65-35
70-30
75-25
80-20
85-15
90-10
95-5
100-0

Note because it's not entirely obvious: Anything after what you choose would also be considered an overwhelming majority. So for example, if you picked 75-25, then 80-20, 85-15, 90-10, 95-5, 100-0 would also be overwhelming majorities. Please choose carefully.
 
Two thirds and over.
 
Well you have to admit the group size makes a difference.

60% out of tens of millions is pretty big, but 60% of 5 isn't so overwhelming.
 
Overwhelming majority to me depends on the situation.

For the sake of indulging the thread though I'll make a hypothetical for myself. For our badass soldiers out there, probably 85 Chinese/Russian troops to 15 American soldiers is an overwhelming majority.

95 sand fleas to 5 American troops would be an overwhelming majority :cool:
 
Luftwaffe said:
Overwhelming majority to me depends on the situation.

For the sake of indulging the thread though I'll make a hypothetical for myself. For our badass soldiers out there, probably 85 Chinese/Russian troops to 15 American soldiers is an overwhelming majority.

95 sand fleas to 5 American troops would be an overwhelming majority :cool:
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I'm asking in general terms. For example, 20,000 people go out for ice cream everyday. 55% choose vanilla and 45% choose chocolate. Would you say the overwhelming majority chose vanilla?

Apocalypse said:
Two thirds and over.
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Thank you Apocalypse. Your quick response is welcomed.
 
Yeah I think 2/3 and above is fair for most situations as well. As a general rule. You get towards 3/4 and that's more of an ass whooping, depending on the situation.
 
Usually 60-40 works well enough for me, in most cases. Especially when dealing with politics. Can't remember the last time there was those odds on any major piece of legislation. It's usually right down the middle with a few flip-floppers.
 
Hatuey said:
Easy question. I thought we could reach a consensus on what it meant from a percentage point.

55-45
60-40
65-35
70-30
75-25
80-20
85-15
90-10
95-5
100-0

Note because it's not entirely obvious: Anything after what you choose would also be considered an overwhelming majority. So for example, if you picked 75-25, then 80-20, 85-15, 90-10, 95-5, 100-0 would also be overwhelming majorities. Please choose carefully.
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I choose 85-15 because that seems overwhelming to me. 65-35 seems a big majority and then 75-25 a huge majority and then after 85 I would consider overwhelming.
 
I would consider 3/4 to be "overwhelming", but in today's social and political climate 2/3 is probably more practical.
 
Hatuey said:
Easy question. I thought we could reach a consensus on what it meant from a percentage point.

55-45
60-40
65-35
70-30
75-25
80-20
85-15
90-10
95-5
100-0

Note because it's not entirely obvious: Anything after what you choose would also be considered an overwhelming majority. So for example, if you picked 75-25, then 80-20, 85-15, 90-10, 95-5, 100-0 would also be overwhelming majorities. Please choose carefully.
Click to expand...

In a two party system I think that overwhelming could mean above 65%, though, 60% is pretty good too. In systems with more parties 50% could be overwhelming.
 
I went with 70-30% based on one of the comments regarding smaller sizes of potential groups.

In a group of 10 people - 60-40% really isn't a large difference.
 
radcen said:
I would consider 3/4 to be "overwhelming", but in today's social and political climate 2/3 is probably more practical.
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Of course, it is a matter of taste and constitution. But if there are additional advantages having 2/3 or 3/4 of the vote, say constitutional change or overriding a veto or other chamber ect then that should possibly be noted as a criterium and not the overwhelming majority.
 
joG said:
Of course, it is a matter of taste and constitution. But if there are additional advantages having 2/3 or 3/4 of the vote, say constitutional change or overriding a veto or other chamber ect then that should possibly be noted as a criterium and not the overwhelming majority.
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Right. To me, "overwhelming" has more of a subjective aspect to it.
 
It depends on who composes the two parties. Strength is not determined by number alone.
 
Excellent responses guys. Thank you for contributing to the thread.
 
75% - 25% is usually a good point to start for overwhelming majority.
 
What difference does it make?...some Leftist judge will just slap it down.
 
WCH said:
What difference does it make?...some Leftist judge will just slap it down.
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This isn't about what judges do, but your personal opinion on what it is.
 
I don't think there's a really set in stone number. It's going to vary a bit on group. It also matters what's being asked about. Are there only two answers, or are there five?

6 votes for A and 4 votes for B would hardly indicate an "overwhelming" victory of A. However...

6 votes for A, 1 vote for B, 1 vote for C, 1 vote for D, and 1 vote for E would perhaps seem like an "overwhelming" victory for A because it's 5 more votes than it's next closest competitor.

So with the caveat that this is hardly a set in stone, universal answer....

I'd basically go with a notion that an "overwhelming" majority would be around the 3/4ths range.
 
Hatuey said:
This isn't about what judges do, but your personal opinion on what it is.
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My personal opinion has been stated.

Example, over 75% of Texas voters decided marriage should be only between one man and one woman.

That huge majority decision is in jeopardy as we speak, all because of a single judge.
 
Hatuey said:
Easy question. I thought we could reach a consensus on what it meant from a percentage point.

55-45
60-40
65-35
70-30
75-25
80-20
85-15
90-10
95-5
100-0

Note because it's not entirely obvious: Anything after what you choose would also be considered an overwhelming majority. So for example, if you picked 75-25, then 80-20, 85-15, 90-10, 95-5, 100-0 would also be overwhelming majorities. Please choose carefully.
Click to expand...

2 to 1 sounds about right, though really it depends on what we are talking about to a bit. If the norm is about a 50/50 split, give or take 5 %, then 60/40 would be pretty significant. However, if the norm has a wide range, then it would take more.
 
I guess I'm a rare breed - I chose 80-20. That's a 4 to 1 split. I'm not impressed by 2-1 or 3-1. That percentage split could narrow significantly in a relatively short amount of time. For me, an overwhelming majority is one that would be 80-20 or greater, because you're talking about getting close to unanimous agreement.

Once you start getting into the 65-35, 60-40 range, you're really talking about issues that could go either way. Death penalty, is water boarding torture (what how is that not 99-1??), should we allow gays to marry, etc. Examples of topics that have an overwhelming majority:

1) Do you support the troops?
2) Is cancer bad?
3) Is there a God?
 
In American elections, the term "landslide" in terms of popular vote is normally when you win by at least 10 percentage points?
 
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