In a perfect democracy, at least 50% of people would support every decision.

The U.S. falls short of this goal.

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Spoken For.
S. 627 // July 31, 2011Senate: Needed 60 votes to end debate

Faster FOIA Act of 2011

Sponsor: Patrick Leahy (D-VT)

Budget Control Act of 2011 - Title I: Ten-Year Discretionary Caps with Sequester - (Sec. 101) Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to revise sequestration requirements for enforcement of discretionary spending limits (spending caps). Requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct such a sequestration to eliminate a budget year breach, if any.

Government Operations and Politics Topic assigned by the Congressional Research Service.

Who won, and how much of the country was behind them

Chamber

Won the vote · Nay

49 votes, representing 101,554,719 people42.8%of U.S. adults

Lost the vote · Yea

50 votes, representing 134,186,046 people56.6%of U.S. adults

The dotted gap is 0.6% of U.S. adults whose member did not vote, voted “present,” or whose seat was vacant.

Share of U.S. adults represented, the Senate. The winning side fell 7.2 points short of a majority of the country.
SideOutcomeVotesShare of U.S. adults
NayWon4942.8%
YeaLost5056.6%
Not represented on this questionNo position taken00.6%

Senate This side won even though more senators, and more Americans, voted the other way. Ending debate needed 60 votes here, not a majority.