In article ,
PaPaPeng wrote:


I am not American so we live with whomever you elect as President.
But please do consider the message you are sending to Americans and to
the rest of the world by not voting. If the American President takes
office on a minority popular vote, of say 30 percent turnout of
eligible voters, then he or she does not have a mandate to do
anything. No mandate to change the direction America is on. No
credibility on the world stage that he or she has the support of the
people.

Roughly runs just over 50% in presidential elections. It also isn't
all that unusual for a president to get elected with only a plurality.
Clinton did not get 50% of the vote either time he won, Nixon didn't in
'68 and JFK did not get it 60. Carter and Reagan 1 made it to 50% by
less than .75%.
Yet pretty much every president since Washington has talked about
their mandate (g).