45,000!

Congrats to Let's Go Oakland for going over 45,000 fans on Facebook. It's fitting that LGO's Facebook page hit that milestone on Dec. 1, the same day that more than 200 A's fans packed Oakland City Hall in support of a new Jack London Square ballpark at Victory Court.

Now, some Facebook critics say that these pages are trivial and don't represent true political or financial support. But recent political research strongly suggests that those critics have been wrong. In November's elections, the candidate who more people "liked" on Facebook won in 71 percent of Senate elections. Twitter was even more accurate, with the candidates with more followers winning in 74 percent of elections, according to news reports.

So, when Let's Go Oakland declares that they're all for building a new A's ballpark in Oakland, and 45,000 A's fans throw their support behind that by joining LGO's Facebook page, it's nothing to sneeze at. LGO's 45,000 members prove even more significant when one looks at the paltry Facebook numbers garnered by any other city vying for the A's. Those other places have only a tiny fraction of what Let's Go Oakland has assembled, either on Facebook or at Oakland City Hall on Dec. 1, when even the second overflow room was overflowing into the hallways. It's a sign that what Mayor-Elect Jean Quan and Let's Go Oakland are proposing -- a Victory Court ballpark at Jack London Square -- is what the vast majority of A's fans want, too.

So, here's a big congratulations to Let's Go Oakland for reaching another milestone. Just like the many Oakland A's fans you've inspired, we know you won't rest until the A's future in Oakland is secured.