I think it's funny that so many Republicans believe their candidate lost due to a storm or a lack of conservatism. They lost because Republicans are no longer Republicans. The party usually leaves social issues for the states to decide and if local elections are any indication, they are on the wrong side of marriage equality. It took Obama three and one-half years to get around to supporting it, yet never has there been a more LGBT friendly President than our 44th. The amount of support he's given us is unprecedented. Truly astounding! Mark my words, even though the public hasn't followed what he's done in that area, history will remember him very much for it.
I've been saying that for years. Libertarianism is closer to core Conservatism, but instead of Republicans fleeing the party for the Libertarian party, the Republican party became poseur Libertarians. The Neo-Cons (rich schmucks that pretend to be conservatives until one of their pet projects has to be cut, also ones that pretends to care what the religious people think so they can get their votes/smog cloud the fact that the Neo-Cons wanna throw them all under the bus). I really expected to see a rise in Libs this election, but they were so swayed by the moronic Obama hate (He's a secret Muslin, Commie, not born in this country, and something that we swear isn't racist but is very racist) they had no choice to vote for someone even
worse for traditional conservatism than a democrat. But the scary thing is, it wasn't exactly a landslide for Obama, either. He came
this close to getting elected only through the Electoral College. So we shouldn't call this a mind blowing victory either.
Our President did drop the ball in his first term. It's now his duty to come to the table and compromise with Republican leadership so we can all move forward. That is, if the Tea Party will let the Republicans budge at all. Our current situation is the fault of BOTH parties and it will require BOTH parties to fix it.
Actually, I really think the problem is that the Dems didn't let the Reps get rid of the Filibuster under Bush. As unpatriotic and unAmerican as it was, guess which party made the
most of it under Obama. That's why it took over a year to pass health care and why nothing else could have passed if they wanted to. I can't really say it's as much the Dems fault as the Reps. The Reps were given orders from Boss Limbaugh to make the president fail, when Obama wanted to be bi-Partisan. And frankly, he kept giving the right
exactly what they want, and the Reps kept changing it because it wasn't enough. They were the spoiled rotten fat kid at someone else's birthday party that couldn't stand not being the center of attention and not getting the gifts. Even before the Tea-dious party take over of congress.
He is in no way "Bush with a tan." The oil industry, environmentalists, banks, congress, gays, women and evangelicals would completely disagree with you. The "cola" branding argument doesn't hold up when applied to 90% of America's issues and that's why we're in this gridlock. But I digress...
Social issues are what keep me left of center. There are conservatives that no longer care about that crap and just want to go back to fiscal conservatism... but then they need votes. The Evangelicals NEED their own third party to even the odds out. We have separation of Church and State. That means putting your own personal beliefs in check for the rest of the country. Bush got a
lot of votes just because Gay Marriage was legalized in one state. Not to mention the
absolute Knights Templar war on woman's reproductive rights. Attacking a private citizen because she wants birth control covered by health care? Redefining rape to outlaw abortions? Cue Mr. Burns shredding everyone's coats saying "Now, why does everyone
hate me?" (Can't find a clip).