99 Problems

The Republican Party has muchas problemas. As they often do, they will reject any notion which suggests they are somehow out of step. There is much they must change, but don't expect any change. They will not admit they have a problem.

It's hard to pretend that you care about people even though we do this all the time. The upper class teaches insincerity in its private schools through community service programs. Universities prostitute themselves by recognizing the validity of the service, accepting students with money and promoting their service. Children of Republicans (and Democrats alike) start programs to collect shoes for Peru, to build shelters in Nicaragua, to send mosquito nets to Africa, to collect cell phones for Cuba, and with these generosities, assuage any guilt they may have about their actual disdain for the poor who they routinely lambast for not working hard and their incessant laziness. These blessed students bask in the glory of their noble behavior, but balk at any suggestion that taxes should be raised; this kind of help for the poor offends Republicans. It is as if help for the poor is designed to help the rich feel good. Why money doesn't make the rich feel good I cannot understand.

It has been said that the election was about two different philosophies, then it is safe to say that the philosophy which won was the won which said forward. The GOP was unable to take the country back, figuratively or literally. Demographically, they will never be able to take it back. They will have to reach out, and they will. Whether it will be genuine or not, with the millions they have available to distort messages, they will move some. It is safe to say the GOP hopes it can move Latinos. 

In the meantime, the Democrats best friends are the hardliners. 

60 Shades of Gray: Why Obama Won and Romney Lost

It's all over for a moment. The 24 hour news cycle can take a breath for one second before continuing its relentless, hypnotic spiral. Like many news babies, I wish I could get weaned. We'll see. But for now, what happened and why? It's not black and white.

The people have spoken, but only after waiting in long lines. Question number one is this: Why were so many willing to stand in long lines?

        

The Republican Party misread this badly. In fact, they constantly added fuel to the fire. The most obvious misstep was Governor Romney's 47% comment, followed by his defense of it, then the obligatory walk back. However, that’s only one of a series of indignities the poorer Democratic constituency revolted against. As Bill Clinton and Nate Silver kept reminding us, math matters. You can’t just make things up. Offended, we were willing to bite our tongues and stand in line.

Extremism about women reached the tipping point. Discussions about rape are, to put it mildly, distasteful. Forcible rape, legitimate rape, redefining rape – these topics do not play well, excuse me, with reasonable, 21^st century people.  If someone rapes my sister, she should be free to decide what to do – not some older man who thinks he knows what God has in mind for my victimized sister.

Then there are the comments. The GOP claims to have common sense on their side, yet they rarely respond to the last half dozen years during which they heard these statements broadcast daily: He is a Muslim, a terrorist, a Socialist, a Communist. He was palling around with terrorists and gave a terrorist fist bump. How’s that hopey-changey stuff working out for you? Where is his birth certificate? Where are his college transcripts? He used Affirmative Action to get in school. He is the Food Stamp President. He wants to give people on welfare a check. ACORN, Benghazi, Solyndra. Each time we heard these, up jumped the dander. We Obama voters want to give a big shout out to all of those who said these things. Thanks for the impetus. The yard signs also inspired us, especially the Fire Obama signs from FreedomWorks.

Last on the list of voting motivators were the pundits. FOX News pundits – not the competent news division, of course, greatly inspired the Democrat masses. Its ever-present fabrications did not go unnoticed or unrewarded.  Karl Rove – embarrassing laughingstock. Donald Trump – washed-up buffoon. Dick Morris – silly joker. Ann Coulter – gruesome witch. Michelle Malkin -- reliably bitter.  Sean Hannity – snake oil salesman. All of them, liars to their core.

Our campaign, the Romney folks told us, will not be dictated by fact checkers. This was one of the only truths they told.