5. Romney simply is not very likeable. Putting aside their views, this just isn’t a guy you would prefer to have a cup of coffee or beer with over Obama.
4. Romney lost two of the three debates. As the challenger, he needed to win two of the three. The first one, which he won, was the fluke. Obama is the better debater—he just had a bad night on Debate No. 1.
3. Romney was not a good candidate. Voters didn’t trust him. He flipped on abortion, gays, guns, and at the end-- on tax cuts. Who knew what he would do. Even with Paul Ryan, there was not enough there to energize the Republican base. Without your base, you have nothing.
2. Romney had no consistent message. Some would say it was the economy, jobs but he never made a good, solid strong case on tax cuts, growth and how he would substantially outperform Obama on the economy. There was nothing there there when it came to assessing Romney. And, Ryan never lived up to expectations that he would be used to define the race about fixing the entitlement mess (social security, Medicaid and Medicare) and the budget. The Republicans let this election be the election about nothing, and they didn’t even make it about the sad state of the economy and jobs. There is no real leadership in the Republican Party and Romney surely was not the guy to fill the void.
1. Romney let Obama define him early on as a bad guy-- because he shipped jobs overseas and killed them at Bain Capital. The arguments were stupid but Team Romney was even more stupid not to use their money early on to define Romney, to defend him from the attacks and to use more of his time to get out in the public instead of raising money. All of those actions, not taken by Romney, are politics 101. Good grief, can't anyone play this here game of politics?
Even though this is a democratic stronghold im surprised Obama got 63% of the wards vote with all the cops and firemen that live here. Im definetly worried after the result of this election.
Now that the election is over, Rahm is free to drop the Rahm Bomb on pensions and health insurance.
Tighten your belts. Be prepared for more shrinking home values and declining family income. If you have kids in college, tell them not to expect jobs when they graduate.
A larger number of proctected workers (ie govt union protected workers) and others who do not work at all have not felt the full effects of the economic storm we have been in for some time. They were convinced that the supposed friend of the unions - the Democrat would best protect them. I understand this but feel that unfortunately Obama got a pass from these people as he was able to STILL blame Bush for the country he led for four years (hell we won WW II in 4 years and the Democrat liberal solutions could not get our country on a strong growth path. Unfortunately these voters will have to experience 4 more years of stagnation, food and energy inflation, no job prospects and all the malaise that comes with liberalism before they will become "educated" to the economic realities that those in the private sector have faced throughout his term. Noone is excited that the economy is going to grow in any substantial way with the taxes, regulations etc.. that will be coming under Obama the Sequel...
The Obama re-election now moves from a 4 year swing to the left to a generational cyclical change. This deleveraging/inflationary roller coaster will easily last another 10-15 years as the central planner in charge destroys whats left of individualism with his road map of redistribution. The sad thing is, the gap between haves and have not, rich and poor, has grown even wider as we destroy what remains of the middle class, and most of you don't even realize it. Multi-generational households are no longer a thing of the past, they are the future. The best our children have to look forward to is a part-time economy, where the average hourly work week is fewer than 30 hours and they try to piece together part time jobs to cover the bare necessities. As an electorate, Illinois is a laughingstock. You not only returned JJJ, you strengthened the same political cronies that have bankrupted the state and your own pensions. You've truly gotten what you deserve, and have laid it on the backs of your children and grand children. Yahoo! The government pays for everything. Good luck with that.
It's clear that Obama was never a "legitimate" candidate in establishment circles either left or right. This is not to suggest a claim on his citizenship but rather an argument that his record weak at best when he ran 4 years ago. Yesterday victory due to incumbency and a strange combine of minorities,women and poorly educated,debt strangled current and recent college graduates. Here locally these phonies assert democratic party support and none have a clue what the platform is because they all get into politics because it is an easy part time job and all one has to do is take your lead from the ledership
You guys crack me up, as always. Anybody with half a brain knew O'Bama was the better candidate and was going to win. Just like we all knew Hurley and Cunningham were going to win whether they went to a debate or not. Quit your whining. Drink your beer, watch Notre Dame football, and leave the important stuff to the rest of us.
My sister went to the election entral drop off location last night...95% black and everyone there was as ignorant as they possibly could be...this was a true "race" for President. Why do I have the feeling that our so called "representatives" have sold us out to these people who seem to have mastered the art of organizing for the gravy train and the non stop race card. This election was very much about race for certain people but those people were blacks and hispanics and they were for Obama.....
The "generational change" blogger earlier may be right on target. Certainly historians would agree that we are indeed headed in that direction. Unfortunately, if the blogger is correct we will,without doubt, turn into another Greece or Spain and several economists argue Illinois is already there. I have listened and talked with some of the local elected persons and it so disturbing that they have little understanding of the gravity of the situation. Moreover,their supporters even more pathetic because they think these people actually will help them get jobs or contracts and all they do is name drop. They are all pretty good at it.
If the Republican party wants to remain relevant, it is not that it must become liberal; it must become truly conservative and embrace its libertarian roots.
INTRO
The electoral college can amplify or make it appear that a national victory is bigger than it is. However, in this election, this was a decisive victory for Obama and a devastating defeat for Romney. And, hopefully, you are wondering why.
A. WOMEN'S ISSUES
In this election, more women as a total voted than men. More importantly, every candidate that made abortion a salient issue lost. 100% of them lost.
B. GAY RIGHTS
It is not that the Republican needs to embrace gay marriage per se; it needs to stay out of the bedroom. How will the Republican party communicate with younger voters who overwhelming support (not neutral or opposed) gay marriage.
I think three states voted to legalize gay marriage and one voted against a law to ban gay marriage. This is coming from the People; not legislation. Our local politicians should learn from this and be on the right, which is to say correct, side on this issue.
It is unwise to oppose to gay marriage, and it is very stupid to make opposition to gay marriage a salient issue in 2012.
C. IMMIGRATION
The party needs to distinguish between immigration, immigrant children, citizenship access and the troubles with border security, deportation of criminals, etc. The messaging on this is all wrong.
Ronald Reagan would seem "liberal" on this issue. Frankly, I have no idea how a Republican can communicate with an 18 year-old Latino in college or in the military who supports gay marriage.
D. FOREIGN POLICY
Double down. Triple down. Obama was very vulnerable here, and the Romney campaign tried to score political points on Benghazi. Foreign policy for all practical purposes is defense policy, but both parties seem eager for more drone attacks and war.
The Republican party should be an opposition party, like Nixon was and Ron Paul advocates for, to the hawkish foreign policy of Obama.
Totally lost opportunity.
E. ECONOMY
If the Democratic party can win seats in the Senate and hold the executive in this recession/depression economy, then you have no hope of ever winning.
Double down, triple down on opposition to bank bailouts. Be a party of fiscal responsibility. Romney was promising essentially to cut or eliminate capital gains, dividend, and estate taxes but proposing to raise taxes on ordinarily people by removing their deductions. I mean, how can someone advocate such a fiscally reckless tax policy with a straight face?
Oppose banking bailouts. Stand up against Wall St. cronyism (hard to when your largest contributors are the largest banks).
So much opportunity lost opportunity here.
CONCLUSION
A coming to truth moment is necessary and in order. I left the Republican party because during Bush II’s 2nd term the party had become irresponsible and even reckless on taxes AND spending, Wall St. oversight, and foreign policy. On domestic issues, I have since changed my more neutral position on gay marriage to support it today.
Nevertheless, if this party wants to remain a national party, it is not that it has to become liberal. It has to become truly conservative: out of the bedroom, fiscal restraint (on spending AND BUDGET IRRESPONSIBLE TAX CUTS), and a neutral foreign policy.
Instead of running from its libertarian and (real) conservative roots, it should embrace it.
TOP 5 REASONS WHY ROMNEY LOST
ReplyDeleteBy Jeff Berkowitz -
5. Romney simply is not very likeable. Putting aside their views, this just isn’t a guy you would prefer to have a cup of coffee or beer with over Obama.
4. Romney lost two of the three debates. As the challenger, he needed to win two of the three. The first one, which he won, was the fluke. Obama is the better debater—he just had a bad night on Debate No. 1.
3. Romney was not a good candidate. Voters didn’t trust him. He flipped on abortion, gays, guns, and at the end-- on tax cuts. Who knew what he would do. Even with Paul Ryan, there was not enough there to energize the Republican base. Without your base, you have nothing.
2. Romney had no consistent message. Some would say it was the economy, jobs but he never made a good, solid strong case on tax cuts, growth and how he would substantially outperform Obama on the economy. There was nothing there there when it came to assessing Romney. And, Ryan never lived up to expectations that he would be used to define the race about fixing the entitlement mess (social security, Medicaid and Medicare) and the budget. The Republicans let this election be the election about nothing, and they didn’t even make it about the sad state of the economy and jobs. There is no real leadership in the Republican Party and Romney surely was not the guy to fill the void.
1. Romney let Obama define him early on as a bad guy-- because he shipped jobs overseas and killed them at Bain Capital. The arguments were stupid but Team Romney was even more stupid not to use their money early on to define Romney, to defend him from the attacks and to use more of his time to get out in the public instead of raising money. All of those actions, not taken by Romney, are politics 101. Good grief, can't anyone play this here game of politics?
Even though this is a democratic stronghold im surprised Obama got 63% of the wards vote with all the cops and firemen that live here. Im definetly worried after the result of this election.
ReplyDeleteCut the socialism mantra. Obama is no more of a Socialist than Dick Nixon was.
ReplyDeleteNow that the election is over, Rahm is free to drop the Rahm Bomb on pensions and health insurance.
ReplyDeleteTighten your belts. Be prepared for more shrinking home values and declining family income. If you have kids in college, tell them not to expect jobs when they graduate.
The American Dream is dead.
Dow down 299 early.. When will the dollar implode and the stock market.. 1? 2? 3? more trillion dollar deficits from now?
ReplyDeleteIts amazing how people who voted for Obama don't know anything about finance, accounting or economics....
Most of you will not be able to look in your grandchildrens eyes and tell them what you did yesterday.
ReplyDeleteSomeday there will be a backlash. A most conservative one.
ReplyDeleteWhat does "conservative backlash" look like?
ReplyDeleteA larger number of proctected workers (ie govt union protected workers) and others who do not work at all have not felt the full effects of the economic storm we have been in for some time. They were convinced that the supposed friend of the unions - the Democrat would best protect them. I understand this but feel that unfortunately Obama got a pass from these people as he was able to STILL blame Bush for the country he led for four years (hell we won WW II in 4 years and the Democrat liberal solutions could not get our country on a strong growth path. Unfortunately these voters will have to experience 4 more years of stagnation, food and energy inflation, no job prospects and all the malaise that comes with liberalism before they will become "educated" to the economic realities that those in the private sector have faced throughout his term. Noone is excited that the economy is going to grow in any substantial way with the taxes, regulations etc.. that will be coming under Obama the Sequel...
ReplyDeleteThe Obama re-election now moves from a 4 year swing to the left to a generational cyclical change. This deleveraging/inflationary roller coaster will easily last another 10-15 years as the central planner in charge destroys whats left of individualism with his road map of redistribution. The sad thing is, the gap between haves and have not, rich and poor, has grown even wider as we destroy what remains of the middle class, and most of you don't even realize it.
ReplyDeleteMulti-generational households are no longer a thing of the past, they are the future. The best our children have to look forward to is a part-time economy, where the average hourly work week is fewer than 30 hours and they try to piece together part time jobs to cover the bare necessities.
As an electorate, Illinois is a laughingstock. You not only returned JJJ, you strengthened the same political cronies that have bankrupted the state and your own pensions.
You've truly gotten what you deserve, and have laid it on the backs of your children and grand children.
Yahoo! The government pays for everything. Good luck with that.
It's clear that Obama was never a "legitimate" candidate
ReplyDeletein establishment circles either left or right. This is not to suggest a claim on his citizenship but rather an argument that his record weak at best when he ran 4 years ago. Yesterday victory due to incumbency and a strange combine of minorities,women and poorly educated,debt
strangled current and recent college graduates.
Here locally these phonies assert democratic party support and none have a clue what the platform is because they all get into politics because it is an easy part time job and all one has to do is take your lead from the ledership
You guys crack me up, as always. Anybody with half a brain knew O'Bama was the better candidate and was going to win. Just like we all knew Hurley and Cunningham were going to win whether they went to a debate or not. Quit your whining. Drink your beer, watch Notre Dame football, and leave the important stuff to the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteWith Romney, war was certain. With Obama, who knows.
ReplyDeleteCunningham and Hurley are good enough. Not deep thinkers at all but good enough.
ReplyDeleteMy sister went to the election entral drop off location last night...95% black and everyone there was as ignorant as they possibly could be...this was a true "race" for President. Why do I have the feeling that our so called "representatives" have sold us out to these people who seem to have mastered the art of organizing for the gravy train and the non stop race card.
ReplyDeleteThis election was very much about race for certain people but those people were blacks and hispanics and they were for Obama.....
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI would much rather have a cup of coffee or a beer with Mitt Romney then Obama any day.
ReplyDelete63% is alarming, but then again look around and see the what people are willing to put up with.
we will just have to live in the Obamunist Nanny-State nationwide now, not just in ultra-corrupt Crookago..
ReplyDeleteThe "generational change" blogger earlier may be right on target. Certainly historians would agree that we are indeed headed in that direction. Unfortunately, if the blogger is correct we will,without doubt, turn into another Greece or Spain and several economists argue Illinois is already there. I have listened and talked with some of the local elected persons and it so disturbing that they have little understanding of the gravity of the situation. Moreover,their supporters even more pathetic
ReplyDeletebecause they think these people actually will help them get jobs or contracts and all they do is name drop. They are all pretty good at it.
A LETTER TO MY FORMER (REPUBLICAN) PARTY:
ReplyDeleteIf the Republican party wants to remain relevant, it is not that it must become liberal; it must become truly conservative and embrace its libertarian roots.
INTRO
The electoral college can amplify or make it appear that a national victory is bigger than it is. However, in this election, this was a decisive victory for Obama and a devastating defeat for Romney. And, hopefully, you are wondering why.
A. WOMEN'S ISSUES
In this election, more women as a total voted than men. More importantly, every candidate that made abortion a salient issue lost. 100% of them lost.
B. GAY RIGHTS
It is not that the Republican needs to embrace gay marriage per se; it needs to stay out of the bedroom. How will the Republican party communicate with younger voters who overwhelming support (not neutral or opposed) gay marriage.
I think three states voted to legalize gay marriage and one voted against a law to ban gay marriage. This is coming from the People; not legislation. Our local politicians should learn from this and be on the right, which is to say correct, side on this issue.
It is unwise to oppose to gay marriage, and it is very stupid to make opposition to gay marriage a salient issue in 2012.
C. IMMIGRATION
The party needs to distinguish between immigration, immigrant children, citizenship access and the troubles with border security, deportation of criminals, etc. The messaging on this is all wrong.
Ronald Reagan would seem "liberal" on this issue. Frankly, I have no idea how a Republican can communicate with an 18 year-old Latino in college or in the military who supports gay marriage.
D. FOREIGN POLICY
Double down. Triple down. Obama was very vulnerable here, and the Romney campaign tried to score political points on Benghazi. Foreign policy for all practical purposes is defense policy, but both parties seem eager for more drone attacks and war.
The Republican party should be an opposition party, like Nixon was and Ron Paul advocates for, to the hawkish foreign policy of Obama.
Totally lost opportunity.
E. ECONOMY
If the Democratic party can win seats in the Senate and hold the executive in this recession/depression economy, then you have no hope of ever winning.
Double down, triple down on opposition to bank bailouts. Be a party of fiscal responsibility. Romney was promising essentially to cut or eliminate capital gains, dividend, and estate taxes but proposing to raise taxes on ordinarily people by removing their deductions. I mean, how can someone advocate such a fiscally reckless tax policy with a straight face?
Oppose banking bailouts. Stand up against Wall St. cronyism (hard to when your largest contributors are the largest banks).
So much opportunity lost opportunity here.
CONCLUSION
A coming to truth moment is necessary and in order. I left the Republican party because during Bush II’s 2nd term the party had become irresponsible and even reckless on taxes AND spending, Wall St. oversight, and foreign policy. On domestic issues, I have since changed my more neutral position on gay marriage to support it today.
Nevertheless, if this party wants to remain a national party, it is not that it has to become liberal. It has to become truly conservative: out of the bedroom, fiscal restraint (on spending AND BUDGET IRRESPONSIBLE TAX CUTS), and a neutral foreign policy.
Instead of running from its libertarian and (real) conservative roots, it should embrace it.
..... because during Bush II’s 2nd term the party had become irresponsible and even reckless on taxes AND spending.....
ReplyDeleteSo now we can canonize Obama since 1.3 trillion dollars(x4 years) in deficits is not a form of spending?
After last Tuesday, America, the latest country of Useful Idiots
ReplyDelete