Did GOP underestimate Americans?

[Elderito]

In the interest of full disclosure I'm a Mormon who lives in a Utah and has now voted for Obama twice.

The GOP seemed to be licking their chops at the prospect of blaming Pres. Obama for the economy, and Mitt Romney constantly derided Obama, as though he should have been expected to bring prosperity to our nation in 4 years. I can't help but think that GOP reliance on the economy as the sole issue underestimated Americans. Did they think that the Tea Party with its plethora of idiots actually represents most Americans? Having attended a few political rallies in my lifetime I get the impression that the most vocal are the least thoughtful.

Most of Obama's winning coalition of 2008 stayed with him and though they went to the polls with less enthusiasm than 2008 they did go in a doggedly determined effort to reject the all-promise, no-plan rhetoric of Mitt Romney. Are Republicans finally starting to pay the price for their anti-intellectualism, (global warming denial, anti-evolution etc), racism, and simple minded rhetoric? Can I hope that a majority of Americans rejected the GOP premises thoughtfully, or must I sadly believe that they just alienated too many with their homophobia, misogyny, and racism? Did the GOP finally cross the line, beyond which there are not enough ignorant voters, or is my hope in the next generation of young people moving to a smarter, more inclusive and tolerant society misplaced?

And why in the world does the GOP still hold the House??

[Rum]

Well I think you said it. Obama is inclusive in his approach and the GOP tried to appeal to what is clearly an emerging minority - white middle aged 'old values' type Republicans, with fixed ideas of what America is from somewhere in the 50s. America is clearly changing and is vibrant and exciting as it has always been. That's one reason I'm not quite so pessimistic about its future.

[laklak]

It's not possible. As Mencken said, nobody ever went broke overestimating the stupidity of the average American.

[Rum]

Good point. For example..

[Gerald McGrew]

In the interest of full disclosure I'm a Mormon who lives in a Utah and has now voted for Obama twice.

Ah, so you're one of those responsible for Romney getting a smaller percentage of the Mormon vote than Bush!

The GOP seemed to be licking their chops at the prospect of blaming Pres. Obama for the economy, and Mitt Romney constantly derided Obama, as though he should have been expected to bring prosperity to our nation in 4 years. I can't help but think that GOP reliance on the economy as the sole issue underestimated Americans. Did they think that the Tea Party with its plethora of idiots actually represents most Americans? Having attended a few political rallies in my lifetime I get the impression that the most vocal are the least thoughtful.

The conservative post-election explanations I've seen only tell half the story. They point out the fact that most voters tagged the economy as their #1 issue, but they leave out the fact that they also lay most of the blame for the current situation at the feet of W. Bush.

I've said it for a while now, and I'll say it again: Conservatives have created this alternate reality where Obama took over after Clinton left office.

Most of Obama's winning coalition of 2008 stayed with him and though they went to the polls with less enthusiasm than 2008 they did go in a doggedly determined effort to reject the all-promise, no-plan rhetoric of Mitt Romney.

That's a very good description of Romney's "5-point plan". "Everyone gets a big tax cut, a bigger military, Medicare, and a balanced budget!!"

Are Republicans finally starting to pay the price for their anti-intellectualism, (global warming denial, anti-evolution etc), racism, and simple minded rhetoric?

On all of those except racism, I don't think so, at least not yet. The anti-intellectualism of the GOP will cost them more and more as the baby boomers die off and younger people, who are more secular and science-oriented, vote more. But that may be a few years out yet.

And why in the world does the GOP still hold the House??

Because while anti-intellectualism, culture wars, homophobia, and racial resentment don't play well nationally, they do locally in specific regions (the south and the interior west mostly). Michelle Bachman would never win a national election, but she obviously does well in her own district.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

[Tero]

1.Mitt was a pit bull. Nobody liked him. Sorry old geezer now.

2. gerrymandering
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrymandering

[Robert_S]

These people are a bigger threat to gun ownership rights than all of the anti-gun lobby groups combined.