The Republicans lost fair and square, in my view ultimately because they were unable to create a message that transcended the endless parade of extremist agents they released onto the public stage whose names, faces and opinions will float into the American memory like a recurring nightmare for a long time when we consider Republican views about abortion, birth control or Medicaid, voter ID laws, or even an empty chair.
Those other faces always haunted Mitt Romney’s presentations to the American people and ultimately made his attempts at communicating reasonableness appear false, a trick designed to let these extremist forces sneak into our country’s highest office on his coattails. The choice of Paul Ryan, a decision which even in concession Mitt Romney congratulated himself on, confirmed for many that the Republican platform is that extreme.
And the President, bolstered by media support for his lone-wolf approach to taking all credit (and no blame), managed to hitch his star to the nation’s memory of Bill Clinton. Some were surprised he didn’t mention the former President in his victory speech, but for others, the snubbing of the very people who put you in office is simply a repeat of the President’s M.O., how he acted after his last election.
Moving forward, many employer plans have already begun to implement the essential health benefits of the Affordable Care Act (not yet legally in effect) through contractual provisions in their plans for this coming year. As the days move forward, Affordable Care remains a navigational minefield in terms of how it will play out in America and what Americans can do about it.
