The Election, Obama, And American Decline

We had deluded ourselves these past four years, the 58 million of us who had voted against Him, into believing that the Obama victory of 2008 was an aberration, a temporary diversion, a national hiccup in which a center-right country, with strong traditions and institutions, in a fit of anti-George Bush rage combined with war fatigue, an economic downturn, and some twisted sense of racial atonement, agreed to elevate to the Presidency a man possessed of virtually no qualifications for the job - and an extreme ideology. 

Many Americans, we recalled, were charmed by him, for he was an enigmatic figure with uplifting rhetoric, somewhat exotic, a biracial man who had grown up in Indonesia, a blank slate, if you will, upon which to project one’s fondest hopes for the country; he had sounded certain “centrist” themes along the way about fiscal restraint and balanced budgets that under the circumstances made it seem, at least, palatable for the country to go off on such a tangent; for those of us, though, who had seen past the simplistic oratory and understood his background and leveling tendencies, he was at best a bore - and at worst a demagogue and a threat to the Republic.

Surely, in 2012, we imagined, the people would return to their senses, awaken from their slumbers, recognize the error of their ways, and oust the campus radical from their midst, particularly in light of the damage his policies have wrought.  And, indeed, the record has been grim: 8% unemployment, economic stagnation, trillion dollar deficits, credit downgrades, a devalued currency, underwater housing, rising food and fuel costs, worsening social divisions, the Middle East ablaze, and so on.

But with this practical analysis, there remained concern going into November, for despite the moribund economy and numerous missteps by Obama his first term, he remained surprisingly competitive; and while his 2008 victory may have been explained as a temporary lapse, a second election victory would mean something else: a ratification by the people of his agenda – and the implications here were dire indeed.

And so the results of November 6 were a shock - and an enormous setback for the nation.  Despite the dismal conditions over which Obama presided, voters did not reject him, did not choose to change course and reverse the ravages of the last four years, to rebuild the economy and move forward into another American century. 

How was it that a majority of Americans missed the obvious and agreed to grant him another term?

We have heard endlessly about the “Latino,” black, youth and women vote that evaded us yet again, the perceived failure by Mitt Romney, as denoted by the Republican establishment, to reach out to these various ethnic and gender tribes that the diversity hustlers have now imposed on us, to defend against the scurrilous attacks on his career at Bain, his character, his record of success and wealth creation, now not an indication of positive virtue and ability but, under the Democrat-media paradigm and onslaught, something execrable to run from, the poor get out the vote efforts by the GOP, his much ballyhooed “47%” comment, and so on. 

But the Republican demise this year was not Romney’s fault for he ran a respectable albeit imperfect campaign; he showed himself to be an able candidate, the best of the lot this season, and would have been a fine President. 

No, there were other explanations, more insidious and subterranean than the purely tactical ones raised by the self interested GOP pundit-consultant-establishment class who busily point fingers at everyone but themselves even as they cover their own tracks.

The first unhappy conclusion is that we are no longer a center-right nation.  Indeed, a century of liberal progressivism, the consolidation of power in Washington, the expanding forest of entitlements, subsidies, and programs, the welfare leviathan busily carving out constituencies that depend on government and, hence, easily bribed for votes, along with the pernicious influence of the left in our schools, universities, media, and entertainment industry, has taken its toll.  While the changing demography of the nation is significant, even more worrisome is the changing character or culture of the nation.  For a people weaned on government and mass dependency, will favor the Party of government and mass dependency – even as unsustainable liberalism collapses around us, in Europe, and elsewhere.

Second, the media now has near invincible power to influence elections and determine our leaders.  As unabashed leftists who have long since abandoned any pretense of objectivity, the media have become a formidable agent or branch of government, and, therefore, the Democratic Party; although this is not new, their role in bringing Obama to power and keeping him there, the extent to which they went to protect him from his innumerable foibles, gaffes, and deficiencies, is, perhaps, unprecedented.  Without a highly sympathetic and supportive media, it is doubtful we would have ever had an Obama Presidency, given his glaring weaknesses and baggage. 

Third, was the profound and lingering unpopularity of President George W. Bush, and, hence, the Republican Party; as the one responsible for doubling the national debt, adding new unfunded entitlements, nationalizing education and two automakers, pushing amnesty, dragging the country into two wars without proper planning or strategy (and hence unable to deliver American victories), getting caught flatfooted by the mortgage crisis (for which he was unjustifiably blamed), and then promoting a series of wasteful bailouts and “stimulus” packages, Bush, in effect, paved the way for Obama and his radical lurch to the left.  Obama, indeed, ran successfully against Bush in 2008 and in 2012. The nation still (wrongfully) blames Bush for the recession and the non-existent recovery brought on by Obama’s misguided policies. 

Indeed, as a profligate and feckless Republican, blurring the differences between his party and the Democrats, Bush managed to singlehandedly undermine the GOP brand for fiscal and national security competence.  His two terms, along with other relevant factors, have made it difficult if not impossible for Republicans to win at the national level.   

In the midst of the dark shadow cast by the last election, and its portent of a bleak future for the nation, remember this: nearly 50% of the nation voted against Obama.  Republicans still hold the House and 30 governorships.  We have the Constitution.  There is reason to fight on.