Let's stay away from personal attacks before the moderator calls us on it, ok, all?
Back to topic on hand - I don't think liberalism was rejected, given that proposals for increases in minimum wage, bans on fracking, legalization of pot all passed. And as Cardinal said, the Repub senators were almost all in red states, so it would be natural for Repubs to win there.
I do think the Dems didn't get our message across - the economic progress that has been made under Pres Obama (in spite of opposition from repubs) - while not enough, the unemployment rate is under 6%, the deficit is cut in half, and the stock market is roaring. But if you asked the average voter, they probably said just the opposite - they think deficits and unemployment are up, and probably don't care about the stock market. Why they have the wrong info is a different debate; the Dems didn't do a good job at getting our message across during an election cycle where it was expected that the opposition would gain seats.
Will Democrats spend the next two years getting our message out so we can reclaim (and keep) seats in 2016? I certainly hope so.
Will repubs blow their current advantage? I'm betting yes. I'm betting the first two things they vote on are a repeal of the ACA and a personhood amendment, which will pretty much doom them. I would love to be proved wrong; but if they haven't been willing to cooperate with Pres Obama for the last six years, why would they now?
I certainly hope the Republicans pass and send a repeal of the ACA to the president’s desk. The majority of Americans still oppose it. 51.6% to 38.1% in favor.
RealClearPolitics - Election Other - Public Approval of Health Care Law
Now look at the states that switched from Democrat to Republican concerning the ACA:
Arkansas 27% for 63% against
Colorado 37% for 59% against
Iowa 35% for 52% against
Louisiana 31% for 63% against
Montana 31% for 58% against
North Carolina 38% for 51% against
I don’t have the numbers for Alaska, South Dakota or West Virginia. But I am sure they fall in line with the above. Now both of us know the president will veto it, so the ACA isn’t going anywhere and for Republicans that is a good thing, a good thing to campaign on. That is as long as the Republicans do not overdo it, just send one bill and get the president on the record with a veto.
I will add when a party loses an election it always says they didn’t succeed in getting their message out. I think the loss had more to do with the number of Democratic Senators who distance themselves from the president and ran away from their voting record. It seemed to me they were trying to paint themselves as Republicans Light. Whether this would have made a difference or not, who knows. I think they should have stood proudly by their record, not run away from it. Give the voters a real choice.
I too think the Republicans will blow it. They think they have a mandate, there was no mandate. Just a lot of states reverting back to their roots. But CNN had one exit poll I think that told it all, 23% of the electorate was mad at Obama, 33% dissatisfied with the president and only 39% satisfied. Keep in mind the president’s overall national approval rating of 41.8% vs. 53.4%. Look at his approval rating in the states the Democrats lost and you have your reason for the defeat. Not so much ideology, but dissatisfaction with the president.
RealClearPolitics - Election Other - President Obama Job Approval
Arkansas 32% approve 61% disapprove
Colorado 40% approve 57% disapprove
Iowa 40% approve 55% disapprove
Louisiana 38% approve 57% disapprove
Montana 35% approve 60% disapprove
North Carolina 42% approve 52% disapprove
Probably the election changer that gave the Republicans the big edge was the president himself when he said, “I am not on the ballot, but my policies are.”