If Obama Loses

[PlumpRump]

Why will he have lost? How will those of you on the left spin the loss?

Purely as a theoretical, without discussion of who actually will win, or merits of voting for Obama or against Romney etc... Just as a theoretical "what if," what will your response be to an Obama loss in the Presidential election come November?

Seeing as how those of you on the left truly believe (somewhat shortsightedly, in my estimation) that there is no way in hell that Obama can lose this election, what will be your PR if he does? I'm positive that those of you on the left, were Obama to lose, are incapable of viewing an Obama defeat as a rejection of liberalism, and will nonetheless feel overwhelmingly compelled to manufacture some justification for Obama losing other than the fact that people don't like Obama and his politics and voted him out of office. So, what will your excuse(s) be if Obama loses?

Will you blame it on voter ID laws? Republican voter fraud? Improper ballot processing? Maybe you'll find some ridiculous way to blame the Tea Party? Maybe you go back to the left's "bread and butter" when it comes to Obama and claim that, somehow, racism is to blame? Maybe the Republicans were just too successful at brainwashing and mobilizing all the "hillbilly Bible-thumpers?"

I just feel like the left, especially recently, is so unwilling to believe that a large percentage of people in this country reject the current incarnation of liberalism, and if Obama loses, I can't imagine the left taking such a loss without crying "foul" for one reason or another. If, and I reiterate if Obama loses, I wouldn't so much call it a mandate for conservatism as I would a rejection of liberalism, but I don't see any way that the left will accede the truth in that. So if he loses, why will he lose?

 

[xfire]

If Obama loses it will be because he lost. The sun will still rise Wednesday morning, I'll still get up and go to work. A Romney victory wouldn't be a rejection of liberalism, the guy's too liberal for that to be true. Do you think McCain losing was a rejection of conservatism? A case could be made that it was, because in 2012 there's two fairly liberal candidates competing for the White House.

 

[PlumpRump]

Do you think McCain losing was a rejection of conservatism?

I think 2008 was a rejection of Bush-style conservatism, yes, as well as a significant rejection of moderate governance.

 

[Johan]

If Obama loses, it would mean the American people didn't understood his record, what he tried to do, how he tried to change America and how the GOP blocked everything they could.
I would alos think the American people made him and his politics responsible for things caused by the financial and economic crisis.

I think 2008 was a rejection of Bush-style conservatism, yes, as well as a significant rejection of moderate governance.

The Bush rejection partly explain Obama's victory but I think his choice of VP is another is another part of the answer.
And, on the other hand I think Obama's promises of change appealed many people. I'm not sure Hillary would have won.

 

[xfire]

I think 2008 was a rejection of Bush-style conservatism, yes, as well as a significant rejection of moderate governance.

Explain to me what, exactly, was conservative about George W. Bush?

 

[Mayhem]

For my part, if Obama loses it will be because he wasn't Liberal enough and compromised too much to the Right. I honestly don't get what he's doing with drone aircraft, I fail to comprehend why he hasn't shut down Dept. of Homeland Security and I'm at a loss why entire fleets of personel carrying transport aircraft and ships aren't evacuating our people from Afghanistan as quick as possible. I'm pissed that Federal agents are slam-dunking legal marijuana dispensaries in California and his sudden shift on gay rights was too little, too late.

My current, absolute fave clip of late is this one, by Bill Maher. I think I've posted it before, but I'll post it again. And I'll throw in the disclaimer that Bill didn't feed me these opinions, he articulated what I already felt:



THIS is why Obama can lose the election, and why he'll have no one but himself to blame.

 

[PlumpRump]

Explain to me what, exactly, was conservative about George W. Bush?

Nothing, other than the tax-rate reductions, and his neo-conservative approach to foreign policy, which some conservatives absolutely view as anything but "conservative." That's why I labeled it "Bush-style" conservatism.

 

[Friday on my mind]

My question back to you would be if the republicans can't beat Obama given the relatively high unemployment etc when do they win another national election? Obama ought to be vunerable but seems to be in good shape right now. That says a lot about the republicans and Romney.

 

[StanScratch]

Should the Obama lose, I can see the left going crazy.
Romney will raise taxes on the middle class. He has literally stated this. So, I can see a fringe party being formed - one which, at first, will seem to be an anti-tax party, one for both parties, but will only be for the very left. Of course, though it will appease to the far left, it will be funded by leftie billionaires. They will even give themselves a different party name, but still remain a part of the Democratic party.
Of course, it will not stop there. Romney's dad is Mexican. This is will documented. There will be another fringe group that will call Romney's citizenship into question. That group will join itself with that fringe lefty group. Even when presented with factual proof that Romney was born in the U.S., that group will continue to claim that he was not. Of course, since he is a white guy, there will also be continual claims that he is a Christian, and a financial elitist.
As I said, that fringe group will consist of crazies - but the group will grow in power in the Democratic party. Some of our Democratic leaders will be forced to step in line with this party, or face being bounced in the primaries. Pelosi and Reed both will vow to block any legislation Romney proposes. There will be open talk of secession from the U.S. by some sour grape blue states. Romney's tax plan will be challenged by those Democratic governors, who will vow to constitutionally fight those taxes, arguing that taxes are states rights.
Meanwhile, the very obviously liberal media will play their part. Lies about Romney will be accepted as fact, and some news stations will in fact have editorial hours, followed by news hours citing those editorial hours as their very sources. "He was not born in the U.S." "He is a religious fanatic." "He is a fascist". "He hates black/brown/red/yellow people." "He tied his dog to the bumper of his family vacation station wagon, then sped off." Facts will become non-existent, fairy tales fact. Hate speech by public officials will become the norm and accepted in many corners - acceptable, after all, because Romney is so different than the rest of us. Hell, he doesn't look like any other President we had in the 2010s...he MUST be one of those weird Christian Mexicans!
Yeah. I can totally see that.

 

[PlumpRump]

My question back to you would be if the republicans can't beat Obama given the relatively high unemployment etc when do they win another national election? Obama ought to be vunerable but seems to be in good shape right now. That says a lot about the republicans and Romney.

Good question. Normally people answer the question posed to them before posing a follow-up, but whatever...

If Romney can't win, the ability of Republicans to regain the White House will certainly depend on a handful of factors, not the least of which will be Obama's ability in his second term to get rid of that pesky 22nd Amendment (I kid, kind of. The parallels between Obama and FDR are just low-hanging fruit.) Seriously, the effectiveness of Obama's 2nd term, and what the country and the economy will subsequently look like will play a large role in the Republican's ability to regain control of government. One would think that those considerations will be heavily in play during this election, but if Obama is given a 2nd term in office, those considerations will be more than magnified. Other than that, the Republican party will need to take a long hard look at itself and its stated values and platform if it intends on ever winning the White House in the foreseeable future, if they are unable to do so during this current cycle. Kicking moderates out of the party and pandering to the far right-wing has served to alienate a lot of moderate Republicans as well as more than a handful of independent voters, possibly for good. The disconnect between the stated values and the actual outcome of Republican policy of late has been less than appealing to a lot of moderate conservatives, and the fact that the party seems to be trying to intentionally remove or suppress moderate voices within the party is, IMO, a destructive strategy, both for the party proper as well as the outside-in view of the party itself, which, as has been seen, leaves a lot of room for exterior (from the other party) criticism.

I think we all recognize that this election will likely be a referendum on Obama, and if Romney wins, it won't be so much a Romney win as it will be an Obama loss, and an electoral voicing from the "anybody but Obama" contingent.

 

[Will E Worm]

How many liberals will actually leave America? Many say they will leave if a certain person is elected and never do.
Liberals are such liars. :tongue:

 

[Friday on my mind]

Good question. Normally people answer the question posed to them before posing a follow-up, but whatever...

If Romney can't win, the ability of Republicans to regain the White House will certainly depend on a handful of factors, not the least of which will be Obama's ability in his second term to get rid of that pesky 22nd Amendment (I kid, kind of. The parallels between Obama and FDR are just low-hanging fruit.) Seriously, the effectiveness of Obama's 2nd term, and what the country and the economy will subsequently look like will play a large role in the Republican's ability to regain control of government. One would think that those considerations will be heavily in play during this election, but if Obama is given a 2nd term in office, those considerations will be more than magnified. Other than that, the Republican party will need to take a long hard look at itself and its stated values and platform if it intends on ever winning the White House in the foreseeable future, if they are unable to do so during this current cycle. Kicking moderates out of the party and pandering to the far right-wing has served to alienate a lot of moderate Republicans as well as more than a handful of independent voters, possibly for good. The disconnect between the stated values and the actual outcome of Republican policy of late has been less than appealing to a lot of moderate conservatives, and the fact that the party seems to be trying to intentionally remove or suppress moderate voices within the party is, IMO, a destructive strategy, both for the party proper as well as the outside-in view of the party itself, which, as has been seen, leaves a lot of room for exterior (from the other party) criticism.

I think we all recognize that this election will likely be a referendum on Obama, and if Romney wins, it won't be so much a Romney win as it will be an Obama loss, and an electoral voicing from the "anybody but Obama" contingent.

My answer to your question while not maybe explicit was there. While i do think at this moment Obama looks like he is leading I never thought this would be any easy election. And as I said based on the current situation history would say he is vunerable. The thing that is saving him IMO is that this election is not really turning on it being a referendum on him. It's turning on whether you think there was and is a better alternative. Don't think many look back and think damn McCain/Palin would have meant 2% unemployment and peace all over the world. And now they have to decide if they should change horses and go with Romney/Ryan who frankly I think have done a very poor job so far in making a case and the polls show that. Romney especially with the 47% comment alienated a lot of people and Ryan scares the crap out of the seniors. But let me commend you for your comments regarding the republicans driving out their more moderate elements. That was my point about their chances in future elections not looking good. They have forced Romney to become what he really is probably not, a social conservative and he is not good at faking it.
If Obama loses I will blame as i said the factors prevalent at this time, high unemployment mainly. But if he wins I think the republicans have some real deep soul searching to do. Just as the dems had to do in the 80s where they were seen as too extreme before Clinton came along with his DLC and moved them back to the middle.

 

[vodkazvictim]

1: Obama has failed to return the economy to it's pre-Bush level.
Of course, that would be one bloody hell of an achievement, but the public rarely have reasonable expectations of their leaders; they expect someone good to be a saviour, possibly because so many leaders are parasites.

2: Obama has not cut & run from assorted Middle Eastern conflicts.
I, personally, can see many reasons why he should; you should run from Afghanistan because nobody wins in Afghanistan.
You could have run from Iraq at the start of your term and claimed that Bush had fucked it up beyond redemption. Not very responsible, but, politically at least, escapable (yeah that's a word; because I want it to be, bizzatches).

3: Obama isn't a strong political leader.
It's my belief (yeah I'm self-important enough to bring up my belief's in legitimite political debate) that many autocrocies continue because the primitive part of the minds of many see a "strong" autocratic leader and conclude that that entails a good leader. Let us call it a relic of caveman times.

4: Obama has failed to bring the corporations to heel.
This task is gigantic, but many people cling to the illusion that politicans have power over companies, rather than the other way around.

Those are 4 reasons. Not that you need to give a shit; I'm a limey (kinda).

 

[xfire]

I think 2008 was a rejection of Bush-style conservatism, yes, as well as a significant rejection of moderate governance.

So why is a liberal-leaning, northeast, blue blood like Romney the GOP candidate?

 

[Straight Shooter]

If Obama loses it will be because he lost. The sun will still rise Wednesday morning, I'll still get up and go to work. A Romney victory wouldn't be a rejection of liberalism, the guy's too liberal for that to be true. Do you think McCain losing was a rejection of conservatism? A case could be made that it was, because in 2012 there's two fairly liberal candidates competing for the White House.

:dito: I'm going to wake up Wednesday morning and continue to live my life. I might not be a fan of a Romney presidency but he'll be the president and I will show him the respect that the office entitles him to

 

[Mayhem]

How many liberals will actually leave America? Many say they will leave if a certain person is elected and never do.
Liberals are such liars. :tongue:

Take a look at everyone else's answers, take a look at yours. The rest of us are having a civil discussion, regardless of core belief. Then there's you.

Now go away.

 

[DukeLaCrosse]

if obama loses then taxes for the rich will be cut and the debt will get even higher

 

[Deepcover]

I would feel disappointed if Obama lost the election and wish all the best for Romney as President...I can't believe that motherfucker is a New England Patroits fan.

 

[Sam Fisher]

if obama loses then taxes for the rich will be cut and the debt will get even higher

You're comment is completely wrong.

 

[Sam Fisher]

If Obama Loses

America wins. Simple as that.