If we are going to learn lessons for the future, we have to avoid being taken in my comforting myths in the present.
We lost because we didn't run on anything: Obama should have used the bully pulpit, issued exec order in immigration reform, ect.
False. In 2010, Obama and the Democrats ran on a record of huge accomplishments (Health Care, Financial Reform, Stimulus) as well as attempts at big things (like the energy bill in the House.) It didn't help.
We lost because we were 'Republican Lite'
False. Look at the House results. Progressive and Blue dogs both fared poorly. Carol Shea Porter lost her race, just like blue dog John Barrow. Same pattern as in 2010. Remember Alan Grayson? He lost by a landslide in his 2010 race, despite running as a loud and proud progressive. He and the blog dog in the district over both lost.
We lost because Big Money was against us
False. Republicans managed to beat expectations in races like VA-Sen, in which they were outspent. The GOP even went dark on TV due to lack of funds. Money doesn't determine outcomes. We spent much more in NC. It didn't help.
We lost because turnout was down
Obviously the count is still ongoing. But the turnout was high in Maine, and we set a record for midterm turnout in North Carolina. College campuses in particular had high turnout. We still lost.
Ok. If all of these things are false, then why did we lose?
I don't know. I have some theories, speculations, guesses. But I'm keeping them to myself for now. I'm going to study the data, judiciously, objectively, and think for a good long while. I will take special care not to jump to any conclusions that just so happen to fit oh-so-well with my ideological beliefs. (example: Maybe Democrats lost because they didn't run on the environment! By the way, the environment is the most important issue to me personally as a voter!)
I would ask that this community to do the same. Don't engage in name calling. Don't blame our candidates, our President, or the voters. Don't whine that the strategy pursued in the election didn't work (there were many strategies employed by many candidates and they nearly all failed.) Take a deep breath. Think about the issue when you are calm. Let's come to a rational understanding of what happened with time.