Folks, don't let the Republicans get away with the spin that we all know is pure BS.
They say it was status quo.
They say it was "razor-thin" for Obama.
They say Obama has no mandate.
They say Romney lost because of Romney, not because of Republicanism.
These claims are all 100% malarkey.
Here's the truth: last night was a turning point in American national politics. It confirmed that 2008 was not a fluke due to a faltering economy and a charismatic challenger, but rather that it is the "new normal" in U.S. presidential elections.
The Republicans lost Latinos by a 70-30 margin. And contrary to what Republicans believed/hoped, they voted in greater numbers than they did in 2008. The Democrats have seized hold of this demographic. Some Republicans dream that simply by running Marco Rubio as their nominee in 2016, they'll magically reverse this trend. No, it's not going to happen. As with African-Americans, Latinos aren't stupid, and they won't just support a Republican because the top of the ticket is a Latino. If the Republican party doesn't change its rheteric and policies on immigration, it will continue to lose.
The Republicans lost the female vote by a significant margin as well. By the same margin as 2008. Democrats own the single female demographic, and married women aren't far behind. Some Republicans dream that simply by running someone like Sarah Palin, Nikki Haley or Mia Love, they'll magically reverse this trend No, it's not going to happen. Women aren't stupid, either. If the Republican party continues to run neanderthal candidates like Akin and Mourdock while championing anti-choice and anti-women policies, it will continue to lose.
The Republicans lost on marriage equality last night, big time. Maryland became the first state in the union where the voters approved same-sex marriage rights. Minnesota defeated a constitutional prohibition. Washington voters affirmed marriage equality as passed by their state legislature. But Maine is the state to truly look at and smile, because it represents the coming total defeat for anti-equality bigots. A state wherein the voters has previously overturned marriage equality turned around and approved it a mere 3 years later. This is a seismic event, ladies and gentlemen. This shows that not only will voters approve equal marriage rights at the state level, thus demolishing NOM's favorite talking point, but also that states that previously rejected or prohibited it will change couse in due time. It's inevitable: marriage equality will eventually be reality everywhere in the U.S.
The Republicans los the young vote by huge margins yet again. And they turned out like in 2008. Democrats own this demographic. Republicans imagined that young people were disillusioned in the President and would stay home and play video games and smoke pot and hand them the election. But young people aren't as stupid and lazy and selfish as the Republicans believed. If the Republicans continue to ignore that their platform is widely divergent from that of most of America's younger generations (see:marriage equality above), they will continue to lose.
Last night, voters overwhelmingly said that the Republicans stood for the interests of the wealthy instead of the middle class. Despite all the GOP raving about "class warfare," America wasn't fooled--they know that the Republicans are the party of the rich that just doesn't care about the poor or middle class. Obama won with voters who make under $100,000 a year. Romney carried those who make over that amount. Americans are no longer falling for Republican nonsense about tax cuts for the wealthy and "job creators."
The Tea Party lost last night. Majorly. Tea Party darlings such as Allan West and Todd Akin got beat. Michelle Bachmann squeaked through by hair in a district that should be easy for the GOP. The last vestiges of Republican moderatation had been swept away earlier when long-time moderate incumbents were ousted in favor of their fire-breathing brethren, who then went on to lose, even in red states like Indiana. The Republicans hitched their wagon to this insane demographic in 2010 for the sake of winning, and it is now biting them in the ass. Americans think the Tea Party is nuts and said so loud and clear in 2012.
Now, the Republicans will try to slap band-aids on their problems rather than actually address the fact that America will continue to reject their core beliefs. They'll seek out empty suits like Rubio to try and fool Americans into thinking that their policies are somehow different. But Americans, we're not so stupid. If the GOP doesn't have a sincere period of introspection and significantly alter its course on a host of unpalatable policies, they will continue to lose. Unless they change, they are well on their way to being the party not just of Old White Guys, but Old Rich White Guys.
And you can't win elections like that. Not anymore.