It’s frustrating, especially because it’s hard to imagine a Republican winning with an economic record like O’s—even if they could partially pawn it off on a predecessor. I think conservatives got caught up focusing on turnout projections and failed to acknowledge the shifting demographics Dems always crow about. Every year the country gets more Hispanic. Every year kids turn 18 holding more liberal social values, if not outright hostility to religion—often replaced by uncritical faith in environmentalism. I think just the plain fact the population is growing period favors the trend toward euro-socialism. These changes are less visible in non-Presidential elections because we can fight it with activist turn out but when it comes to the big show we just run out bodies. Add that to the fact Obama has a strong celeb appeal to low info voters, devoted protection from the bulk of the media, a popular ex-prez to help him campaign while we had to keep Bush in the shed, and a “just tax the rich more” message based on peddling government goodies to people who are less and less likely to concern themselves with how our nation will foot the bill, . Plus booting an incumbent is just hard. Clinton needed Perot’s interference to beat H.W. Bush.
However, don’t forget this thing was still pretty close. Numerous random variables played a role and could have turned it.
That's it basically...there are now a lot more takers than producers. Forty years ago McGovern got stomped running on the same things Obama runs on. Today a president with a truly, horrible record gets re-elected. Things do look bleak for the future. Time to think about a split.