Fast & Furious is post-2008. Even some Hispanics who are supposed to toe the plantation line are upset that dozens, if not hundreds, of Mexicans lost their lives because of this program, which no one on the left has accurately explained. Tracking guns without using tracking devices doesn't pass the smell test. Those of us on the right understand that the program was an attempt to foster violence, which could ultimately lead to an anti-Second Amendment gun grab. Those on the left are just confused.
The Benghazi/Egypt/Arab Spring debacles have been so replete with lies from the administration that even CNN and USA Today have run some articles questioning Obama's veracity, in a belated attempt, I suppose, to maintain the tiny bit of credibility they still maintain.
A major factor, which I've discussed ad nauseum with some left-leaning but basically independent acquaintances here in New Jersey is the whole White Guilt meme. In 2008, I often heard, "It would be great to elect a Black president to show the world that the USA is a post-racial society." Well, we did that and have suffered the consequences, not because we elected a Black president, but because we elected a particluar Black president. Many, if not most who voted for Obama primarily because of this will not make the same mistake in 2012.
Obama's complete abandonment of Israel, as evidenced by his shaky relationship with Netanyahu, and his inability to deter Iran's nuclear proliferation, have made all but the most secular Jews wary. While only about 2% of the voting population, Jewish people have much greater influence than that small number might indicate. They are active in the arts, in publishing, in education, and in fundraising. In Florida, in particular, they are an important voting bloc in a critical swing state.
A final thought. Mitt Romney may not be Ronald Reagan, but he is a far more viable candidate than a tired John McCain was. And the brilliant Paul Ryan adds much to the ticket, whereas Sarah Palin, though a darling of the right, was an easy target for the malefactors on the left who cited here inexperience (though she was a successful governor) while totally ignoring Obama's.
A couple of more thoughts since my last rant:
In adition to Fast & Furious and Benghazi, there have been a few other ugly scandals: Solyndra, which was operated by Obama supporters, cost the taxpayers over half a billion dollars. And there are many other “new energy” companies where the story was similar. “Old energy” companies, particularly those that mine coal, have been all but shut down by Obama and his Gestapo EPA. That’s not a harbinger of increased Obama votes in the West Virginia, Pennsylvania coal belt. The Keystone Pipeline debacle, a gift to the Enviro-Whacko community, has been a negative for everyone else.
Failing to drill and transport oil may not be solely responsible for $4.00 gas, but, to add a small energy metaphor, lighting a candle is always better than cursing the darkness. Obama and the rest of the libs have also made up their own facts about the horrors of fracking, yet the administration tries to take credit for the economic growth in states like North Dakota, where fracking has generated a boom. In short, anything and everything related to energy is a big Obama negative.
Finally, Obama’s advancement of the homosexual agenda, especially gay marriage, will cause him some pain in some of the more traditional Black and Hispanic communities, where the Church still matters. They will still support Obama by huge numbers, but, perhaps, not so overwhelming as in 2008. And the effect of Obamacare’s forcing many Catholic enterprises and universities (such as Georgetown) to forfeit their religious beliefs and provide contraceptives and even abortiafacients in their healthcare coverage may be more harmful to Obama’s prospects than many have predicted. While many Catholics don’t follow every single tenet of their church, most still respect the concept of religious freedom, particularly when it is being torpedoed by the unpopular, quasi-Constitutional horror known as Obamacare.
There are a myriad number of reasons that former Obama supporters will not be voting for him in 2012, but it is nearly impossible to find anyone who didn’t vote for him in 2008 who will in 2012.