You forgot one big reason: the Republicans forgot the word "conservative" - they turned out to be as big a spender as the Democrats, and promoters of bigger government.
I tried to convince a fellow Republican that when pubbies veer left in an attempt to pick up votes, they lose their base. I didn't want to be able to say "told ya so". Sadly, i now have the proof...
Oh, for Christ's sake - I invite you to go to the OMB and read the damned budget, line for line. I have. Discretionary spending has basically, other than defense and homeland security, flatlined. What's gone up is Medicare and Social Security - and the President was the only national politician with the courage to take on Social Security.
Yeah, he agreed to that stupid Medicare drug benefit but, let's be frank, under a Democrat it would have been even more expansive.
You - and a lot of people here - have been taken in by a fraud, a mind trick, perpetuated by the traitors in the mainstream media - and some of their "conservative" confederates. They whine, generically, about "big spending" and, when asked for examples, point out a few chicken-shit items ($200 Million for a bridge, stupid as it is, doesn't damned well matter when we're talking about a $3 Trillion budget).
You and all of those who have spread the lies about this Administration, and undermined in public morale, are complicit in the triumph of the forces of evil which we are witnessing tonight.