It should be obvious by now that the Republican Party preferred not to be in possession of the White House for the past 4 years. The GOP in concert with the Bush-Cheney White House policies from 2001- 2008 had damaged the country so badly that Republicans knew they would not have been able to repair the damage in three or four years. No one could have. And they would have been unable to deflect blame for the country's failures from themselves as easily as they have tried to do with the Democrats in the White House. Of course, they would have tried. But, without a Democrats in the White House, and without a Boogie Man to point to for blame, the fault would have landed squarely on their collective shoulders.
What is not so obvious is why so many conservative thinking adults in the USA were able to accept the Republican Party's insulting, divisive, and irresponsible behavior towards the American people over the last 12 years. Likely, the premise (thinking adults) could be wrong. Nevertheless, it makes the conservative right an interesting study.
In order for conservative right to believe that the Republican Party worked better for America than the current Democratic Party, they had to do at least 4 things.
1. Conservatives had to forget or pretend that the Bush-Cheney White House never happened. They had to forget that the policies and actions of a dominate Republican Administration had gutted the U.S. Treasury (Where did the money go?) and created the fiscal and economic mess President Obama inherited in 2009. In George Bush's own words to President Obama on his exit from the White House: "You are inheriting a mess." In fact, the country was in such a mess in 2004 that John Kerry wanted no parts of it and campaigned for the presidency as if he wanted no parts of it.
2. Men and women on the conservative right had to accept on blind faith that a party that would eliminate necessary state and federal jobs and who would permit the outsourcing jobs to China to be profitable for corporations is a party that could be good for America. They had to buy into the belief that a political party that would insult, lie, distort, coerce, and collude for political gain was a party of good conscience. They had to accept on unconsciousable faith that a party that viewed the damage and hurt to the American people (especially the Middle Class) as collateral damage in a political battle could, as Mitt Romney alleges he does, really believe in America.
3. Conservative men and women had to accept on faith that the GOP leadership and consevative pundits really didn't mean it when they said we "want Obama to fail even if it means America fails" and preceeded to act accordingly. Really. Even if it means America fails?
4. Conservatives had to start counting the Obama Administration start-up in 2008 even though he didn't take office until 2009. The 2008 assault and devastation of the U.S. economy, already laid wasted by the previous 7 years of Bush-Cheney, was entirely a part of the Bush White House years.
So, saddled with an economy that no one could make whole in 3 years. And saddled with a do-nothing congress where Republicans acted like the enemy, lied, obstructed, stonewalled, and voted against every measure The President submitted for the good of America, President Obama still managed to get the economy moving in the right direction and make impressive improvements in the lives of many Americans.
The GOP set The President up for failure and did their best to make it happen. But without whining and complaining, President Obama went to work for every American, and America is all the better for it--much better than we were 4 years ago. But, racism, emotional reasoning, and corrupt memories trumps everything--even common sense. And because of those three things Americans on the conservative right will yearn for a Republican White House that got America into this mess in the first place. And if they succeed you will deserve the maelstrom you receive. But your children won't.
But if you want America to continue to succeed re-elect President Obama and give him a congress that will work with him and not a congress that tries to make America fail simply because they are motivated by greed and political gain.