The comments by Don Flood are very persuasive until you reflect on them and analyze them. The position that President Obama received a mandate from the voters and acceptance of the Affordable Care Act during the 2012 election is very misleading. There are some major considerations that must be taken into account when analyzing this election.
When our Republican form of government was established, there was a desire to insure the vote of every voter would be important. Accordingly, one could argue the true measure of any election is the House of Representatives - not the presidency nor the Senate. The House is the true heart of the Republic since it is charged with the financial workings of the government.
On average, the Republicans in the House got significantly greater mandates than President Obama. The House was also given a mandate - get the country back on track. Additionally, one must measure where the majority of the votes given to President Obama came from during this election. If you review the financial state of the democratic states that constitute the majority of President Obama's victory, you will find states that are greatly in danger of default on several of their programs, specifically pensions to their employees.
In short, they greatly reflect our national government which is also better at printing money than they resolving problems. Uncapped printing of money doesn't resolve problems, it creates them. Our electorate is changing. We have many more voters that are not responsible for the monetary decisions being made by our government.
This is a great country and it is capable of resolving many of the problems throughout the world if it would start asking how to make the world a better place instead of what can be given to me free or at the expense of someone else. Changes should and must be made. Those changes will never be made until we start challenging everyone in public office to explain their actions.
When was the last time President Obama was ever asked to explain any of his decisions? Why did he unilaterally delay businesses insuring employees with the ACA? Why did Congress allow him to do it? Why does the federal government have their own health and retirement plans?
Every average citizen can probably think of 10 questions they would ask their elected national officials. It is unfortunate our national print and TV media can't think of any unless they deal with the Republican members of the House.
Bob Frost
Lewes