The GOP’s Five Greatest Disappointments In 2012

[Playinghardball]

This was a bad year for the Republican Party. What started out as a year of hope that they would return to power ended in a series of profound disappointments that left party strategists debating whether the GOP would become a permanent minority unless they change course.

Here are the party’s five most disappointing moments.

1. Payroll Tax Cut Defeat

The year began with a standoff between President Obama and House Republicans that split the GOP and ended in a clear defeat for the party. Worse, it placed the mantle of working class tax breaks in the hands of a Democrat.

Obama demanded a one-year extension of the payroll tax cut; House GOP leaders made a public showing of their resistance, insisting on offsets but resisting ideological compromise until the bitter end. Obama stood firm, as did House Republicans — until Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell publicly called on them to give up the game.

On Feb. 13, they did, and agreed to extend the tax break without paying for it. It would prove to be a turning point in how Obama dealt with the GOP.

2. Nominating A Presidential Candidate They Disliked

The GOP’s presidential field was widely seen as weak. The race came down to two unpopular relics of the past (Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum) and a former blue stater who once embraced abortion rights, gun control and planted the seeds for Obamacare (Mitt Romney.)

After a series of embarrassing moments from the other candidates involving moon colonies, anti-porn crusades and the like, Republicans finally decided they had nowhere to go but Romney, crowing him their nominee on May 30. Conservatives never really warmed up to the former Massachusetts governor, and many lamented the selection. But, they consoled themselves, at least he had what it took to throw Barack Obama out of office.

3. Obamacare Upheld
4. Obama Reelected
5. Taxes Are Going Up

Read more at: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/12/gop-five-greatest-disappointments-2012.php

[spanone]

1. i would put #3 at #1.

although they're probably not in numerical order

[CheapShotArtist]

2. #2 is their own fault.

They had a choice to go with the Man-on-Dog guy, Bachmann, Cain, or Ron Paul, but instead went for Romney because they thought he's "most electable". Those other candidates at least were able to draw respectable crowds to their events.

[Berlum]

3. 6. They had to live with themselves

Pretty damn stanky state of affairs.