I liked Obama, I disagree with some of his policies and his actions like I have with every other president in my lifetime. I do think that if Obama and the Democrats in congress had read the views and wants of the public in general when it came to the ACA, they would have put it off for a couple of years and engaged in education of the people.

Going against the will of the people, at the time they said a big no to the ACA as it took them completely out of their comfort zone which made them angry, especially independents angry which resulted in the loss of the House of Representative in 2010. These same independents which voted for Obama over McCain 52-44 and 53-45 for Democratic congressional candidates turned against Obama and the Democrats in 2010 by a 56-37 margin. From a plus 8 for Obama to a minus 19 for the democrats in 2010, a swing of 27 points. Also the Republicans didn't take over the senate until the last two years of the Obama administration. The Democrats under Harry Reid held the senate from 2009-2014.

I think Obama could have accomplished a great deal if he had listened a bit to the American public as a whole when it came to the ACA. If he had listened, the Democrats probably would have remained in charged of congress, both the house and the senate through all 8 years of his presidency. Great things awaited in my opinion, only to be lost on the fixation on health care when America as a whole was against it.

But those decisions belonged to Obama and the democrats, not me or anyone else. Obama was well liked by America as a whole regardless of his policies. When America voted, it was against or for his policies, not Obama as an individual. This time around as in 2018, people are voting more against an individual, Trump than his policies.

With both parties shrinking and independents rising, both parties better take the views, the wants and don't wants of independents more seriously than just playing or passing legislation for their base. Wave elections are happening much more than in the past caused by ignoring independents which make up 40% of the electorate today. The days when Democrats made up 45% of the electorate are long gone. Today they make up 31% if Gallup is to be believed. Independents and wave elections, 1994, then 2006, then 2010, then 2018. Prior to 1994 the last wave election was in 1948

It's high past time that we start electing Americans to congress and the presidency who put America first instead of their political party. For way too long we have been electing Republicans and Democrats who happen to be Americans instead of Americans who happen to be Republicans and Democrats.