As we welcome the new year and a new political season, having given considerable time to analyzing the meaning of the November elections, one thing is abundantly clear: the mystique of the Obama narrative is over and the reality of governing has finally overtaken this administration. Until now, President Obama has been significantly aloof, above it all, possessed of his own exceptionalism (not to be confused with the truly American brand) based on the strength of his unique personal narrative, that he is not only different from those “ghosts”, as he has called them, pictured on U. S. currency but somehow immune to their burdens. Well, the people didn’t buy it. In fact, they soundly rejected it, and any notion that it would have been different if the unemployment rate had been two points lower or GDP growth a couple of points higher is moot, but nonsense. The basic underlying themes of domestic policy pursued by this regime are alien to the American psyche. A student of history should have known this.