Long story short: I do not so much praise the Republican Party for their victories yesterday as blame the Democratic Party for their defeats. At a pivotal time in American history, a time when the bedrock principles of our society are under attack and it was imperative to move ahead and not stand still, let alone turn back, Democrats revealed themselves to be cowards in campaign after campaign.

It is small comfort that the substantial Republican gains will mean little for the 2016 presidential race, and ain’t it a kick that the states benefiting most from the Affordable Care Act, that GOP bogeyman of bogeymen, elected Republicans?

Voter turnout will spike in 2016, the most competitive Senate races will be in liberal-leaning states and the GOP’s continued unwillingness to connect with black, Hispanic and Asian voters will mean likely defeat nationally no matter whom they nominate. Oh, and Republicans won’t have Barack Obama to run against and will be faced — for the first time in several elections — with actually having to stand for something.

Obama has had a troubled presidency primarily because of Republican obstructionism and a suffocating racism that never lurks far from the surface, but also because of his own failings as a leader. But he has been the president America needs and history will remember him as being very good if not very great under enormously difficult circumstances. Yet Democrats abandoned him.

Shame on the Democratic Party. And shame on America.