Mitt Romney was grilled by both sides of the aisle for his post-election “gifts” comment.

I frankly never understood why. If anything, “gifts” might’ve skewed in the direction of being overly kind. To the point of being inaccurate.

How so?

Look to another reliably blue state for a topical illustration. In the wake of a controversial movement to disband the long-floundering city of Detroit, Michigan, one Detroit public official is pushing an option that is much more familiar to Detroit-area voters: bailout!

Sadly, it’s not the proposed remedy that’s so extraordinary. It’s the Councilwoman’s candor…

City Council member JoAnn Watson said Tuesday the citizens support of Obama in last month’s election was enough reason for the president to bailout the struggling the city.

“Our people in an overwhelming way supported the re-election of this president and there ought to be a quid pro quo and you ought to exercise leadership on that,” said Watson. “Of course, not just that, but why not?”

Nearly 75 percent of Wayne County voters pulled the lever for Obama in November.

“After the election of Jimmy Carter, the honorable Coleman Alexander Young, he went to Washington, D.C. He came home with some bacon,” said Watson. “That’s what you do.”

[Emphasis Added]

This is how hardcore Obama backers really, truly think, Save Jerseyans.

They vote for you.

You bail’em out with other people’s money.

A “gift,” according to Merriam-Webster, is “something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation.” In other words, it’s something given with no strings attached. That’s NOT how Obama-era bailouts/entitlements/tax breaks work. Recipients are expected to reciprocate with their vote at the ballot box.

Now take a step back. How can we, as Republicans, negotiate a fiscal cliff resolution (or any economic matter) with a Democrat coalition that is willing to sell its political support to the highest bidder? It’s a question that Mitt Romney is undoubtedly asking himself this holiday season, as will plenty of GOP operatives/strategists/consultants in search of a path forward in 2014.

President Obama will be in the Detroit area on Monday. Brace yourselves for any expensive announcements, folks.