Repeated roots in Vieta's formulas

For the polynomial $(x-2{)}^2(x+1)=x^3-3x^2+4$, the root list is $2,2,-1$, not $2,-1$. Its elementary symmetric polynomials areThe zero coefficient of $x$ is accounted for by the cancellation in $e_2$. Omitting one occurrence of the double root of a polynomial loses both the polynomial degree and the correct coefficients. Multiplicity of a root is part of the root data.