The growing disaffection with our President from all parts of the political spectrum can be seen as an outgrowth of our prolonged and continuing victimization.
Barack Obama is like the police officer who sits with you and tries to console you after criminals have broken into your house, stolen everything they could, involved you and your family in the most degrading and reprehensible actions, and then gotten clean away. You sit in the shambles of your former life, looking at the officer -- the "protector" from the government -- and wonder, "What can he do?"
Bush, Cheney, the bankers, the energy oligarchs, Bin Laden -- they have all gotten away.
For all of the hope generated in Obama's historic election, the sad reality is that we've been left with such tremendous deficits, both financial and moral, that the administration is now primarily charged with staving off societal collapse. Exude confidence. Solicit ideas. Fight battles on many fronts at once. Fight unpopular battles. This is the Post-Bush world, and it is a thankless time for the President.