It is time to stop being naive and understand that the President is more concerned with preserving his power and prerogatives than changing the political landscape in America. Realpolitik is Rahm Emanuels' specialty, using the left and then selling off pieces of progressive policy to the highest bidder or boldest political extortionist. David Axelrod, Larry Summers and Tim Geithner along with Rahm Emanuel were chosen by this President. These advisors are tough ,crafty and politically savvy but, so far, they have demonstrated no grasp of the human effects of their policies. In Imperial Russia, the advisors of the Tsar were always blamed for the burdens of the people, "if only the Tsar knew", was the common refrain... Things eventually went badly for the Tsar, when that belief evaporated in the face of the Tsars' governments' indifference. Unfortunately things also went very badly for Russia and its people.
I don't know if President Obama is as locked up in his head as he seems to be; however,I do know that his approach, so far, seems incremental, tepid, corporatist and lacking in vision. Rhetorically brilliant and very smart, President Obamas' promise is great; however, leadership is not making speeches, especially speeches that promise so much, backed by policy that delivers so little. Calculation and a cool head are good qualities if used in the service of bold plans and actions, if used simply to further the ends of personal power, they turn into the means of Machiavellian scheming and crass political posturing.
The continuation of Bush policies in Iraq and Afghanistan and the blundering, wrong-headed approach to "Economic Policy" are not the result of circumstances, they are choices made by this President. The President is not captive to his advisors, they work on his behalf and at his pleasure; therefore, these policies are his. Continuing on this path will not bring peace, nor will it bring prosperity.
Social inequality is the core issue in America today. Continuing to propagate the Hayekian, "Chicago School" policies of the past thirty-five years, which have withered the middle class and gutted government, will simply continue to further the decline of the political process and society in general.
President Obama doesn't seem to be able to break free of the conservative paradigm of "Free Market" unregulated economic policies and private sector solutions to public sector problems. President Obama doesn't seem to want to address the most pressing economic problems of the American people: good paying jobs, economic stability,and a tax system that rewards and encourages the destruction of the American economic system and its non-defense manufacturing capability.
These statements may seem unrelated but they all converge at the point of governance. The American people are being put through a social and economic wringer by the current political paradigm of "pragmatic compromise" practiced by "centrist" Democrats of which President Obama is only the most recent example. Pragmatism and compromise have their place in the political process; however, both terms are not inherently starting places and assume that you begin with a strongly held position. What are the strongly held positions of the Obama administration? What will President Obama fight for? Sadly, we do not know...
The President, if he expects to govern, must shake up his advisors and clearly demonstrate to the American people that he has a core set of beliefs and principles that he won't compromise. He must clearly state that the political process has been bought and paid for by corporate interests and we must have a new political process in America. Money is the problem, the lack of it in the pockets of the American people and the control it brings the oligarchy of wealth in America. Until that moment, this President will not be able to effectively govern and we, the American people, will continue to get ineffective and broken government, and a parody of leadership, that serves only the interests of the privileged few.
Prove me wrong Mr. President. Prove that you have the courage to fight the entrenched interests we, the American people, elected you to fight. Prove that you are not the champion of Wall Street, but the champion of Main Street. Prove that you are the "agent of change" we elected, not the agent of political process, posturing and electoral manipulation that your administration seems to be. Prove me wrong Mr. President, please...