The McConnell strategy of focusing on the repeal of healthcare and denying Obama a second term shouldn't be dealt with glibly. I've read some of the recommended diaries on this, and while I share the anger, I don't think O'Connell is stupid. While every bit of an asshole, he's not strategically stupid.
Obama is hamstrung by the nature of his signature legislation - that it comes into effect in drips and drabs. Nobody ever felt it happen. I can point to all of its benefits just like any of you, but the benefits of this legislation just isn't salient to the the folks who vote and who waiver between parties or voting at all.
McConnell's rhetoric is really smart because whereas this kind of "we won't compromise" shit might ordinarily be liberating to the opponent who figures he's got nothing to gain by compromising anyway, all "being liberated" does is cause Obama to appear as wildly Marxist as he's been branded already. On the other hand, if he tries compromise he'll never be conservative enough and so he will fall short of what these GOPers demand.
What's even MORE fucked up is that there are NO FINANCIAL REPERCUSSIONS for sucking as the House leadership because of Citizens United. McConnell has the comfort of knowing that all the money in the world is waiting for him to fucking suck as a member of government, to stonewall, and demand repeals. He has to suck up to NO CONSTITUENCIES but the billionaires and corporations that bankrolled these bastards in the first place. THIS IS A REALLY NEW DYNAMIC! It can't be underestimated.
The GOPers are looking 2, 4, and 6 years out - if not farther. The last 70 years have been dominated by a GOP pissed off about Social Security. To think they wouldn't be apoplectic over healthcare reform is naive as hell. Social Security had lots of people willing to defend it because it hit them and helped them immediately. Healthcare isn't doing that, and doesn't have its people-defenders. It must have them, or the Koch brothers will have their way.