Has the Real obama Presidency Ended?

In the last few days, we have been treated to the spectacle of president Obama desperately trying to convince his fellow Democrats to go along with the tax compromise that he made with Republican leaders. So far, Obama has not had much success. The head of the Democrat cannot get his fellow Democrats to accept a deal that extends the current tax rates for the poor and middle class on their watch. He cannot get them to accept a deal that gives all employed Americans a tax break for next year with a 2% payroll tax reduction. He cannot get them to accept an extension of unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed. And why is that: because there would also be a continuation of current tax rates for wealthy Americans and the estate tax would only rise to levels mostly in line with the rates of 2009, before the estate tax was terminated for 2010. For rational Democrats, the deal should be a no-brainer, particularly since they know that the deal they will get after January 1 will not be as good. But Obama cannot get them to agree.

We also were treated to a press conference that Obama turned over to Bill Clinton. For the first time in recent memory, the President left the press conference and it did not end. It is almost as if Obama is not really president anymore.

It is sad to watch Obama diminish the presidency and his own efficacy.