Relecting on MA

It's hard to believe how quickly President Obama's support has eroded over the past year. No one expected it to be easy, but no one could have foretold that merely a year into office, he would lose support in arguable the most liberal state of America.

A weak economy and high unemployment is no friend to any president, but most would agree that the President's poll numbers would be higher had he not decided to tackle healthcare in the current environment. Even if a bill was passed, it would not please anyone: those who are for it would find it lacking, those who are opposed to it would use it as ammunition against the President.

I wonder what conclusions the President is drawing from his mistakes. His strategy has long been "ruling from the center", but just because you're ruling from the center does not mean you would please both sides of the political spectrum. If anything it's proven to be the opposite. He failed to bring in the Right while disappointing the Left. The Middle could abandon him as fast as they once embraced him.

Gay rights has also become a victim of this "rule from the middle" philosophy. The "fierce advocate" who never shied from talking about gay rights during the campaign went missing as soon as the job in the White House is secured. In the Prop 8 courtroom, the President's words are being used to justify discrimination against the LGBT community, yet he has not uttered a word of objection. His silence, as David Mixner put it, is hurting us, big time. Mr. President, if by ruling from the center you mean giving up your principals and letting the political machine, the very machine you ran against, dictate your agenda, then you shouldn't be surprised by how people are questioning their support for you.

People voted for what you stand for, only to find out you don't really stand for anything.