The argument that we should support Obama despite his latest move (and it really is a Lesser-Evil argument), will only lead to continuing contempt from him toward progressives, and more moves rightward  This pattern of behavior is the reason Rahm Emmanual said, “Don’t worry about the progressives.  Where are they going to go?”

Obama just threw the people of this country under the bus because he thought it would make him look good.  It may, momentarily.  He doesn’t think more than a day or two ahead, though.  Notice that the GOP is being very quiet or even complimentary while the vote is pending.  As soon as it is taken, they will use it – effectively – against him.  The deal he is so proud of is full of poison pills they will delightedly use against him and against the peons we are all becoming.  Even they didn’t expect him to hand them the Social Security poison pill.

It has become very clear that Obama does not respect people who have been good to him (forget those who need him).  He has abandoned people and groups at the first unsupported attack from the right.  He abandoned his campaign supporters as soon as he was elected (There was an article in Huffington Post a few weeks ago by a member of his campaign media team about the sudden change immediately after election day.).  He has been condescending and disrespectful toward the House representatives who performed so admirably.  On the other hand, the more hostile the right wing is toward him, more more he grovels to them.

What we actually need to accept is that Obama can not win reelection in 2012, precisely because that has been his only goal.  The real economy can not improve, given his subservience to Wall Street.  People vote on how the economy has been affecting them.  Paul Krugman has some nice graphs on the relationship of the economy to elections.

We should not abandon our own integrity by accepting another betrayal of the national interest.  That is not OK.