President Moves Away from Compromise: Obama Wants to Be Democrats' Hero Again

Conservatives fluctuate between hate and rage anyway, but in the meantime, more and more Democrats are also dissatisfied with Barack Obama. So he is changing his strategy: higher taxes for the rich, sharp speeches against the Republicans, more feel good politics for his own clientele. The president is certain: The election in 2012 cannot be won with the center alone.

Barack Obama has one thing in common with millions of his countrymen: He fears for his job. Most recent surveys show that one out of two Americans is dissatisfied with the president, who wants to be reelected in the coming year. Conservative voters continue to fluctuate between hate and rage.

Also in the meantime, two-thirds of all independent voters disapprove of Obama’s politics. Even within his own party dissatisfaction is fermenting. Many Democrats believe that their hero from 2008 has lost his backbone: Obama the common sense politician has recently made concessions to Congressional Republicans, which his once most passionate supporters perceive as betrayal.

It appears that Obama now wants to correct himself. The first signal for this return to his roots was his fiery jobs speech in Congress ten days ago. And now the second act follows: Obama’s push to involve super-rich Americans in the burden of stabilizing the country, which is as popular as it is populist. Obama wants to recapture his own base and he believes that with this idea he can dispel opposition from the right who have sworn not to consent to a tax raise.

Perhaps a strategy lies behind Obama’s course correction. Up until now it appeared that he was only concerned with the approval of independent voters. Disgusted with Washington’s party squabbling, this is the largest group of voters. Now more precise analyses reveal that only one out of every ten voters is truly independent. That will not be enough for reelection. So to survive 2012, Obama must revive his own party.