How far has President Obama moved to the right? During the course of the Debt Ceiling debatehe slip streamed in not Elizabeth Warren but Richard Cordray as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. True, he let Elizabeth do all the ground work setting up the agency almost to the very last week; but on its inaugural day Richard, not Elizabeth was at the helm. But this concession has been met with defiance from the Republicans as they are now campaigning to derail Richard Cordray’s nomination. It appears that Obama will lean and bend almost into genuflection position before the Republicans.
Why? Why lose precious time and a great talent acceding to the GOP’s every whim? Five possibilities come to mind. 1), Obama is not satisfied with the reorganization of the now 18++ agencies regulating the financial sector and has grander designs, possibly including Elizabeth Warren in mind[okay, this is very likely a fairy tale]. 2)Obama is constructing a grand poker ruse, feigning weakness while getting the GOP to show their venal and open loyalty to Wall Street and the Financial elites; only to spring a populist trap in the 2012 elections[your conjecture is as good as mine, look back at Obama’s dealings with GOP in Illinois for insights]. 3)Obama is after those Wall Street bucks that were so crucial in the last election[and early money grubbing shows Obama way in the lead in $shock and $awe]; 4)Obama cannot tolerate other stars in the Democratic firmament – note how closely he has kept Hillary to his policies, neutering also Al Gore, Bill Clinton, John Kerry, etc. One does not get a sense of an active Obama Cabinet team beyond his close set of loyal advisers. 5)Obama not just avoids confrontation and moral conflict, but actively works to circumvent confrontational politics and maneuverings.
It appears to ye Editor as he prepares to take a long draft on a Fifth – that Obama offers a swell swill of “choose your poison”.