GOP won't let the President be "Middle Man" or the one to balance the "Force"

[andym]

President Obama wanted to be the one to end partisan politics or at least reduce the acrimony (like Middle Man in the Tom Tomorrow cartoons) and help make the government more efficient. He stressed this in his campaign. However, it is clear the GOP is interested in an anti-government revolution that precludes the creation of a middle ground that the might have been possible in the 1950s, 60s and 70s.

Coming out of the debt negotiations, it appears that the President's desire to be the one to balance the "Force" between the parties to make government work (apologies to Luke Skywalker) is not realistic and will be even less realistic as time passes. The USA appears almost ungovernable and that reflects badly on everyone, especially the President (because he is perceived as the leader of the government).

I believe he is intelligent enough to realize dynamics of the current situation. He has a big decision to make, will he and can he move back toward the left (at least the center) and fight for the idea of a useful government that not only helps the old and poor but actively makes all our lives better through services, infrastructure, intelligent regulations and research (mail, FAA, FDA, NIH etc). To fight against the Tea party conservatives would mean giving up the dream of compromise to end the rancor. Will he try?