Change Is Just the Coins In Your Pocket

Those of us who strongly believe in a single-payer health care system have been willing to give the President the benefit of the doubt after he claimed he would fight for a strong public option that would keep the insurance industry honest. So far, Mr. Obama's fighting skills are about equal to Reggie Jackson's. Full of bluster and big talk, Mr. October had a propensity for getting knocked on his ass by (at least three of) his one-time teammates. In between his rousing speeches, Mr. Obama does little in terms of using the political muscle and leverage that comes with being president, unless it's an opportunity to kick sand in the face of a few 98-pound freshman reps. Meanwhile, he backs away from dickhead drama-queens like Traitor Joe Lieberman so quietly you could hear a mouse pissing on a cotton bale.

President Obama reminds me of other black guys I known who've made it to positions of power and are too meek to use it in fear of upsetting someone. Great leaders don't waste time on failed conciliation; they move forward, and woe to the obstacles in the way. This country didn't vote for baby steps or languid pontifications while the house burns down -- they voted for action, and they voted for change. Major change. Obama is losing his base, and he doesn't seem to care.

Bush was all guts and no brains, Obama's all brains and no guts.