TightWind is written by Kyle Baxter. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Clive Crook nails the Obama administration’s central political problem:

Sadly for the president, the left objects to his pragmatism more than it applauds his ambitions, and the centre and right object to his ambitions more than they welcome his pragmatism.

He’s positioned himself left enough to enrage centrists and conservatives, and just close to the center enough to disgust progressives. By doing so, and not having the spine to stick to his own positions, he’s lost the country.

That can change, of course. Crook argues that, like Bill Clinton did after the 1994 election, Obama must move to the center, and position himself as separate from both sides. But this would mean compromising his progressive beliefs, which he clearly holds, and working with Republicans.

That’s something he refused to do in his first year in office, and still refuses to do by trying to force the Senate bill through Congress using reconciliation. This administration has shown a proclivity toward coercion.