Profiles in denial.

By Katrina vanden Heuvel
Getting the strongest possible health-care bill as quickly as possible is now key. Passing the Senate bill first, and then quickly fixing it through the reconciliation process, could create strong political pressure for reviving the public option or Medicare buy-in.
By Arianna Huffington
Some, including Sens. Joe Lieberman (I., Conn.) and Evan Bayh (D., Ind.), are saying that the outcome in Massachusetts is an indication that Mr. Obama and the Democrats need to move to the middle and focus on trying to make bipartisan deals. This, of course, is exactly what the Democrats have been doing all year. If they redouble their efforts to curry favor with the Olympia Snowes of the world they'll be making a grave mistake.

Celinda Lake, Martha Coakley's pollster, spoke the truth yesterday when she said their campaign was hurt by the White House's failure to confront Wall Street. This has left Democratic candidates the targets of angry voters—especially angry independent voters—worried about the economy.
For the last 12 months, the administration has been tone-deaf to just how much the economy has impacted Americans' lives. This has allowed populist rage to grow, and put Democrats—who have been hot and heavy with the big banks and insurance companies all year— squarely in voters' crosshairs.
In the past week, the president and his team have upped the populist rhetoric. But if they want people to believe their fiery pronouncements about taking on powerful interests and the status quo, they need to remember that the middle, the place the Evan Bayh crowd wants them to move toward, is exactly where the status quo resides.

Or
By Jim G
The country is alarmed by the uncontrolled growth of government spending and its takeover of industry.
The Democrats have been tone deaf and arrogant.  Citizens have protested against spending (tea baggers) and the takeover of health care at town hall meetings and have been ridiculed by politicians and the media (and bloggers).
American's also know when things are not working and a mounting deficit and increasing unemployment rate are huge signs that the President and his party have ignored.
Now instead of enacting a pro-growth agenda, the administration seems to want to double down on ineffective populist rhetoric.  Attacking banks and the finance industry, necessary for the functioning of the economy, will only serve to spin the wheels of the recession even more.
 
Tax receipts will be down, unemployment will be up, states are going to default.  So Terry, think we can tax our way out of this mess?