How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

President Obama demonstrates his skill at reaching across the aisle and making allies in order to get his legislative agenda passed.  While this may be emotionally satisfying for Obama fans, it is just plain stupid politics.  Obama has no experience running anything where the entire staff is not on his side.  I fear we are in for some learning-on-the-job episodes in the next few months.

One of the things I cannot stand about Obama is his constant insistence that any disagreements are just "petty partisan politics."  Perhaps as he grows a little into his new role and gains some maturity, he might begin to apprehend that some disagreements are based on serious differences of opinion.  It's not petty partisan politics that is leading many to look at his proposed "stimulus" and argue that it is not set up to stimulate much of anything.

What's frustrating is that I agree with Obama that there needs to be an investment in upgrading certain portions of our infrastructure.  The problem, at the moment, is that the country is broke and it is intellectually dishonest to suggest that these programs will stimulate economic growth.  

Thankfully, there will be no lobbyists in his Administration.  Oh, except or his pick for the Number 2 slot at Defense. 

This is going to be a long year.