NFK. Robert Samuelson calls at the President for his lack of leadership.
The president keeps promoting an “adult conversation” about the budget, but that can’t happen if the First Adult doesn’t play his part. Obama is eager to be all things to all people. He’s against the debt and its adverse consequences, but he’s for preserving Social Security and Medicare without major changes. He’s for “tough cuts,” but he’s against saying what they are and defending them. He pronounces ambitious goals without saying how they’d be reached. Mainly, he’s for scoring political points against Republicans.
A leader Obama is not.
Lead on the deficit? Nope.
A leader on the budget? Nope.
Lead on Healthcare reform? At best from a large distance and from “on high”.
Would a leader call people out the way Obama has called out the Supreme Court and Paul Ryan? Absolutely not.
