And he’s losing. His own party is running ads to press Democratic senators from Arkansas, Indiana, Florida, Louisiana, North Dakota, Nebraska and Ohio. If Obama cannot get socialized medicine passed with a filibuster proof majority in the Senate, his political capital will tank and he’ll look extremely flaccid. Congress won’t have any reason to listen to him going forward and he’ll risk being perceived as a lame duck. He'll be relegated to policy proposals like school uniforms and midnight basketball.

Say what you want about George Bush, the guy got things done in his first term and lead. From education reform to Medicare Part D to his tax cuts, Bush signed his agenda into law despite congressional gridlock. Agree or disagree, that’s not a weak Commander-in-Chief.

Obama is just the opposite.

The President has showcased an appalling lack of leadership. He has sent no bill to the Hill. He takes no specific positions on the five bills in the House and Senate. All he has done thus far is give flowery calls to action. Either he thinks he is still a Senator or he is Chauncey Gardner.

What the President lacks in leadership he makes up for in arrogance. For the President to think that he can bully Congress and the American people into rolling over in a mere matter of weeks as he seeks to completely overhaul 20 percent of our entire economy is most disgustingly presumptuous. It is this arrogance that is preventing him from recognizing the potential fallout with Americans as portrayed thru moderate Democrats. He is bowing to the far left, and this will cost him. If he passes universal healthcare he will alienate moderate America and eventually suffer because of what it will ensue. It he doesn't pass it, he'll appear a failure, specifically with his base.

The lack of debate is even more stomach turning. Congress should start with a conversation about who these 50 million uninsured are and how we can get them insured before completely remaking the system. The CBO estimates that even with this plan, 17 million people will remain uninsured. Half of those are illegal aliens. Why can’t Congress play small ball on things like tort reform? Let boondoggle legislation like TARP and the stimulus be a lesson to all on what happens when debate is absent.

The only thing the President has revealed is his ability to spend. And spend unwisely. I ask: what’s he shown us that any woman couldn’t with an American Express at Bloomindale’s? The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the House Democratic plan will cost just over $1 trillion— that’s $1 billion in 2012 before skyrocketing to $202 billion in 2019.

After his win in November a good friend of mine predicted that Barack Obama will be the most ineffective President since Chester A. Arthur. We all laughed a hopeful, but skeptical laugh. If he can’t make this happen, he absolutely will be.

 Since taking office, President Obama has racked up more miles to his name than most astronauts. According to Fox News, "in his first six months in office, President Obama has traveled abroad the equivalent of twice around the world."

It's no surprise that the unseasoned and untested Frequent-Flier-In-Chief needs to get some ink in his passport, but the real question is, besides helping Obama brush up on his romance languages, what has he really accomplished overseas?  The answer: not much.
 
At each summit, foreign leaders have been more interested in getting Obama's autograph than his thoughts on missile defense.  When he's asked for cooperation from more troops in Afghanistan to help with Guantanamo detainees to climate change concessions, each time he's been rudely rebuffed.  His speech in Cairo, intended to chart a new beginning, fell flat thanks to his amorphous, vague platitudes and pandering.  The only thing that matters to Arab countries is how he handles the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Obama, unsurprisingly, said nothing new.
 
When it comes to dealing with the most rogue of leaders, he's been bullied.  Chavez purposely bum-rushed him with an insulting piece of propaganda for a photo-op.  Putin gave a cavalier speech on the Cold War, forcing Obama to once again make concessions when he should have defended, not only the West, but also an accurate portrait of history.  But when he sat across from our friend, Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu, he couldn't even give the man eye contact.
 
He's even embarrassed the US by dropping the ball when it comes to proper protocol.  He gifted Britain’s Prime Minister, arguably the longest and most valued ally of our nation, some DVD’s; he gave Her Majesty the Queen an iPod with a selection of his speeches.  Gee, you bloody shouldn't have.  Really.  You shouldn't have.  He might as well have given them an autographed sock he wore during inauguration.
 
Obama's mini study abroad adventures have cemented the notion that he's an international figure, but not an international leader.  Bush may have been tough, but he was respected, and so was the United States.  With all past Presidents, the ones who are limp and quick to concede our liabilities abroad weaken our standing and make us more vulnerable.

Too bad Britain didn't give Obama a history book.

When it comes to winning elections, Independents are a key demographic. Obama won the group overwhelmingly in 2008 and since then pundits and pollsters have been sharply focused on whether their support stays with the President.  In fact, it’s a talking point that Democrats  emphatically shout during television appearances because they know when Independents start to break, it spells trouble.

Trouble, it seems, is spelled G-A-L-L-U-P. Their latest polling shows a drop among support with Independents down from 63 percent in May, to 59 percent.

Digging deeper into the reason for the dip, the larger undercurrent is spending. Polling shows Indy’s weren’t happy about that issue when the Democrats took over the house in 2006.

But the main concern now among that voter group is results – they’re solution oriented (why they voted for him in the first place) and right now they’re doubting his performance for two reasons:

1) The stimulus is not working.  Period.

2) They’re uneasy about the lack of checks and balances on the current Democrat dominated congress and White House.  They may have given the left the keys to the kingdom, but they’re not seeing the oversight they feel they should get.

The best examples of this are the financial bailout and GITMO. Independents are starting to ask if it was really needed because ultimately GM slipped into bankruptcy and whether anyone thought this whole thing through.

(I can answer both: No, and no). When this becomes more apparent, expect Obama's numbers with Independents to dive even more.

Someone please tell me: what’s the big gamble?

Let’s see: she might write a book, make millions and raise even more for the GOP? She could end up giving killer speeches on issues of national importance that bring the house down and command the attention of a national media that only our current commander in chief can boast? Or wait – she might actually run for the White House and er, um, lose? (That worked out horribly for Hillary, Secretary of State, “18 million cracks” Clinton, Nobel Prize winner/filmmaker Al Gore, and icon Ronald Reagan, to name a few).

Amusing are those who attack her for abandoning her office, a novel idea in politics. If leaving a position for a “higher calling” articulates the definition of reckless abandonment, most of the Obama Administration is worthy of similar blame, including the President himself. Even more amusing are those who allege she is running away from the incessant personal assaults. This is a woman who decided not to abort a child she was told would likely have down syndrome, hardly what I'd call someone who retreats over impending adversity. Mothers of special needs children are the epitome of courage. I should know, I was raised by one.

So why is stepping down such a volatile venture?

Win, lose or draw, Palin is, and likely will remain, a wildly popular figure in the Republican Party, a movement that currently lacks a leader and is devoid of direction (besides “the opposite of whatever the tall guy with the teleprompter is saying").

Despite the Obama Administration’s many stumbles and impending economic implosion, no Republican has managed to emerge as the conductor of the constituency. The old guard of the party is over. So over. Whether Palin decides to become the conservative Oprah, a best selling author, the country’s first female President (or all of the above) she is the next generation, the new guard, and the GOP’s MVP.

From a messaging standpoint Palin is perfect. She is also the only one who can reasonably argue that she hasn't been part of either the Republican or Democratic web of Washington politics. No bailouts, big spending, or Buenos Aires lust romps.

Her fundraising potential is potent. Her support is solid from the right. She is poised to fill a leadership vacuum and there is no better time than now, when Obama’s numbers (especially with Independents) are at the precipus of plunging. The iron is scalding hot and Palin, ever the shrewd politician, knows exactly when to strike.

Remind me, where’s her exposure again? The country took a risk on a well-scripted, super smooth, inexperienced, ivy-league fancy lad junior senator. Since taking office he’s quadrupled the deficit, conceded our liabilities abroad, shoved us to the brink of a crippled, European style nanny state, all the while increasing the unemployment numbers to the cusp of double digits. See, the plainspoken, big-haired, conservative hockey mom who uses hokey animal analogies doesn’t seem like such a bad bet after all.

We don’t know precisely how Palin's wager will play out, but we do know that she pulled the political ripcord to advance her career as a Republican rock star, move conservatism forward, and harness her power to propel the problematic Grand Old Party back to greatness. Now that’s a bailout I can get behind.

Andrea Tantaros is a conservative commentator and columnist. Her commentary can be found on www.andreatantaros.com and www.foxnews.com/opinion. Follow her on Twitter: @AndreaTantaros.

WHY PALIN IS THE FUTURE OF THE GOP, November 2008

The next generation of the Republican Party is Governor Sarah Palin, despite the political malpractice of the McCain camp, and the current rumblings of the old guard (emphasis on old) of the GOP establishment.

In this year's election she was the GOP's most valuable player, and like any MVP her political athletic ability is a force to be reckoned with. She has youth on her side which will make her viable for the next two decades (at least). She posesses the supernatural ability to draw tens of thousands to a rally. Her fundraising potential is boundless and her biography is politically seductive.

She is slightly damaged from the Presidential election, not by anything she did, which is why it is possible to overcome the hurdles, the naysayers and heal her two biggest bruises:

First, the one trick ponies on the McCain campaign tried to staff her as they did George W. Bush: as a propped up, stilted, artificial attack dog and full throated conservative, because McCain needed that base to succeed. But this is not the real Sarah Palin. Most Alaskans will vouch for that, especially the Republicans.

Palin is a populist powerhouse who has spent years taking on her own party's corruption. She seemingly works better with Democrats to put points on the board for the benefit of her state rather than get locked in the partisan gridlock and posturing that cripples male politicians. She is razor sharp and savvy when it comes to maneuvering. (Too bad she outmaneuvered her McCain handlers too late).

Second, Team McCain was fairly anemic when it came to assets this election cycle, but one thing they did have on their side was time. Instead of choosing Palin earlier in the summer which would have given her weeks for preparation on issues like national security and the economy, they shoved her into the fray before she spent sufficient time grappling with complex national issues. Imagine the Couric murder board taking place in early summer and not late fall?

Time is now on her side. Here's what she needs to do:

Give major policy speeches. She dazzles the audience when she addresses the energy issue. This is a logical starting point.

Campaign and fundraise on behalf of Republicans. It will be imperative for her to build an army of allies. The next RNC Chair should be her first priority.

Begin to harness the power of her grassroots support. I'm fairly certain Palin doesn't have access to the McCain fundraising and grassroots lists of this past election, which is why she needs to create her own. Palin has millions of Americans at her beck and call. She needs to start organizing this asset by collecting names, emails and phone numbers.

Write a book (on substance, not moose chili). It's time to get serious. The snowmobiling was cute for a while but the current state of our nation requires thoughtful policy and real deal solutions. We're faced with crisis of ethics. As someone who cleaned up Alaska, she should write about the lessons she learned and apply them to kitchen table concerns.

Get some ink in her passport. Obama has very little but was somehow inoculated from criticism after he took a highly publicized trip east. She should do the same, frequently.

Do a weekly radio address. The topics should be major issues of national importance. She should do the research and writing herself.

With the doom and gloom of the current economic climate and total Democratic rule set in place to govern, the ground will be seeded for a Palin comeback in 2012, though it won't be easy. She'll have the far right behind her, but she must run as herself this time, as the pragmatic, centrist reformer she is to truly be successful.

This isn't the first time, nor will it likely be the last.

What might be more shocking is the public's muted reaction to its passage. Sure the news of the death of the King of Pop eclipsed last week's legislative session, but when Nancy Pelosi, the Queen of Socialism, is proposing the largest tax increase in our country's history you'd hope the population would be paying attention. Aftter all, the Congressional Budget Office estimates it would raise costs per household approximately $3,000.

This is the left's punitive action toward the audacity of electricity. Historically, this is what incites revolutions. Where is the outrage?

When it comes to health care the reality is equally as petrifying. The bill is a slapdash ball of obscurity that is shaping up to go down much like the cap-and-trade drive by. We don't have a final idea of cost beyond a staggering "upwards of $1 trillion." We've yet to see details on everything from public option to the taxing of employee health benefits. None, I repeat, NONE of it is up for debate. We're getting mugged and we don't even have time to assess what the folks in Congress took from us.

What baffles those of us who follow this unsolved mystery is that though the president's approval numbers are starting to slip, they should be tanking. Under his leadership, the administration has been bossy, nosy and bullying, and yet the White House manages to remain bulletproof while simultaneously feeding us a bunch of bull.

During his inaugural Obama insisted that only government can fix what ails us. His actions to date reaffirm this belief in the most absolute of terms. Recently he tried to convince a crowd that "government can't be everywhere." Really? All the evidence from this White House is to the contrary.

During his first live prime time press conference Obama said he doesn't want to run a car company or a bank, yet he has managed to flex his muscle by exerting a frightening level of control over almost every sector of commerce: insurance, health care, finance, banking, and automotive. Not even Bill Clinton got away with this type of deceitful doublespeak.

His stimulus is not working. Unemployment is growing. Inflation is imminent. He said he wouldn't raise taxes on those making less than $250,000, but he is poised to reverse his promise. The country is weaker, not stronger. Still, no overwhelming outrage.

The uproar won't take place until costs start to hit home. And believe me, they will, in no uncertain terms. These two colossal pet pieces of legislation -- climate change and healthcare -- if passed would have a catastrophic, debilitating effect on every corner of our country. They will affect our cars, our homes, our jobs; no person, no family will escape their affects.

When life is permanently altered for every single American, and not for the better, that's when we'll feel the outrage. When we are waiting in line to see a doctor, when see our electricity bills quadruple, when we are paying crushing taxes on everything from income to health benefits to gas, we'll feel the fury. But by then it will be too late.

President Obama puts a feather in his cap and calls it macaroni, credibility seemingly still in tact. While I still believe that health care will ultimately end his honeymoon, he is getting away with a radical, blitzkrieg of legislative lunacy thanks to his carefully crafted words, and an overly stimulated, distracted public.

Yes, apparently, they can. But dammit, they shouldn't. Not without a fight.

**Author's note: This piece is dedicated to my mom, the inspiration for this column, and the one person who, without question, is feeling the outrage.

Al Franken has assumed many titles over the years: comedian, failed radio show host, liberal activist, tax cheat (a requirement these days to be elected into Democratic office). Now he can add senator to that list. Yes, America, it's official. The left seeks to drastically alter every aspect of our life and now they have the support of a clown to help them succeed (GOP: we've officially hit the bottom).

It couldn't have happened at a worse time.

Democrats are poised to usher in a new era of nanny state governance through pivotal and preposterous pieces of legislation at warp speed. So fast, in fact, that nobody on Capitol Hill has had time to read these bills, tell us the details or give us the mounting price tag. Franken's victory puts the Democratic Party at that much feared 60 vote filibuster proof majority, even though Senators Kennedy and Byrd are on indefinite medical leave and are only likely to return for the most crucial votes. He could provide the key vote on the largest tax increase in history, the most radical overhaul of our healthcare system and the way we structure our financial markets.

It doesn't stop there. Also on the Senate's agenda are ratifying judicial nominees, immigration, and the pet project of organized labor: the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would give workers more power to form unions. (As if they don't have enough power already).

Some on the left are downplaying the difference he'll make, including Franken himself.

"I'm not going to Washington to be the 60th Democratic senator, I'm going to Washington to be the second senator from Minnesota," he insisted.

Franken is a lot of things. A pragmatic, moderate maverick with an independent streak is not one of them. He is as far-left as they come, a unique strain of irrational progressive that can only be created by the world of celebrity, a la Jeanine Garafalo. The party infrastructure has spent millions of dollars and countless months working tirelessly to assure his election to office. He owes them. Big. And there is no question they can count on their newest member to repay the favors.

Democrats might, as Time magazine put it: "have added a famous face with a high TV-recognizability factor to help with fundraising -- and brought someone with a decent sense of humor to the world's most deliberative body."

The jury is still out on his sense of humor. But as far as his impact, the ruling is confirmed. No one's laughing.

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