He must know what he's doing

Everyone readily made jokes about Bush's intelligence, or apparent lack. They aren't doing that with Obama. Which means that when he picks decidedly centrist people and going about things in a decidedly centrist style most people think, well, he's smarter than I am, he must know what he's doing.

But we progressives want to stick it to the GOP in the same way they've been sticking it to us! And how long did Obama wait before starting to dismantle the Bush legacy and the "permanent Republican majority"? Less than a day? And if Obama takes the same "my way or the highway" attitude, how soon will his successor wait before dismantling his work? One guess.

But there is a difference between cooperation to get work done and compromise of basic principles. And failure to investigate and even prosecute those who authorized torture is one of those fatal compromises. How can we send a message to the world about the restoration of American values if those who perpetrate crimes against those values suffer no consequences? A genius should be able to figure that out.