The disconnect between what the Beltway pundits say and what Americans think

Harry Reid and the Blue Dog Democrats and the Republicans are acting like the Republicans won the election in November, seemingly about to pass a "stimulus bill" a full 42% of which is tax cuts (which are not stimulative with any degree of efficiency), and the punditocracy is busy opining already, 2 weeks into President Obama's term, that he may be the second coming of Jimmy Carter.

Perhaps if the Democrats in Washington, and yes, that includes President Reach Out And Pull Back a Bloody stump, would ask people out here in consensus reality what they think, they might be more willing to tell their corporate masters to go stuff it:

President Barack Obama had to face tough questioning from the media this week over his process for choosing his top advisers after Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer withdrew their nominations for failing to pay back taxes. But Americans' support for Obama is hardly shaken, with fewer than one in five saying they are less confident now in Obama's ethical standards and his ability to manage the government than they were before he took office. A majority say they are "more confident" in both regards.

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Most of those who say they now have less confidence in Obama are Republican identifiers. Thus, a great number of those who claim to be affected in a negative way probably did not have a great deal of confidence in Obama to begin with.

Additionally, the president's 65% job approval rating in Feb. 2-4 Gallup Poll Daily tracking is essentially the same as it has been throughout his brief time in office.

And that 65% approval rating is what the talking heads of the media and Congressional Republicans have made it a mission to whittle away. Because the mission of restoring Republican power trumps all. And Democrats are so used to crouching in a fetal position in the corner, they've forgotten how to do anything else.