For The Record

"Don't count on the transformation of Barack Obama into a 'will of the people' politician. The evidence on tax cuts was simply too much for Obama to ignore -- even he had to admit that he was wrong, that Americans do want lower tax rates. ... Whenever Obama believes he has secured the support of a subgroup, he generally abandons them for the next several months. That's why Obama, after revising government regulations to benefit gay and lesbian couples, abandoned 'don't ask, don't tell.' That's why Obama, after failing to pass quasi-amnesty for illegal immigrants, abandoned the DREAM Act. Obama thinks this is political pragmatism.... That's how he sees the tax cuts. He gave them to us not because he's realized the error of his ways, but because he treats the American people like dogs -- throw us a bone every so often, and he can expect us to fetch the paper for him. ... After the midterm elections, Obama knows one thing very clearly: He doesn't want to follow in the footsteps of his deposed brethren. He'll masquerade as a Republican in order to avoid that fate. We must remember, though, that it's just a masquerade until he proves otherwise."

--columnist Ben Shapiro