Buyers remorse 45 days before inauguration

On the campaign trail, Senator Barack Hussein Obama pledged to “end the war” in Iraq. This one promise alone kept much of his liberal base solidly behind him.


Now that he has safely been elected, he says: “I will remove our combat troops from Iraq in 16 months, with the understanding that it will likely be necessary to maintain a force to provide potential training, logistical support, to protect our civilians in Iraq.”

The report at the first link below says, “his most fervent supporters already have reason to be disappointed in him. Campaign promises on ending the war in Iraq are now muted by reality.”

President-elect Obama is making clearer than ever that tens of thousands of American troops will be left behind in Iraq.

Another report at the second link below says:

One of Barack Obama's emerging political qualities is how casually he has been dumping the ballast of his campaign promises.

The latest lousy policy to go over the side is a windfall profits tax on U.S. oil companies.

Mr. Obama never did offer a good or even particular reason for the oil majors to face this Carter-era inspiration -- apart from appeasing the populist furies.

And he couldn't, either, given that multiple other industries profit more both in absolute terms and in returns on equity or sales.

That’s what makes the cartoon here so appropriate.

Link here and here.