This Ezra Klein article gets to the heart of the obstructionism that is the meat and potatoes of the Republican party.  Barack Obama is Charlie Brown and the Republican party is Lucy.  Every time Charlie Brown tries to kick that football, Lucy pulls it away.  And no matter how many times this happens, it’s still Obama’s fault that there is no Grand Bargain.  Because, you see, he’s not acting at all leader-y with his compromising.  Or he’s not communicating well with his detailed plan that anyone can read.

There is literally nothing Obama can do to get Republicans on board with any of his ideas.  Obama has presented the Republican party with a deal that includes EVERYTHING that they want and only one thing that they don’t want; a slight raising of taxes.  Bargaining requires two parties that are willing to bargain.  Republicans are not.  And instead of covering this fact, we get a bunch of press articles about how both sides are to blame.  Both sides are very decidedly not to blame in this instance.  It’s all Republicans.