The Bait and Switch

"So much for the pivot to jobs," write James Capretta and Yuval Levin in The Weekly Standard, and I have to agree.

Whether it was for appearances, in the wake of the loss of Ted Kennedy's seat, or whatever, the Obama administration's attention has been diverted from job creation back to its obsession with health care.

In spite of plummeting job approval numbers. In spite of increasing indications that the Democrats are constantly and irreversibly alienating those who helped them gain power.

So, for those millions of Americans who have been hoping the government would do something, anything, to encourage job creation — better luck with the next president.

'Cause this one sure doesn't feel your pain.

And despite the grand talk from Obama and the Democrats about a desire for bipartisanship, as Capretta and Levin observe, "It is now clear that the 'summit' the president has called for February 25 is not intended to consider different approaches to health care financing, but rather to create an illusion of momentum that might just lull disoriented congressional Democrats into ramming the health care bill through the budget reconciliation process."

Maybe he will feel the pain of the unemployed in November — when they march to the polls to vote incumbents out of office. Sure, that will mean Republicans as well as Democrats. But the Democrats will learn that, while some things have changed, other things — like the tendency to punish the party in power in midterm elections — have not changed.

And it ought to send a chill down the spines of everyone in Congress — assuming they get the message and figure out who they're supposed to be working for.

But that won't help those whose names will be on the ballot this year. It might help those who will face the voters in 2012 and 2014 — but only if they're paying attention.