WASHINGTON – Feeling hoodwinked?

Bamboozled?

Sen. Bernie Sanders was furious on the Stengthen Social Security conference call on Friday. When asked about conversations with the White House, Sanders said they’d been “less than effective” in reaching out. He also called out Obama for reneging on a campaign promise. Sen. Whitehouse went further, not only using the word “capitulating” when speaking of Pres. Obama’s dealing with Republicans, but also stated that it was thought Social Security and entitlements were “off the table,” then Pres. Obama “opens the door for the GOP,” clearly unhappy with the subterfuge. Both senators leading the fight against COLA cuts and other manipulations in Obama’s “balanced approach” strategy.

“Elections matter. What candidates say when they’re running for president matters. … The president made a promise to the American people and he should keep that promise.” – Sen. Bernie Sanders (on conference call, 7.8.11)

Now everyone knows he cannot be trusted with the legacy that makes Democrats Democrats.

As I wrote this week, it isn’t over until the Tea Party squeals and, predictably, they did and Speaker Boehner got an earful. Now he’s giving his own back:

“This debt limit increase is [Obama’s] problem,” he said.

Boehner is trying to force a deficit reduction package entirely based on spending cuts, saying Obama’s demands for new revenues would only be considered if Obama accepted deep cuts to entitlements.

Meanwhile Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) offered his strongest criticism yet of President Barack Obama’s leadership in the ongoing talks.

“I have little question that as long as this President is in the Oval Office, a real solution is unattainable,” he said on the Senate floor Tuesday. Adding, “This was not an easy decision for me.”

The Republican Party is a wholly owned subsidiary of corporate America, as is the Democratic Party, though at least Democrats have a soul hidden away in the bottom tier where alternative energy and the “Welfare for All” crowd hang out, so the notion the establishment political class would cause a complete implosion of the financial market is absurd. Even Sen. Jim DeMint said on Fox News Sunday there was no way there would be a default, sending a very strong message to Tea Party members, though we’ll have to see if Mrs. Bachmann gets the message. Right now she’s hedging for a balanced budget amendment, which illustrates just how daft the Tea Party caucus is.

Defaulting on the debt ceiling is never going to happen. Now Democrats are left hoping no deal is done, beyond raising the debt ceiling, considering what Pres. Obama has served up.

If Democrats don’t find their inner Tea Party gene, by the time Pres. Obama’s through negotiating away the foundation of the party, including in messaging, there won’t be anything left that anyone cares about voting for in 2012. Many are already there.

Chuck Todd made a very important point on “Meet the Press” this past Sunday:

MR. TODD: … And you know, I’ve been fascinated by the economic talking points from the administration. When you have the president out there saying, you know, it may be better for people to rent rather than own–he has said that a few times. … And the Treasury secretary to say, “Boy, it’s going to take a while for people to feel the recovery,” it’s almost–I guess, they’re trying to say, “Hey, look, we’re, we’re trying to be straight with you, this is what the environment’s going to look like for a while.” And it is clear that’s what they’re preparing–the environment they’re preparing to run in, which is going to be a tough one.

This message won’t work for 2012.

But after seeing Pres. Obama’s brand of Democratic “leadership,” I’m not sure anyone but die hard loyalists will sweat whether he gets reelected or not.

Taylor Marsh is a Washington based political analyst, veteran writer and commentator on national politics, foreign policy, and women in power. A veteran national politics writer, Taylor’s been writing on the web since 1996. She has reported from the White House, been profiled in the Washington Post, The New Republic, and has been seen on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, CNN, MSNBC, Al Jazeera English and Al Jazeera Arabic, as well as on radio across the dial and on satellite, including the BBC. Marsh lives in the Washington, D.C. area. This column is cross posted from her blog.