Do it your way, Mr. President

The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza notes that "the rising din of criticism from the left raises an obvious question: Does Obama have a liberal problem?" Answer: Not really.

Cillizza reported:

In the latest Associated Press survey, which was conducted Nov. 18-22, Obama is standing quite strong among liberals. While just 48 percent of the overall sample approve of the job Obama is doing, 80 percent of self-identified liberals feel the same -- a stratospherically high number. The story is much the same on Obama's personal favorability ratings. An AP poll in the field just after the 2010 election showed that 90 percent of liberals felt favorably inclined to Obama as compared with 55 percent overall.

Obviously, President Obama should listen to and consider seriously the views of those on his left flank. As for the “purists” among them, the activist folk who prefer Seppuku to compromise, I’ll say it again: Please ignore their counsel, Mr. President. The democratic base still has your back.