Where can the liberals/progressives go when our President betrays us?

I have had this sinking feeling since last fall, that Obama just isn't the man I voted for. With every piece of news of his administration extending the Patriot Act, keeping Gitmo open, refusing to prosecute torturers I began to get a sinking feeling. But I figured that this was not a priority, and why rile the public with what in some ways are just P.R. things?

Then I read Griftopia, particularly the section on Health Care. I strongly recommend everyone read the book, but that chapter made me sick. When I was forced to accept that fact that Health Care Reform was essentially a give away to the big insurance companies I was not happy. But I could still argue that while we didn't get what we should, we did get what was possible, and ti would still be far better than the current system.

Then came the tax cut fight, with a lame duck Congress that still had a Democrat majority. Here is where a truly Liberal President would have steadfastly refused to sign any extension, knowing that doing so was purely a concession to the GOP and the rich. But again Obama let things go. And again, I could concede that maybe the economy didn't need what was in effect a raise in taxes at that time, so I still defended Obama's actions, but in my heart of hearts I was starting to feel doubt.

And now we have the debt limit fight. And the way the GOP is playing it's hand makes it a P.R. slam dunk for a fighting Progressive President. It should be easy to make every chance in public be a chance to hammer at the GOP for refusing to bring any tax increase to the table in attempts to reduce the deficit, particularly at a time when every poll shows that a majority of Americans believe that a tax increase on the rich is necessary. Instead we have the gradual, slow giving in to the GOP demands. At this time it looks more and more like Obama is putting everything that he swears he believes in about caring for the poor, the sick and the elderly on the table. And if that ends up being the deal, I will have to give up, betrayed by a Democrat President who doesn't care about the actual voters. Who in the end only cares about and listens to wealthy financiers who can pay for his next election.

I don't want that to happen, and I have some idea that maybe this is all part of some elaborate long term con where he insures his re-election, and hopes for enough anger at the GOP to give him back full control of Congress so that he can really implement a Progressive agenda. But I don't believe that's the case. I think he, and pretty much every national politician, is so in thrall to big money, that there is no real chance for real change. The level of betrayal I feel at this point is the same I felt during the Bush-Clinton campaign, when I saw some truly horrendous ads on the part of the Bush campaign, that was the tipping point that pushed me out of the Republican party. And if this all goes like it looks it will it will be the tipping point that pushes me out of the Democratic party, and back to voting straight third party ticket whenever I have the chance.