A Washington Post article last week pointed out that Obama is quickly becoming his own biggest enemy. Turns out a lot of the policies Obama has been proposing recently, or attacking Republicans for, stand in direct contrast to policies proposed or criticized by Obama the Senator. As of this morning, Obama the President 2009 stands in direct opposition to Obama the President 2011.

During one of his rare press conferences this morning, Obama pulled out his populist persona and attacked Republicans for supporting tax breaks for "corporate jet owners." Thinking he was effectively painting Republicans as the party for the super rich, Obama smugly insinuated Republicans were holding back the deficit debate because they wanted to protect corporate cronies. Problem is Obama himself pushed for tax credits for purchasing planes in his 2009 stimulus bill. 

Not only that, but the bill's effect is focused on job creation, not padding corporate executives bank accounts. About 40% of all jets are made right here in the US of A, most of that occurring in Kansas. The tax credit was initially instituted after 9/11 when planes sales were in a serious slump. An industry study found that sales were boosted by 43 percent due to the tax credit. 

This kind of misinformed demagoguery has become a hallmark of Obama and the Democrats messaging strategy against Republicans. Not only are their attacks full of populist, class warfare rhetoric, and incorrectly state basic facts, but they stand in direct contrast to previous positions of said attackers. 

As the Washington Post article points out, Obama is now standing on the exact opposite side of issues than he was as a candidate or Senator. Those clear and unadulterated flip-flops will make for pretty effective campaign ads. So after Obama's hypocrisy on military intervention, filibusters of judicial nominees, the debt ceiling, the War Powers Act, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, we can now add tax credits for purchasing of jets.