What happened to Obama's Passion?
It is a continuation of your narrative that Congress is too beholden to Wall Street, because even though Americans strongly believe in certain things, like requiring the wealthy to give to charity and not receive it, Wall Street is too intent on preserving the status quo that keeps them very, very rich.

Congress is deadlocked, and even if Obama had tried to fight, he would still have to fight against a distinctly recalcitrant House Republicans and doubting liberals that have been corrupted by Reagan's words.

Our president is too Nixonian because our politics are changing. Just as many conservatives have been so disappointed by Nixon for passing Clean Waters Act and other acts that while liberal, were distinctly disappointing to both liberals and conservatives, were still acts of the Progressive movement. Now, Obama is the other way, acts of the Conservative movement toward cutting government down and down, while yet preserving it in so many ways, disappointing both parties. Just as Nixon was never accepted as a liberal, Obama is not accepted as a conservative. Just as Nixon might be considered a corrupted conservative, Obama is considered a corrupted liberal.