Some express sadness that these policies are forcing them to abandon Obama; others are surprised he hasn’t turned out to be a moderate. “I thought Obama was going to go to the center,” said Mike Murphy, a Republican consultant.

The reality is that Obama never had the Murphys or those other critics, unless they were delusional. On every major initiative – health care, energy, education and, most definitely, taxes – his plans mirror what he offered in campaign speeches, in the debates and on his Web site.

The Obama budget “is a reflection of the president’s values and what he talked about during the campaign,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a Republican who was in the House of Representatives until he joined the cabinet.