Just how disappointed are progressives about the performance of Barack Obama during his first three years in office? Perhaps no better example can be found than a simply jaw dropping editorial tirade this weekend from Taylor Marsh. (Actually Michelle Marshall) For those not familiar, the author of “The Hillary Effect” used to blog under the moniker “Democrat Taylor Marsh” and was arguably one of Obama’s most hard core supporters once in office, despite having previously been a prominent PUMA supporting Mrs. Clinton during the primary.[* See Update below] A devotee of Gloria Steinam, to say that she embodies the modern progressive movement would be a bit of an understatement to say the least.

All of this is what makes her New Years declaration more shocking. Titled, “The Party’s Over,” she takes not only Barack Obama, but Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the Democratic establishment to task while pretty much running up the white flag for liberalism.

As a recovering partisan these days and after watching Pres. Obama’s compromising conservatism, I no longer feel the urgency to support a political party who has threatened dire consequences if I don’t vote for them. Beyond foreign policy, economic, and civil rights issues mentioned above, Pres. Obama has also chosen to short-change women again and again on our freedoms, starting in the health care bill, then by executive order that empowered conservatives of both parties, and finally by making the decision on Plan B that would have come from Mitt Romney, too.

Pres. Obama has helped Democrats deliver a climate that this party has threatened since the ’70s would happen if I didn’t vote for them…

For over 30 years, modern feminists like myself have been hearing that we must support Democrats, because if we don’t our freedoms will be on the line yet again. After supporting Democrats since my one vote for Ronald Reagan in 1980, what has finally happened through Pres. Obama is exactly what I was told this political party would guard against. So now, as the 2012 elections approach, Barack Obama and the Democratic Party are once again relying on the theory that because Republicans are worse women like me can be suckered into falling in line one more time.

I’ll warn you right up front that this is a rather long diatribe, but I assure you that it will be worth your time to click through the link and read the entire piece. Marsh spends a great deal of time describing her disappointment in Obama over his decision to not allow little girls access to Plan B. (And we’re talking about birth control for 12 year olds here.) The litany of complaints doesn’t end there, however. She accuses Obama of being more of a warmonger than George W. Bush, failing to tax the rich sufficiently and committing the sin of noting that entitlement programs need reform without (again) moving to tax the rich to solve it.

The ending is even more poignant, however, and we’ll close this exercise with another quote:

The two political parties have been under siege for some time, because Americans just don’t trust Republicans or Democrats anymore. Barack Obama was the last chance for political parties, specifically the Democratic brand, with George W. Bush having already given rise to rebellion inside the GOP, which is seen best through Ron Paul and the Tea Party. Meanwhile, Congress long ago ceded their importance as an equal branch of government, preferring loyalty oaths to their political party, as well as the boss in the Executive branch, which has become a marketing tool for itself, an American kingship of sorts, with no difference between Republican or Democratic presidents. Once in the White House, the presidents club rules.

So, having finally made it to the recovering partisan shore, though I’m not completely cured, I must say that Pres. Obama’s first term went a long way to liberating me permanently.

In 2012, this liberal’s vote is up for grabs.

Particularly given the history of the author, this piece is nothing short of stunning.

Update: I was contacted by Ms. Marsh, who wished to state that while she was an Obama voter she was not a supporter of the PUMA movement.