The word is that Obama will announce a new deficit reduction plan this week, incorporating some of the ideas from the so-called Gang of Six senators who’ve been working from the (discredited) Fiscal Commission plan (that’s Bowles-Simpson) to create a new model.

After months of private discussions, the tentative agreement among the three Republican and three Democratic senators would cut military and domestic programs and overhaul the tax code, eliminating popular tax breaks but using the new revenues to lower income-tax rates and reduce annual deficits. It would be the model, if not in all details, for Mr. Obama’s own goals, Democratic officials say.

Oh, joy. Bowles-Simpson couldn’t even get a majority of its own panel to agree to it, but never mind; of course it should be used as a basis for Obama’s new plan.

I am so tired of Obama and his political advisers claiming they’re progressive Democrats when in fact they’re moderate Republicans. They may think they’re going to win re-election this way, but if they keep alienating the Democratic base it’s just going to stay home in November 2012.