The Democratic Party has been slapping progressives recreationally for more than 20 years – that is what they do!

what could explain anyone being surprised about it anymore?

The Medicare FICA contributions are taxes income (they cover the universal Part A hospital insurance, the Part B outpatient coverage is voluntary, no senior is mandated to pay premiums unless they choose to). If Social Security FICA taxes was uncapped, and the overage allocated to Medicare, that’s an additional $200 billion in (constitutionally raised) tax revenue. If unearned (i.e. investment) income was subject to the FICA rates and investors paid only the 7.65% individual rate it’d raise another $180 billion, that sum doubles if the full 15.3% (individual plus employer rate) were applied. If that’s still not enough money then (per Laurence Seidman’s old “Health Card” proposal) make the deductible and copayment rates progressive by tying them to reported income.
http://www.udel.edu/PR/UpDate/94/8/5.html

Even conservatives who argue the constitutional issue recognize how easily Congress could avoid this impending trainwreck:

Of course, these constitutional impediments can be avoided if Congress is willing to raise corporate and/or income taxes enough to fund fully a new national health system..
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/21/AR2009082103033.html

What else could explain such a slap in the face of progressives?

“House Democratic leaders publicly frown on his behavior and have urged him to tone it down, saying he contributes to an atmosphere of incivility”

will [] try to re-define a populist, conservative attack by asserting that the White House has been captured by Wall Street.

And they will be right. They are getting winning ideas like that from listening to me. I want to start a new party and although I keep talking to the left, the right keeps hearing me.