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A nightmare for Bush?
03/11/2006 14:39 - (SA)
Washington - If Democrats win control of the US congress in the November 7 election, it would turn the capitol upside down and create a political nightmare for the already embattled President George W Bush.
If his Republicans lose the majority, Bush would hear newly
empowered calls to withdraw US troops from Iraq and would
suddenly face promised Democratic-led congressional
investigations with subpoena power into the unpopular war.
Bush, whose public approval ratings are below 40%, would also face Democratic demands he offer "mainstream" rather
than "right-wing" judicial nominees if he wants them
confirmed.
Bush's fellow Republicans applied a rubber stamp to much of
his conservative agenda the past six years, including tax cuts
that went largely to the rich.
Polls show Democrats running ahead in the countdown to the congressional election. If they win control of Congress from Bush's fellow Republicans, they would challenge Bush on fronts ranging from his warrantless domestic spying programme to his energy and health-care policies.
"In some ways it would be a nightmare for Bush, but in
other ways it could be an opportunity," said Norman Ornstein, a
congressional scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.
Ornstein said Bush, who denounces Democrats as soft on
terrorism, could move toward the political centre and reach out
to Democrats in his final two years in office to overhaul US
immigration laws and the social security retirement programme,
two goals he has failed to accomplish.
But Ornstein said that was unlikely.
"I've talked to a lot of people who know him well and are really close to him. I have yet to find one who thinks he will change his modus operandi dramatically," he said.
A new direction for America
Democrats deny Republican claims they would try to impeach
Bush and remove him from office.
Instead, they plan to push their own agenda, "A new
direction for america," which includes raising the federal
minimum wage for the first time in a decade, ending some tax
breaks to oil companies and making college more affordable by
reducing federal student loan interest rates.
Democrats also promise to implement recommendations from
the 9/11 commission to bolster security, ease the threat of
global warming and, in response to influence-peddling scandals
on Capitol Hill, clean up the way congress does business.
"Surprisingly little" will become law, predicted Larry
Sabato, a political science professor at the University of
Virginia.
"We're headed for gridlock."
If Democrats pick up at least 15 seats to end 12 years of
Republican rule in the 435-member House of Representatives, it
will likely be by a slim majority, he said.
And, he said, whether Republicans hold the 100-member
senate or lose it to Democrats, neither side will likely have
the 60 votes routinely needed to pass controversial bills.
Fears of raised taxes
Bush has predicted Republicans would surprise pollsters and
keep the house and senate. In recent weeks he also has
reiterated a Republican battle cry, saying, "Democrats will
raise taxes."
Democrats would be unlikely to extend Bush's tax cuts
beyond the 2010 expiration but plan to push for lower deficits
while keeping popular tax breaks for the middle class.
They say their oversight hearings would focus on what
critics see as "waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayers' dollars"
in Iraq, homeland security and relief after hurricane Katrina.
Henry Waxman of California, who would be government
reform committee chairperson if Democrats took control, said:
"It's an important part of congress's duty under the
constitution to do vigilant oversight. Republicans failed in
that regard in the past six years."
House Republican whip Roy Blunt of Missouri said if Democrats won control, "taxes go up, the economy falters and we have a party in charge that doesn't understand what the war is all about."
"What happens if Democrats take control of the house?"
house democratic whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland asked.
"Shouting and glee after being in the wilderness for all these many
years."
- Reuters
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