Is he an outside or an insider or just a deluded showboater looking to cuase trouble?
Someone needs to check John McCain for a hunting license. He’s been prowling the Republican establishment for the past few years, hunting for those he can convince to join his budding bid for President. Lately, McCain has been poaching Bushies over on W’s territory – and he’s bagged a few.…
Article comments
26 - Scott
"Your assertions alone aren't enough"
Neither are yours.
27 - Dave Nalle
Well Scott, maybe we're both right. The fact that Miers had no real record likely made her look questionable to just about everyone who was inclined to be suspicious.
Dave
28 - Scott
There may have been some question about her being under-qualified though I think those questions mostly came from Democrats. But the march against Harriet Miers was pretty much helmed by Sam Brownback and as he was not absolutely sure she would vote to overturn Roe. That's what had the base so fired up, they didn't want another Souter. They wanted an absolute "no" vote on Roe.
29 - Bliffle
Dave: "Because the people in office are corrupt, venal and self-serving. Bush has managed to implement minor cuts, but without a line-item veto it's impossible to get rid of all the pork stuck onto major bills"
You seem to imply that Bush would do better on the budget if he had more power, but I see no reason tpo expect that. The pork seems to proceed from his party, witness DeLay, Cunningham, etc. Bush appears to me to be a free-spender.
30 - Dave Nalle
The pork comes from both sides. If the Demos had more power they'd be doing more pork. But the President has a certain amount of independence and the ability to cut pork would let him exercise that independence in a positive way. There's no question Bush wants to cut the budget way more than congress does, and he doesn't have the same partisan interests in pork that they do because he's not obligated to any local constituency, so why not give him the opportunity.
Dave
31 - Bliffle
Dave: "There's no question Bush wants to cut the budget way more than congress does, and he doesn't have the same partisan interests in pork that they do because he's not obligated to any local constituency, so why not give him the opportunity."
I think there's some question that Bush wants to cut the budget: he's never vetoed a bill. He has the veto power now, he doesn't need more.And as head of a political party he DOES have an obligation to a constituency.
If he doesn't have the cajones to veto an expenditure with the veto, why would he exercise line-item veto?
It doesn't seem to me GWB has any inclination to cut the budget for the general welfare, but does have an interest in using the budget to punish specific political foes.
32 - Steve
Good point, Biff. How many vetoes did Clinton use during his two terms in office??
33 - Dave Nalle
Bliff, Bush DID cut the budget below what the various exective agencies had asked for, including basically shutting down literally hundreds of small and relatively pointless programs and agencies. That shows the right perspective. I imagine it's hard to veto an entire budget when you need money to run the government, but it would be a lot easier to take the money you need and veto the bridges to nowhere and other boondoggles.
Dave