Posted on 01/05/2007 9:57:44 AM PST by rightinthemiddle
Now the clock has begun to run on Nancy Pelosi's first 100 hours as Speaker. She'll find them very short. Despite the disdain for George W. Bush's political skill, he has remade the political landscape into a rough road for the Dems. They can't openly advocate cutting and running from Iraq: they're taking cover under the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group report. Worse still for the liberals, George Bush has made it possible to debate seriously everything from Social Security to private options in education and health. But it's not easy for Republicans either. They have to exorcise the ghosts of surrenders past or they will end up caving in on key issues and allow the Dems to consolidate control of Congress and move on to capture the White House in 2008.
Congressional Republicans have to choose among three paths. They can go along with the Democrats and try to claim partial credit for whatever liberal horribles the Dems pass. They can obstruct (and often succeed) but probably won't for fear of the 527 Media. Or they can join with the president to push hard for their own domestic agenda while the president's time is dominated by war.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Please , step away from thr bong !
The Democrats will do nothing for the good of the country.PERIOD
The President is apparently clearing the decks for action. He isn't saying much, but much is happening.
Can and Will are too entirely different things. I hope that W finds the Will.
Pelosi's already blown 36 of those 100 hours...
The house and senate will soon discover they are the weak branch of government.
Please , step away from thr bong !
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Are you talking to me?
Just about sums up James Baker's resume.
Correct, but how exactly does this fact help the President? The author seems more than a bit confused.
When the Iraq Surrender Group first released its report many thought that it would give the Bush admin. the perfect out for leaving Iraq. But as I suspected, it turns out quite the opposite -- the Democrats are using it as cover for their cut-and-run position.
"Dems won't make Bush's hugely successful tax cuts permanent, but why shouldn't Republicans push for permanence anyway? Moreover, George W. Bush has made fair game of the entitlement programs that are the heart of the federal deficit. If he and other GOP leaders can assure those dependent on those programs that they won't be affected, but reform those programs to be financially sound in the foreseeable future, the Dems will sink."
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The Republicans should fight like crazy for continuation of the tax cuts. The evididence is in their favor IF they will use it and present it in a way the average Joe can understand.
"At a time place of my choosing" W
Not while she is the one that keeps the legislative clock ticking or tickless whichever she needs for the press on Sunday.
Or they can join with the president to push hard for their own domestic agenda while the president's time is dominated by war.
One only can hope.
Might as well fluff up the pillow for a 24 month nap.
I have to aggree with that- the dems now have somethign to hide behind and appear not to be advocating a cut and run- now all those that were calling for immediate 'redeployment' are now saying they are going to give the pres 6 months to 'prove' one way or the other if more troops will help- although the whole six months we'll have to brace for more vitriol over how bad things are going over there according the the defeatist dems. http://sacredscoop.com
And people wonder why America always sought to prop up dictators around the world in the last 75 years! It was because of people like James Baker. THe very same Baker who sold Reagan down the river and started the whole Iran/Contra scandal.
Good points. They need to fight the MSM Pimps to get the message across. If the Reps and the President can show the Dems for what they really are and show their true colors, the Dems will be rejected.
Good piece by Jed Babbin. He's right about President Bush not wavering on the WOT and the Dems are divided on their Iraq war policy. Even holding the majority in Congress they can't or won't get a withdrawal of troops from Iraq anytime soon.
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