After 36 days of recounting and legal challenges on top of a yearlong grueling campaign, it is entirely possible that President-elect Bush is asking the same thing. Especially with a split Congress and a seemingly split electorate.
So, it is important that he craft an agenda that is good for the country, good for conservative Republicans and good for his own political position.
Mindful of his base – and also aware of the scrutiny he will be under – Bush needs to focus on a few things that will shape his
1) Reverse the clear military decline. The first bill Bush should actively embrace is one to drastically increase military pay and benefits.
2) Education: keeping with his campaign themes, the Bush administration needs to immediately craft legislation that will put in place Bush’s "accountability program” – with aid cut off from schools that fail the students. Hopefully school vouchers, too, will be a part of this Bush Education Plan.
3) Taxes: the House GOP leadership will not support the huge Bush tax plan. In fact, Speaker Hastert announced this yesterday. OK, so how about less costly, but equally important, tax changes? How about death for the Death Tax? How about getting rid of the capital gains tax as a way to prevent a looming recession?
What the Bush forces need to realize is that they have a unique opportunity to change this nation – but a limited window in which to enact these changes.
As the first GOP president since Ike to have a GOP House and Senate, he can do things no other Republican even dreamed of.
After this Florida Fiasco, the nation will happily embrace a honeymoon. G.W. Bush should use this newly won political capital to push aggressively for things that will help the country.
He cannot repeat the mistakes of others who were timid or afraid of "bad press" from a liberal news media and thus sat back and ‘reacted’ to unfolding events.
What Bush
As President, G.W. Bush must clearly set an agenda for the nation.
Fixing the military, turning the corner on education and cutting taxes isn’t a bad way to start.
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