Bush's first problem may be with some members of his own party (Dallas Morning News)

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http://www.dallasnews.com/editorial/239619_gopleaders_17e.html

GOP leaders: DeLay and Hastert need to think 'teamwork'

12/16/2000

Now that George W. Bush has triumphed over a tenacious opponent, his next adversary may be even more formidable. Mr. Bush's next fight could be with elements of his own party that are already having trouble getting with the program and getting in sync with their leader.

Some Republicans are moving too fast, awaiting the combination of a Bush presidency and Republican control of both houses of Congress as anxiously as a child awaits Christmas morning. After being out of the Oval Office for eight years, these GOP leaders are anxious for Congress to pass, and for Mr. Bush to sign, a stocking full of legislation that makes good on promises that they've made to the Republican base over the years. House Whip Tom DeLay of Texas has already rubbed salt in Democrats' wounds by saying he expects that having another Bush in the White House, and a Republican vice president to break 50-50 ties in the Senate, will allow Republicans to pursue a partisan agenda that includes a ban on late-term abortions.

Mr. DeLay, who does not play well with other parties, could not have picked a more divisive and emotional issue to fire from his cannon before Mr. Bush is even sworn in. The country has had enough division. And as a practical matter, as was clearly illustrated during impeachment, Mr. DeLay's brand of take-no-prisoners tough talk does a splendid job of unifying Democrats. A united Democratic front ready to oppose anything that Republicans support is the last thing the president-elect needs. Talk that Mr. Bush might offer Rep. DeLay a cabinet position to keep him from causing problems on Capitol Hill shows how serious the problem could be.

At the same time, other Republicans are playing Scrooge by dissing some of Mr. Bush's agenda items before he even gets to town. For some unimaginable reason, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert thought Mr. Bush's first official day as president-elect was a swell time to announce to the world that he opposes a centerpiece of Mr. Bush's campaign, a proposed $1.3 trillion across-the-board tax cut. That the concept of tax relief for everyone who pays taxes appears to have been a winning issue for Mr. Bush is apparently little concern to Mr. Hastert, who told reporters that he prefers targeted relief.

Whichever position eventually prevails, the House speaker should bite his tongue for a while and give Mr. Bush time to put his administration in place before he starts quarreling in public. As House speaker, Mr. Hastert may be third in line to the presidency, but he does not occupy it.

While congressional Republicans were trumpeting their own agenda, they got some good advice from an unlikely source. President Clinton, who is traveling in Europe, said Thursday that he expects Democrats in Congress to afford the new president the courtesy of a honeymoon. Republicans owe their party leader at least as much.

(c)2000, The Dallas Morning News

-- I'm Here, I'm There, (I'm Everywhere,@So.Beware), December 17, 2000

Answers

Mr. DeLay, who does not play well with other parties... Talk that Mr. Bush might offer Rep. DeLay a cabinet position to keep him from causing problems on Capitol Hill shows how serious the problem could be.

I shudder to think what cabinet position that might be, unless Bush were to create a new one (I have some ideas, but none of them printable).

-- I'm Here, I'm There, (I'm Everywhere,@So.Beware), December 17, 2000.


Maybe Bush should send DeLay on an indefinite fact-finding mission to count snakes in Hawaii. If this guy has any redeeming features, I haven't seen one.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), December 17, 2000.

Counting snakes would work, but does it have to be in the United States? Maybe he'd accept an ambassadorship... Let's see, what country do we hate most, but can do us the least harm?

-- I'm Here, I'm There, (I'm Everywhere,@So.Beware), December 17, 2000.

Heck, he doesn't even have to leave the House to count snakes.

-- Dr. Pibb (dr.pibb@zdnetonebox.com), December 17, 2000.

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