Tom DeLay of Texas is a very irritating burr under my saddle. Still, many expect him to make GW's life a lot less comfortable too. Here is something from Business Week on this issue with a couple of quotes:
With Allies Like These, Who Needs Democrats?
Led by House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, the GOP's conservative wing could give the new President fits
businessweek.com
"Bush isn't overly concerned about the noises coming from conservative advocacy groups. A more serious problem will be handling congressional firebrands, led by House Majority Whip Tom DeLay of Texas, who could irreparably harm Bush's chances to succeed. By pushing a divisive, hard-right agenda, DeLay could "make it extremely difficult to bring people together, despite all this happy talk about bipartisanship," frets a Bush adviser.
Conservatives are counting on DeLay to be the point man for their activist agenda. On the wish list: big supply-side tax cuts, with special breaks for stay-at-home Moms and religious charities, aggressive action to curb abortion and gay rights, sanctions on nations that persecute religious minorities, and funding for a new anti-missile system. "
" The wild card in all this will be DeLay, who argues that the GOP's narrow "sweep" of the 2000 election is a green light for activism. "The conservative base has been waiting for a long time," says Brookings Institution scholar Thomas Mann. "This is time to go full-speed ahead with their agenda." A top DeLay aide says Bush won't let them down. "Bipartisanship doesn't necessitate capitulation," says DeLay spokesman Jonathan M. Baron. " |
