To all Democrats who supported and defended Clinton, and in the process drove the Democratic party away from honest, decent, hard working voters, thank you...
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Republicans see nirvana as they assume U.S. power
abcnews.go.com
WASHINGTON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The moment George W. Bush took the oath of office as the nation"s 43rd president on Saturday, the Republican Party suddenly enjoyed more political power than any time in a half century. With Bush at the helm, Republicans, for the first time since 1953, simultaneously control the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives. "This is going to be nirvana," said Rep. David Dreier of California, a member of the House Republican leadership. "I don"t even want to think about it," said Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota. "It is going to be a whole new world for Democrats and Republicans," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat. Indeed. Democrats, who have been in the minority in the House and Senate since 1995, no longer have President Bill Clinton, his federal agencies and his Cabinet secretaries around to protect them. Instead of Clinton in the Oval Office ready to veto Republican legislation he opposes, Bush is there sign it. And the White House "bully pulpit," used by Clinton the past eight years to preach Democratic ideas and condemn Republican ones, belongs to Bush. To be sure, Republicans are in the driver"s seat. But their majorities in the House and the Senate are so close they must proceed carefully on Capitol Hill. And Republicans could face tough times if the economy weakens or if they are unable to get enough cooperation from Democrats to enact much meaningful legislation. Bush, at a bipartisan luncheon in the U.S. Capitol on Saturday, held in his honor following the inauguration ceremonies, addressed the challenge. "Expectation in the country is we can"t get anything done. People say, "Well, gosh, the election was so close, nothing will happen, except for finger pointing and name calling and bitterness"," the new president said. "I"m here to tell the country that things will get done, that we"re going to rise ab that we"re going to rise ab |
