National Review pointed this out over a year ago: What Bush needs is a knock-down, drag out fight with Congress. Here's a scenario:
Impound appropriated funds for the Social Welfare state. Make a long list and make it public, but emphasize things like welfare for drug addicts, funding of the left (which is ALL OVER the budget), and Social Security payments for people like Phillipps, who don't deserve to slobber at the public trough.
The courts ruled all that illegal during the Nixon administration, so make the socialists go back to court. If the courts rule differently-send the money back to the rightful owners. If the courts STILL want to meddle, as they chose to in the early 70's, IGNORE them. The House will have a HELL of a time passing an impeachment resolution after the Clinton debacle-BUT IF THEY DO, just get 38 Senators from the REAL America (there are MORE than that) to stand up and say NO!
Having reached that stalemate rather quickly, Bush can sit on the money, and offer to DEAL on taxes, judges, and social welfare spending FROM A POSITION OF STRENGTH.
Will we see this come to pass? Probably not. Bush will most-likely beat the Senate on it's own terms, and come back in 2005 with a 60+% mandate.
But THIS would be MUCH more FUN... |
