GOP-Led Congress Increasingly Defies Bush

[Judi Lynn]

August 3, 2003


GOP-Led Congress Increasingly Defies Bush

By Janet Hook, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON -- A feisty Congress has left for a summer recess with a blunt reminder to President Bush: Republican control of the House and Senate does not give him carte blanche on Capitol Hill.

The GOP-controlled Congress has in recent weeks defied Bush on domestic policies ranging from drug imports to media deregulation to tax credits for the working poor.

Congress is also presenting new challenges to Bush in foreign affairs. Members of both parties have expressed qualms about postwar policy in Iraq. The No. 2 House GOP leader has questioned Bush's "road map" to peace in the Middle East. And the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee last week criticized the president's policy on Liberia.

To be sure, Republicans have stuck with Bush on major fiscal and foreign policy matters. But on a variety of fronts, Congress is showing more independence from Bush than at any point since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-congress3aug03,1,2891793.story?coll=la-home-headlines

(Free registration required)

Moderator, please delete
I've duped, sorry.

[SummerGrace]

1. Think some republican constituents are worried?

In the drug-import debate, the White House and GOP leaders opposed the bill because of concerns about the safety of drugs purchased abroad. But that argument carried little weight with rank-and-file lawmakers who were being lobbied heavily by constituents.

Similarly, a huge majority in the House voted for the bill blocking the FCC rules even though GOP leaders supported the president.

"That is a grass-roots issue where various constituencies on all sides of the political spectrum are putting pressure on House members and senators," said an aide to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), a leading supporter of the FCC rules.

[MarianJack]

2. Defy bush as an r

This was happening to an extent before 9/11, mostly by r governors (like Pataki in NY supporting gun legislation).

The primary reason then, as now, I believe is that thr republicans don't REALLY respect this guy. I think that they pretty much know that cheyney runs the show. He's Buffalo Bob and bush jr. is Howdy Doodie (more like Howdie Dookie):silly:

[sam sarrha]

3. Feisty congress?? must be a 'typo', for Fascist congress..

[AnnabelLee]

4. Locking--Dupe

Please continue discussion here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=49231&mesg_id=49231