Politics may keep Bush's big ideas on drawing board (time to talk jobs?)

[papau]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-03-07-bush-ideas_x.htm

Perhaps Kerry has an issue that the long-range initiatives prove Bush is not focusing on today's problems - but I doubt it. But I did like Kerry's comment "Rather than sending Americans to Mars or the moon right now, these people would be better off trying to figure out how to get Americans back from Iraq."


Politics may keep Bush's big ideas on drawing board
By Judy Keen, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — President Bush says he wants a manned mission to Mars, a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, pollution-free hydrogen cars and changes in Social Security so workers can invest some of their payroll taxes in the stock market.

But he's not wielding much of his clout to make those goals a reality. White House officials say Bush is committed to all of his far-reaching proposals. "It is the president's job to confront problems today, not to pass them on to future presidents and future generations," says Suzy DeFrancis, deputy communications director.

But these proposals aren't likely to be realized during Bush's presidency, even if it lasts through 2008:

• Bush envisions the first astronauts on Mars sometime between 2008 and 2014. Bush proposed increasing NASA's budget by $1 billion next year, a 5% boost. But he has not publicly mentioned the Mars initiative since he unveiled it Jan. 14.

• Bush hasn't urged Congress to pass a ban on gay marriage since he said Feb. 24 that he supports it. Winning the approval of both chambers of Congress and 38 state legislatures for a constitutional amendment could take 10 years or more.

• Even if Congress is willing to spend $1.2 billion on developing automobiles powered by hydrogen, no one expects the cars to be on the road in this decade. Bush proposed spending $228 million on the project in 2005, but he did not mention the initiative in this year's State of the Union address.

• Bush, like other presidents, has pushed back politically risky decisions about Social Security by appointing a commission to study possible changes. In December 2001, Bush's commission proposed three ways to change the program and recommended a year of public discussion about which option would be best. Soon after, Bush advisers decided to postpone any action until after this year's election.<snip>

[struggle4progress]

1. Nail a piece of plywood ...

to a junk tire, call it an airplane, and blame "politics" when it doesn't fly.

[JNelson6563]

2. kick

:kick: