USNews: Bush is telling his advisors he isn't ready to roll over for the Democrats

[sabra]

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_070511.htm

<snip>

Bush Is Eager To Draw "Sharp Divisions" With Democrats

Despite all the talk of President Bush "blinking" on the issue of Iraq "benchmarks' yesterday, the US News Political Bulletin has learned the President is telling his advisors he isn't ready to roll over for the Democrats in his final 19 months in office. Quite the opposite. Republican strategists close to the White House say Bush and his aides are eager to draw what one West Wing insider calls "sharp divisions" with congressional Democrats on a variety of issues, in an effort to recapture the House and Senate -- and keep the presidency -- in 2008.

Among the likely options, which often resurrect methods the White House has used in the past: Ratchet up the attacks on Democrats for being "defeatist" in the war in Iraq, in contrast to Bush's insistence on victory. Brand the Democrats as untrustworthy in the overall war on terrorism as they try to limit domestic surveillance and other anti-terrorist methods, while Bush is portrayed as keeping the country safe. Blast the Democrats as eager to raise taxes and increase spending, while Bush brandishes his veto pen to block them. "There's a lot more we can do," a senior Bush adviser tells the Political Bulletin. On the positive side, White House insiders still hold out hope for passage of legislation overhauling the immigration laws, strengthening Bush's No Child Left Behind education law, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The problem is that the attack strategy might alienate enough Democrats to make the positive strategy impossible. In addition to the veto threats, Bush is also looking for ways to implement conservative policy changes through executive orders or administrative action, which don't require congressional approval. This would anger the Democratic leaders as an end run around Congress.

[ccpup]

1. those tactics

worked so well for the repugs in '06, didn't they? :eyes:

[Wickerman]

2. more and more he reminds me of someone

[guitar man]

5. more like

[bdamomma]

3. we are dealing with criminals here, they are destroying this

country and other countries and they pose a threat to all of us.

[bryant69]

4. Look we are at war with America's real enemies - Democrats!

We can't defeat the enemy abroad until we root out and expose our homegrown enemy. Or that's what I've heard Rush and Hannity saying. I guess Bush buys into that theory as well?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. May I give you a McCarthy and raise

two hearings?

[Orsino]

6. Too busy rolling over for the corporations. n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. Yep!

[donkeyotay]

7. That little talk was to help Republicans lose their rubber-stamp aura

These aren't just bush's failed policies. These are the Republican Revolution's failed policies. Privatization brought corruption. Pay to play cost us representative government. Regulations that would have protected us were drowned along with competence. The Republican party brought us bush, the media that cheer-lead his war, the congress that roles over and plays dead, the partisan law inforcement...they think a little "we talked tough to the President" stunt changes the harm they've brought? What we're seeing is the fruit of Republican philosophy.

[frylock]

8. and the dems want to continue to play ball with this shithead..

what a bunch of rubes.