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The pitfalls of arrogance
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Candidate
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| Contributor | ArmyDem |
| Last Edited | ArmyDem Jul 28, 2003 02:48pm |
| Category | Commentary |
| News Date | Jul 28, 2003 12:00am |
| Description | BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
As Congress hurried last week to clear its agenda so it could leave town for its August recess, the House of Representatives defied President Bush on two important issues--and by big margins. This suggested the political omnipotence of the Bush White House has been exaggerated. It also points to the pitfalls of arrogance.
Last Wednesday, the House passed an appropriations bill overruling Federal Communications Commission decisions to ease anti-monopoly restrictions on acquisition of television stations. Although the president had signaled he would veto such a provision, only 21 votes were cast against the bill (while 400 members, including all Republican leaders, voted for it).
At 2:51 a.m. Friday, the House risked another veto by voting for reimportation of drugs from Canada. Right up until the roll call, White House operatives (and pharmaceutical industry lobbyists) predicted a very close vote. It wasn't. The bill passed 243-186, with 87 Republicans splitting from their leadership to support the bill.
Why did Bush's usually dependable allies in the House desert him on these two issues? The threats from a president who has yet to veto any bill were not taken seriously. If Bush found no difficulty deviating from the conservative line on education, campaign finance reform and expanding Medicare subsidies, Republican House members had no trouble deserting the president on two issues with substantial support from their core constituents and opposition from television and pharmaceutical interests. |
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