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Bush's safe agenda has his stamp all over it
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 21, 2001 WASHINGTON -- President Bush's personality and governing style sometimes seem to be at odds. In person, Bush seems to lack the self-confidence you would expect from one who grew up in the limelight and got himself elected president of the United States on the first try. Not only are his grammar and syntax weak, but his eyes often betray a sense of panic when he is asked to discuss a subject that he has not rehearsed. At the same time, Bush has shown remarkable self-confidence as a leader by putting forth one of the most comprehensive and ambitious programs for changing government that we have seen in many years. Although Bush's commitment to transforming government policy is often compared to that of President Reagan when he came to power in 1981, I would argue that our current president has a much broader agenda. In addition to cutting taxes, which Reagan did, Bush has so far put forth plans for reshaping the nation's social welfare system, defense strategy, energy policy, Social Security, Medicare, education and health care system, just to name a few. At the same time, Bush boldly declares that he is changing the style of governance in Washington by making it less nasty than it has been in recent years. This is a mind-boggling to-do list, especially when you consider that Bush's election victory was hardly a landslide and that his party controls Congress by only the narrowest of majorities. Bush's desire to tackle just about every major issue at once also is surprising because it comes on the heels of the Clinton presidency, which specialized in small, boutique-style issues such as family leave and putting more cops on the beat. Republicans in Congress seem every bit as committed to Bush's vast agenda as he is. After each proposal the president makes, the GOP leadership has dutifully drafted legislation to carry it out and has already brought much of it to a vote in Congress. This week, the Senate will complete work on the president's tax cut proposal. Because Bush's sweeping agenda seems out of synch with his modest personal style, some critics have concluded that he is not really calling the shots. Many Bush doubters are convinced that the self-confidence of the Bush administration's governing style shows that Vice President Dick Cheney is the real power behind the presidency. There's no question that Cheney's vast experience in Washington has helped Bush get off to a fast start. But I would advise Bush's adversaries against thinking that the president is simply mouthing the words of Cheney and other experienced Republican politicians. I think, in many ways, Bush's ambitious agenda has his own stamp on it. First, his approach bears the stamp of a president who views himself to be more of a manager than a politician. A manager prides himself in his ability to supervise many projects at once; a politician prefers to concentrate on one initiative at a time. Second, this is the first time in many years that Republicans have found themselves in control of both the White House and the Congress at the same time. If they wait until they hold a bigger majority to carry out their programs, they might lose the chance. This explains their apparent sense of urgency. Third, like any new president, Bush is still somewhat naive. He has not yet suffered a major setback in Congress. So far, the job seems pretty easy. He has no idea what his limitations are. Fourth, Bush's proposals may be comprehensive, but they are not particularly new. For the most part, his agenda is based on Republican orthodoxy. Even a novice can show some self-confidence when he is advocating policies that are so familiar. So far, Bush's every stroke has been the political equivalent of painting by the numbers or coloring within the lines. In other words, he is doing what is safe. He is doing what would be expected of a cautious beginner. In the final analysis, although Bush's agenda is big and bold, it is not the agenda of a risk-taker.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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Times columns today Howard Troxler Jan Glidewell Gary Shelton Sara Fritz |
