as the * regime continues along, they will become like a snake devouring

[NVMojo]

itself ...

Troubles mount in White House, Bush agenda bogged down

By William Douglas, James Kuhnhenn and Steven Thomma
Knight Ridder Newspapers


WASHINGTON - President Bush painted his second-term vision in bold, aggressive strokes: He would reform Social Security, continue to reshape the nation's education system and remodel the nation's judiciary by appointing more conservative judges to the federal bench.


"I've earned capital in this election and I'm going to spend it for what I told the people I'd spend it on: Social Security, tax reform, moving the economy forward, education and winning the war on terrorism," Bush told reporters two days after he won re-election.


Three months into his second term, however, Bush's bold agenda is bogged down by public skepticism about some of his proposals, growing resistance from Democrats, dissension within his party's ranks and what some analysts consider second-term hubris.


With gas prices near record highs and stock markets jittery, Bush's drive for privatized Social Security accounts has been met by deep public skepticism. His judicial nominees are stalled, his choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is stuck in committee, and his job-approval rating recently dropped to 45 percent, the lowest of his presidency and well below that of other recent second-term presidents.


Recent surveys have found a disconnect between most Americans' mainly economic priorities and the White House's and the Republican Congress' preoccupation with issues ranging from Terri Schiavo to plans to kill the filibuster.


"The average American sitting out there in the country is still very skittish about jobs, health care costs, gas prices," said Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup poll. "Overall, right now, Bush is down on anything we put in front of them. It's kind of like the American public is generally more depressed."


Bush's misfortunes, particularly the unexpected setbacks over his choice for U.N. ambassador, John Bolton, have emboldened Democrats, who are uniting against him in ways they didn't during Bush's first term, when the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks eclipsed partisan politics.


The president's problems have raised concerns and divisions among Republicans.


Some members of both parties and analysts are uttering the words that no president wants to hear.


"We're in the lame-duck period," said John Zogby, an independent pollster. "Each day that passes, the duck gets lamer. The window (of opportunity) has passed. If he wasn't able to come off the voting (in Iraq) and turn it into more of a popular mandate, I don't know what he can do."

more...

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/11465659.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

[YDogg]

1. Yeah ...

... especially when the Iraqi elections are increasingly viewed as less of a history-changing event than they were advertised. The "insurgents" / freedom fighters know the Iraqi gov't has a lack of power as the political infighting continues, and they will continue to do what they've been doing more of this week - bringing death and destruction / fear to the people. Think * gives a crap? I doubt it; a few more years, and it's not his problem. He can retire to his "ranch" - or maybe to Chicago - and kick up his feet, raking in huge speaker fees from wacko organizations who see him as their savior.

[Lindacooks]

2. Good. Go down in flames, chimpass!

Couldn't happen to a more deserving prick.

[orpupilofnature57]

3. Sorry, this will cost us all, thank's to the ? % who voted, fear and greed