In its latest issue, Newsweek opens its coverage of the first 100 days of President George Bush’s second term by asking, “Gas prices, Social Security, Tom DeLay. What else can go wrong for Bush?”
Newsweek is not alone. Other mainstream-media outlets including the Washington Post and USA Today provided their own assessment of the first 100 days (which ended Saturday) with varying degrees of criticism. The conventional wisdom has become that Bush’s agenda has stalled, due in large part to legislative difficulties on Social Security reform and fallout from cultural issues, most notably Terri Schiavo. However, while dwelling on perceived setbacks, many in the media have failed to articulate the striking degree to which things are going right for President Bush and Republicans in Congress as they set out to deliver on his campaign promises.
First and foremost, January’s Iraqi elections have proven a great vindicator not only for the Iraqi people, but also for the administration’s foreign policy. Even the most ardent critics of Iraq’s liberation have found themselves compelled to admit there is significantly more going right in Iraq today than there is going wrong. And with democratic reforms following in Libya, Egypt, and even Saudi Arabia, the pursuit of freedom abroad is contributing to American security today, while building the foundations for a culture of democracy in the Middle East in the coming years ahead.
And there is progress at home as well.
After two years of impasse, the House and Senate last week agreed to a budget resolution. This year’s budget is the first since 1997 that requires a reduction in entitlement spending. What’s more, it also includes over $100 billion in tax relief. More than three years after first taking up the issue, Republicans were finally able to deliver congressional approval for oil exploration in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Congress also moved to deliver legislation on the Class Action Fairness Act and bankruptcy reform, two signature components of President Bush’s domestic-reform agenda.
Looking ahead, President Bush and Republicans in Congress do face considerable challenges in reforming Social Security. But even here progress is being made. While those opposing reform attack the president on a daily basis, he has successfully shifted the national debate. Though Americans remain split on reform solutions, a substantial majority has come around to the belief that Social Security must be reformed if it is to retain solvency and deliver a beneficial service to taxpayers.
As President Bush and Congress begin working out the details of a specific proposal they are coming closer to a solution that will win congressional approval, rather than the growing party split the media has attempted to portray. On a strictly political level, the debate is shifting in favor of the Republicans and reform proponents. After the president’s news conference last week, it has become increasingly clear to even reform critics in the media that Democrats are without a viable plan of their own. When House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi insisted Democrats had a plan for Social Security’s solvency, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos responded, “But nobody has seen it.”
Democrats know that by presenting a counterargument of greater substance than simply shouting, “No!” at Bush’s reform proposals, Republicans will force their hand on honest negotiation. And with substantial majorities in the public and Congress wanting a reform solution, just about anything looks better than doing nothing.
The best hope for Democrats is to continue criticizing President Bush on his agenda while hoping the public doesn’t notice the empty vacuum of ideas emanating from the left side of the political spectrum. In the short term, they are finding some degree of success. The Congress and president have seen their approval-ratings drop in recent weeks. However, when the midterm election-campaign season goes into full swing next year, Republicans will be in the stronger position to reap electoral gain. As independent pollster John Zogby has said of President Bush’s Social Security-reform push, “He still could emerge a winner on this by compromise, by being the guy who moved the dime on the issue.”
Finally, as defenders of the administration are noting, this is still just the beginning of what could wind up an ambitious and productive four years for the president. While Democrats lick their wounds over the second term’s first 100 days, it’s worth noting they have more than 1,000 days of George W. Bush still to come.
Newsweek’s coverage concludes by noting, “After all, for a political thoroughbred like George W. Bush, there’s always a chance he’ll come up on the rails.” Or, it could just be that he’s already winning the race.
–Eric Pfeiffer writes the daily “Beltway Buzz” column on NRO.