by Zach Bigalke

Created on: January 19, 2007   Last Updated: May 11, 2007

The Democratic-controlled Congress is finally starting to bring the heat to President Bush that had been so highly anticipated following the Democrats' sweep back into the leadership of both houses in November. Finally, after six years of passive acceptance of any and all nation-damaging drivel Bush spewed forth, Congress is beginning to fulfill its role as a check and balance to the Chief Executive. Sweeping into power with the first female Speaker of the House (Nancy Pelosi-CA), the momentum from growing American discontent with President Bush and his overzealous one-track mind focusing solely on Iraq, and avowing a new era of bipartisanship and accountable government, the Democrats are taking the initiative to thwart Bush's attempts at power consolidation and place the executive back in its intended role - to enact and enforce the laws that the LEGISLATURE (not the executive) set forth.

Yet, with his loyal bloc of right-wing Republican legislators, Bush is still managing to throw wrenches into the Congressional machinery. As the Senate worked toward wide-reaching legislation designed to curtail the influence of Capitol lobbyists and tighten congressional ethics rules, Republicans shot down the bill based on their desire to grant line-item veto powers to the President. By attempting to put even more power into the hands of the Executive and allowing him to carve up carefully-drafted legislation line by line, the Republicans illustrate that they are less interested in bipartisanship than in preserving and consolidating party power in the one branch of government where they still ostensibly hold sway. Stemming from the Abramoff scandal - where Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff channeled millions of dollars from Native American gambling clients through non-profit organizations in order to fund campaigns against rival tribal interests - the Republicans in the Senate are attempting to perpetuate a system from which they personally benefit greatly. Further, they are using their efforts toward the line-item veto and spending authority, which would allow the President to submit to Congress a list of spending items the White House wishes to strike from Congressionally-passed spending bills, to delude the public of their real intent behind the bill. Of this deception, Fred Wertheimer, president of the watchdog group Democracy 21, declared, "Whatever they're saying, Republican votes tonight were votes to prevent the Senate from enacting major lobbying and ethics reforms

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