A glimpse of US political scene

Not an easy sailing for Bush

Instead of repairing the division the President has floated undefined idea for reform of social security which has evoked wide scale debate in the country. The Democratic Party, the opposition party in the congress, has launched aggressive campaign against President's reform plan of social security which tops President's agenda in second term. The President in his recent whirlwind tour of a few states has focused on two central points: 1) privatisation of portions of the social security programme; 2) change in the use of certain indexes in determining the amount of benefit payments. Privatisation proposal would allow persons to invest portions of their payroll taxes, that would otherwise be earmarked for social security, in other finance vehicles administered by the private sector.

The vast majority of Democrats staunchly opposed to President's plan and Republicans in the congress want to scale back his plan. Against the backdrop of two in three Americans disapproving the way President has handled social security, the President appeared at prime time news conference on April 28. In view of the opposition by Democrats and many Republicans as well this new strategy of the White House publicists is designed to shift focus of the social security debate to a new proposal that would reduce benefits more as workers' incomes increase. Since the President did not spell out detail of the reform of social security, nor the Republican lawmakers came out with explanation about the impact of the reform, the debate remains as political rhetoric.

While John Bolton, Under Secretary in the State Department has become liability to the Bush administration, Tom Delay, majority leader in the House of Representatives has become liability to the Republican Party as well. A key Bush nominee for the Ambassadorial post to the United Nations, John R. Bolton was in trouble in the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate and majority leader Tom Delay is dogged by an ethics principle. President Bush nominated Bolton on March 7, 2005, who is widely known for his harsh criticism of the world body and irked many foreign countries in his dealings during negotiations; 63 former Ambassadors and diplomats in a letter to Senators expressed objection to his nomination to the UN.

According to newspapers reports former Secretary of State Colin Powell indicated displeasure on the nomination. Along with members of the democrats in the Senate Committee, Republican Senator Voinovich expressed concerns about the nominee's temperament and misbehaviour pattern. Richard Cohen in his column in the Washington Post of April 14 had said that "Bolton's is not a bad appointment. It's downright disaster."

The Republican representatives on the House ethic committee proposed a probe of Representative Tom Delay's travel gate and other financial shenanigans. Majority leader in the house, Delay's international luxury travels have been exposed by news media, including The Washington Post and The New York Times. Delay's corruption is intertwined with that of lobbyist Jack Abramof, who is the target of a string of Federal kickbacks and illegal lobbying probes. There is underlying agreement among many Republicans and Democrat lawmakers in the Congress that Delay should go, but President Bush appears to be sympathetic towards his friend from Texas. Two Republican lawmakers at least said that Delay should step aside from the House of Representatives. America's Future organisation pointed out that "House majority leader, Tom Delay is without a doubt the most corrupt leader of the most corrupt Congress in recent history. His continued corruption not only undermines our democracy, it costs the American people directly."

The tribute dinner by American Conservative Union at the Capital Hilton hotel on May 14, 2005 for Tom Delay was intended to show support for him. It was not attended by majority Republican Representatives. On the other hand, there was demonstration in front of the hotel against holding such dinner for corrupt congressman in the house.

Meanwhile, both Republicans and Democrats in the Congress are at loggerhead on the issue of President Bush's ten judicial nominees. It is expected there will be confrontation over a Republican proposal to change Senate rules that have enabled the Democrats to block judicial nominees. As of now Vice-President Dick Cheney's support for employing the nuclear option propagated by Bill Friest, Republican majority leader in the Senate does not appear to solidify support. If there is tie vote on the nomination of judicial candidates, Vice-President declared that he would cast his vote as the President of the Senate. Senate majority leader would like to change rules to allow simple majority to pass the nominees. With the erosion of the support of the Republicans in the Senate, it is doubtful whether the rule of the Senate would be changed.

Mohammad Amjad Hossain, former diplomat, now resides in Virginia, USA