Bush On The Air: In Search Of Common Ground
January 6, 2007, 2:46pm
Bipartisanship was on the airwaves this weekend as both President Bush and new Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid expressed hope about finding common policy ground in the 110th Congress.
Bush said the two parties agree on the need to reduce the federal budget and improve schools, and he noted the emerging consensus on curtailing the number of special-interest earmarks in spending bills and other legislation. “With this new Congress and new year, Democrats and Republicans will have many opportunities to serve the American people,” Bush said. “We must rise to meet those opportunities and build a stronger and more compassionate nation for generations to come.”
The differences between the parties also was apparent, though. Bush talked about the need for renewing tax relief enacted during his administration, something that the Democratic Party opposes, and “ambitious agenda” of Democrats noted by Reid includes items that Bush and Republicans have been reluctant to embrace, like expanding stem-cell research and raising the minimum wage.
Reid also emphasized the one issue that has most divided the two parties for the past few years — the war in Iraq. “Rather than deploying additional forces to Iraq,” he said, “we hope the president will make clear to the Iraqi government that the time has come for them to assume more responsibility for their future, and that he will announce he is beginning the phased redeployment of our forces in the next four to six months.”
Categories: Podcast of the Week, Nevada, Iraq, White House, Harry Reid, 110th Congress, Weekly Radio Address
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