Bush prepares for 2 big initiatives in first 100 days

By Hanna LoPatin

Daily Staff Reporter

Although George W. President Bush has been in office less than one week, the pressure is already on for what he will be able to complete in his first 100 days.

So far, Bush has touched on two of his main objectives, introducing his education plan yesterday and his tax cut plan Monday.

Both initiatives are aimed at achieving bipartisan support, and at least one has reached some measure of that. Most aspects of the education plan have received vast amounts of praise from politicians on both sides, and Bush enlisted a Democrat, Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia, to help announce his tax cut plan.

"President Bush realizes that he needs to build some support for his initiatives," White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said when asked about Miller.

The tax cut plan aims to reduce taxes by $1.4 billion over a period of 10 years.

"You're going to see Bush go after a couple Democrats," said University political science assistant Prof. Daniel Carpenter, referring to Miller and Sen. John Breaux of Louisiana, two of the most visible members of the party's conservative Blue Dog sector.

University history Prof. Sidney Fine said the incorporation of Democrats into the Bush agenda is necessary due to an evenly split Senate and the small margin of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

"He needs Democratic support for whatever he proposes," Fine said.

As for the education plan, Fine said, "It looks like (Bush) is going to have pretty good success with the education bill."

The majority of Bush's education plan was given a warm reception by both parties, particularly his ideas on accountability for public schools, regular testing for math and reading skills and flexibility of federal funds.

Although Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) sponsored an alternative education plan in response to a voucher stipulation in the president's form, Lieberman said in a statement yesterday that the two plans have much in common and that collaboration will be achieved.

But Bush's plans for bipartisanship are not necessarily as close as he may hope, as he struck a sour chord with pro-choice activists on Monday when he reinstated an anti-abortion measure on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

The executive order, which places a ban on sending federal funds to overseas family planning facilities, was originally instated by President Reagan.

Carpenter said the move was politically very understandable.

"A lot of times what you want to do really early in the term is energize your base," Carpenter said.

Fine expressed similar sentiments saying the executive order was "a concession to support on the right."

There are many areas that Bush is expected to touch upon in the first 100 days.

Bush "is going to be very active," Stanzel said. "There are a number of proposals that he's going to be working with Congress to implement."

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has made it very clear that he wants Bush to make his campaign finance reform bill a priority.

"Senators have the prerogative to introduce their legislation," Stanzel said. "Senator McCain and President Bush will talk about that."

Fine said the campaign finance reform bill will likely tie up Congress when it is introduced.

Stanzel also said that Bush will be looking at using eight percent of the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge for domestic energy resources, an area protected during the Clinton administration.

By the end of this potentially crucial beginning period for Bush "I don't think you're going to see too much change in a whole bunch of areas," Carpenter said, pointing to the fact that Democrats are in a good position now to stop Bush's bills from passing.

Whatever measures Bush takes in the first 100 days, Fine said he will still be under the shadow of a controversial election and the fact that his opponent, former Vice President Al Gore, won the popular vote.

Currently several media organizations, including The Miami Herald, are underway in a recount of all the undercounted ballots in Florida. Though Bush is the official winner, many of the organizations are predicting that Gore actually received the majority of Florida's votes.

"It wouldn't be a surprise to me if he even lost in Florida," Fine said. "That's going to be rather interesting for a man to lose a popular vote and the electoral vote and still be president."