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Economy, health care top Bush domestic agendaDemocrats say president needs to compromise
By John King
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The economy and health care will dominate President Bush's domestic agenda for 2003, aides and experts say, but what gets accomplished in those areas could well hinge on challenges overseas, including the Iraq issue and the war on terrorism. "I think you're going to see a heavy concentration in the months ahead on national security items and making sure that terrorism doesn't revisit American shores," said Kenneth Duberstein, former chief of staff to President Reagan. Bush aides say the economy will be the major focus for the administration in the new year. That point was underscored last month when the president shook up his economic team, ousting Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and top White House economic adviser Lawrence Lindsey. "The economy is a huge issue," said White House adviser Mary Matalin, who left her post at the close of the year. "Peace and prosperity. That is why the president will offer -- even before the Congress comes back likely -- a growth package for investors and consumers and the market." Aides say the economic package to be released by the administration will mix more tax cuts with business incentives and an extension of unemployment benefits. About 800,000 individuals lost their unemployment benefits December 28, and Congress is under pressure to extend those benefits. President Bush, who for weeks was silent on the issue of extending those benefits, has more recently come out in support of such a move. (Full story) Health careThe second domestic priority for Bush, say aides, is health care, primarily one issue critical to elderly Americans. "There needs to be Medicare reform with the prescription drug benefit," said Nick Calio, the outgoing White House congressional liaison. "And we will ask Congress, he will ask Congress to take a very hard look at that very early."
Democrats say compromise on that issue will be hard to come by unless Bush moves their way. "The administration has again and again and again been very beholden to the pharmaceutical industry, the insurance industry, and been very reluctant to move legislation that can really make a difference to people." said Stanley Greenberg, a Democratic pollster. Midterm election gains mean Republicans will control both chambers of Congress, and the president's aggressive campaigning was a major factor. "And that gives the president a lot of say," Greenberg said. "Now he is going to be held accountable. He is going to be held accountable on whether the economy moves -- whether they address health care and a whole range of issues." These are other immediate Bush domestic priorities, aides say: • Faster action on judicial nominees. • Curbs on medical malpractice lawsuits. • Reauthorization of the 1996 welfare reforms. On a much slower track are a discussion of major tax reforms and the president's controversial campaign 2000 promise to allow some Social Security taxes to be invested in private stock accounts. "He has not given up on that position," Calio said. "He will continue to push that position. Congress sometimes moves more slowly, and we'll look at that realistically." The president is to lay out his agenda in detail in his State of the Union address in January. White House officials view the first six months of the new year as the best window for action on the president's goals. One put it this way: "The closer you get to the 2004 campaign, the less you can expect to get done."
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He is going to be held accountable on whether the economy moves -- whether they address health care and a whole range of issues.
