Similarities Between Bush And Congress

Difficulties Between President George W. Bush and The Congress

A serious component of democracy, based on the United States Constitution, is the relationship and interaction between two significant institutions. The major institutions of which being discussed are the Presidency and the Congress. This relationship could be difficult at times and possibly result in a “divided” or “unified” government when addressing an important crisis. George Bush, the forty-third president, encountered difficulties with Congress, despite his initial promise to work with Congress. President Bush’s veto power was the cause of several clashes between him and Congress. It is said that Bush would “frequently use vetoing as a threat to shape legislation”. Many of the significant vetoes made by Bush represent his opposition to expanded government regulations and were favorable towards business. One of Bush’s striking vetoes was the veto that was placed against the civil rights legislation of 1990. He stated that the bill “went too far

Bush vetoed against the expansion of the federal Children's Health Insurance Program. This was a very controversial topic, critics said that Bush was "denying health care to millions of low-income kids in America.” The argument with Congress was over the cost and size of this program.Supporters of the program wanted to spend $35 billion more, which would have allowed 4 million additional children into the program. In solution, Bush agreed to support an additional $5 billion. He stated anything larger would have been “a move toward socialized medicine”. Although there were conflicts within Bush’s vetoes, compromises between Bush and Congress are evident as well. Bush’s first veto in 1989 blocked the congressional effort to raise the minimum wage from $3.35 to $4.55. When Congress offered a compromise of $4.25, Bush then decided to agree and