Partisan Wranling and Intercaucus Fights

23 January 2005

This congressional session is going to be very interesting. There are going to be as many debates between the parties ans within the parties regarding agenda items. President Bush wants to persue a very ambitious agenda and Congress has an agenda of its own.

The Agenda will be:

Social Security Reform

An issue that once united the Republican caucus now divides it. House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (CA-22) calls the issue a dead horse and says that we must stop beating it.

Source: ImageShack

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) would like to see a bipartisan compromise. He thinks that the president should let the congress lead on the issue because they are in the best position to secure bipartisan support. Sen. Graham has already been working to secure bipartisan support for his proposal by having meetings with top Democrats. He also proposes an increase in the amount of income that is taxed by Social Security to $200,000 so we can pay for the trasition costs of $1 trillion that come with his plan to move to a modern system that includes the option of personal investment accounts for younger workers. He proposes the increase inspite of criticism because it will help in securing bipartisan support and will allow us to pay for the transition without increasing the debt or deficit. Congressman Jim Kolbe (AZ-8) also supports the idea of the tax increase as dose Sen. Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA).

President Bush, while not taking the option off the table has made his displeasure with increasing taxes known. Other Congressmen and Senators have proposed legislation as well. Sen. Sununu (R-NH), Sen. DeMint (R-SC) as a Congressman, Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI), Congressman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), and Nick Smith (R-MI).

Legislation has been introduced in the 109th Congress by Congressman Ginny Brown Waite (R-FL) and Congressmen Howard McKeon (R-CA) and Ron Paul (R-TX).

Democrats are at this time mostly opposed to personal investment accounts within Social Security. They beleive that it will not help the system. The accounts themselves will not even Republicans admit this. There do need to be other fixes as well.

108th Congress: Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ) proposed the Social Security Lockbox Act, and Senator Barabara Mikulski (D-MD) proposed the Social Security Family protection Act.

109th Cingress: Congressman Holt has reintroduced his bill.

Immigration Reform

This issue always stirs a controversey in both parties. It surfaced last year as part of the Intelligence reform bill. Congressman James Sensenbrenner (WI-5) the House Judiciary Committee Chairman wanted strict immigration provisions in the intelliogence bill, but secured a promise that the issue would be brought up quickly in the new congress and backed off reluctantly.

Tax Reform

The president has given this initiative to a commission to discuss options on how to reform the tax code. Two popular options are a flat tax and a national sales tax. Mr. DeMint supported the idea of a commission as a congressman and appeared to support Mr. Linder's idea of a National Sales tax during the recent camapign. Sen. Lindsey Graham, however, supports a flat tax.

Tort Reform

Presdient Bush wants caps on medical malpractice cases and new rules to govern class action law suits that would give jurisdiction to federal courts. Democrats and Republicans are going to give a tough time. Sen. Graham and Sen. Durbin are working on alternative legislation that forges a compromise that would allow for the caps, but would also look at the problem of insurance premiums. Sen. Graham is a former trial lawyer and does not support caps except as part of the compromise.

Iraq

The elections are 30 January. The insurgency appears to only get worse. We need to get this objective done right.

Legislation

S. 1878 Social Security Solvency and Modernization Act, Senator Lindsey O. Graham