Bush Says Dems In Congress Are Failing

President Accuses Legislative Majority Of Not Living Up To Their Duties

(AP)  President Bush accused Democratic lawmakers on Saturday of being unable to live up to their duties, citing Congress' inability to pass legislation to fund the federal government.

"Democrats are failing in their responsibility to make tough decisions and spend the people's money wisely," Bush said in his weekly radio address. "This moment is a test."

The White House has said the failure of a broad immigration overhaul was proof that Democratic-controlled Capitol Hill cannot take on major issues. "We saw this with immigration, and we're seeing it with some other issues where Congress is having an inability to take on major challenges," said spokesman Tony Fratto.

The main reason the immigration measure died, however, was staunch opposition from Bush's own base — conservatives. The president could not turn around members of his own party despite weeks of intense effort.

The immigration bill was the top item on Bush's domestic agenda. With its demise, Bush was left to focus on the annual appropriations process and reining in federal spending.

Twelve annual spending bills dole out approximately one-third of the federal budget. They must be passed each year by Congress, before the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year, but lawmakers began considering this year's batch just in mid-June. The House has passed half and the full Senate has not yet taken up any.

"Democrats have a chance to prove they are for open and transparent government by working to complete each spending bill independently and on time," Bush said. "I urge Democrats in Congress to step forward now and pass these bills one at a time. "

Democratic leaders say they are behind because an emergency spending measure funding the war in Iraq came first. They also had to pass an omnibus measure cleaning up last year's appropriations mess. Then, the Republicans who then controlled Congress failed to pass into law a single spending bill for domestic agencies save the Homeland Security Department — a situation that brought little complaint from Bush.

With the Senate and House now in Democratic hands, this year's bills are producing skirmishes with the White House that also are causing delays. Almost every domestic bill already has attracted a veto threat because it exceeds Bush's proposed budget in certain areas.

All told, Democrats plan spending increases for annual agency budgets of about $23 billion above the White House budget request. Bush put it in terms of a five-year outlook, and said their budget plan would be $205 billion bigger than his over that period, and would include "the largest tax increase in history" by allowing some of his tax cuts to expire as planned.

The president said Democrats are embracing "the failed tax-and-spend policies of the past," and vowed to stand firm for fiscal restraint. Republican lawmakers have pledged to support him and sustain any vetoes.

"No nation has ever taxed and spent its way to prosperity," Bush said. "And I have made it clear that I will veto any attempt to take America down this road."

The president also applauded a new jobs report, which showed employers adding 132,000 jobs, paychecks growing solidly and the unemployment rate staying at a low 4.5 percent in June.

Bush said the evidence that the once listless economy is regaining energy is a result of his insistence on lowering taxes and spending.

"Democratic leaders in Congress want to take our country down a different track," he said.

[kansas1946]

AP) President Bush accused Democratic lawmakers on Saturday of being unable to live up to their duties, citing Congress' inability to pass legislation to fund the federal government.
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LMAO. Ain't this guy pitiful??

[jbb333]

The Worst President Ever tells the Democratic Party -- who just gave his Republican Party "A Thumpin'" -- that he doesn't like the way they're doing their jobs????????

They got their job just bearly six months ago.
He got his job well over six years ago.

It's going to take the next eight years to undo the damage that this incompetence fool and his merry band of foolsters has heaped on our nation.

What an idiot.

[antoniof123]

screen_name_ the reason why congress has such a low approval rating is becasue of the GOP the country feels as though they are the worst and by the way George does get stuff it just doesn't meet his endless war needs I am tired of paying for it. I know that by the time you GOP neo cons realize it the 2008 elections will be here and it is going to be a real blood bath for them. Already look at the rats jumping ship. You clowns pick a great time to start jumping ship too bad that after 2008 you won't have to jump off any more.

[name_verify]

DNC News Update

Pelosi's congress hit 15% approval rating.

Pelosi apologizes for being political prostitute of SF queer lobby.

Promises not to wear big jewelry and blink into the camera so much.

Phones to Cindy Sheehan and leaves heartfelt message on voice mail.

[realpatriot1]

infidel_US,

Did this "interesting read" have any facts to back up its "thoughts", or was it like all the right wing posts here. Totally devoid of facts to back up the garbage talk.

[l8c6]

I will clarify, the neo con fascists don't like rules that apply to them. Rules go against free market they say but in a twist they display a double standard in that they impose far more laws and restrictions on the masses.

Bush executes without giving it a second thought the underprivileged criminals and pardons the privileged well connected criminals.

Bush said it's a whole lot easier being dictator so long as he's the dictator. His incompetence exposed the minds of the right wing fascists running the U.S.

[l8c6]

The free market works for the ones that win the free market. The free market is a game of monopoly. Winner takes all. There are far more losers in the proposed free market. Economic, financial sociopaths don't like rules as the tattooed freak in Utah who shot the prison guard a few weeks back doesn't like rules.

Milton Friedman the neo con fascist economist said government should only be in the business of providing security. Katrina is an example of the kind of security that will be afforded the most vulnerable in the world of the right wing.

The kings of old european society were right wing authoritarians. What the neo con autocratic corporatist rule looks for in the masses are subservient lemmings.

[l8c6]

lars008: You couldn't think of anything factual so you just attempted to put a right wing spin on everything pointed out about the right wing fascists who have brought tremendous harm to the U.S.?

Actually Bush has done us a favor. An insidious right wing fascist attack on our representative government has been underway for a number of decades and a large number of american people for various reasons have bought the BIG LIE.

These fascists have been supporting dictators in latin american countries for decades with U.S. funds. The american people have been grossly ignorant to not think their turn was going to come. Bush's incompetence exposed the right wing neo con fascist movement but it still hasn't sunk in deep enough. There is still far too much ignorance, apathy and fear amongst americans.

[gracchus1]

Bush never finished his sentence, which should read "The Democrats in Congress are failing as am I."

[l8c6]

I can tell the lying sack of S*hi*t Bush that I have been more prosperous taxing myself and paying off my mortgage to the end of its term as opposed to borrowing money to pay it off.

REPUBLICANS borrow and Spend, borrow and spend, borrow and spend. And WHO does that benefit in interest payments? His cronies who OWN the "U.S. federal treasury" and China and any of the other array of lender crony friends the Bush man has as his constituents. This man is one heckuva crook...sadly, he's just the tip of the iceberg of criminals that are running the U.S.