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Political |
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President Bush, last
Wednesday, celebrated his victory by saying "let me put it to you
this way, I earned capital in the campaign, political capital and now I
intend to spend it...” Just how much
political capital did President Bush earn? There is no doubt that
the he enjoys a Republican majority in both houses of Congress.
Mr. Bush’s "political capital", however, does not come from
a Republican majority. His “political capital" comes from
the number of votes he received in the election. In this election, Mr.
Bush received 59,459,765 votes. Mr. Kerry received 55,949,407
votes. Mr. Bush won the election by 3,510,358 votes. Mr.
Bush won the election by 34 electoral votes. In weighing his
political capital, Mr. Bush should remember he has a "political
deficit” of 55,949,407 votes. Although record numbers voted,
this election is one of the closest elections in modern history. In 2000, Mr. Bush
received 50,456,016 votes. Mr. Gore received 50,996,011 votes.
Mr. Gore won the popular vote by 539,995 votes. The electoral margin of
victory was five votes with Bush receiving 271 electoral votes and Gore
receiving 266 electoral votes. The 2000 election is the closest election
in modern history, with Mr. Bush taking office on a razor thin electoral
vote while losing the popular vote. In weighing the amount
of political capital Mr. Bush claims, it is important to keep
perspective on the margin of victory, and the number of people who did
not agree with Bush, as expressed in both the 2000 and 2004 elections. In gaining a
perspective on Mr. Bush’s political capital, take, for example, the
following elections: 1972-Richard Nixon
received 47,169,911 votes. George McGovern received 29,170,383
votes. Mr. Nixon received 520 electoral votes to Mr. McGovern's 17
electoral votes. 1976-Jimmy Carter
received 40,830,763 votes. Gerald R. Ford received 39,147,973
votes. Mr. Carter received 297 electoral votes. Mr. Ford
received 240 electoral votes. Next to the 2000 and 2004 elections,
this election is one of the closest elections in modern history.
Mr. Carter's electoral margin, however, was 57 electoral votes, greater
than Mr. Bush's victory in 2000 and 2004. 1980-Ronald Reagan
received 43,899,248 votes. Mr. Carter received 36,481,400 35
votes. Mr. Reagan received 489 electoral votes. Mr. Carter
received 49 electoral votes. 1984-Ronald Reagan
received 43,899,248 votes. Walter F. Mondale received 37,577,185
votes. Mr. Reagan received 525 electoral votes. Mr. Mondale
received 13 electoral votes. 1988-George H. Bush
received 48,000,806 6097 votes. Michael S. Dukakis received
41,809,074 votes. Mr. Bush received 426 electoral votes. Mr.
Dukakis received 111 electoral votes. 1992-William J.
Clinton received 44,909,889 votes. George H. Bush received
39,104,545 votes. Mr. Clinton received 370 electoral votes.
Mr. Bush received 168 electoral votes. 1996-William J.
Clinton received 47,402,357 votes. Robert J. Dole received
39,198,755 votes. Mr. Clinton received 379 electoral votes.
Mr. Dole received 159 electoral votes. With the exception of
Mr. Carter, every president since Ronald Reagan received a greater
margin of the popular vote. Most important, the electoral margin
of victory for every president since Ronald Reagan has been much more
significant than either the 2000 or 2004 elections. Based upon these
statistics, Mr. Bush’s political capital is thin. Mr. Bush's political
capital is best represented by his popular, and electoral, victories.
With these victories being narrow, the issue facing Bush is balance, how
he can achieve balance, keeping in mind his narrow, and tenuous,
victories. The vote shows this
country is deeply divided. There are at least 55 million people
who disagree with the President, expressing a lack of confidence in his
leadership. There are, on the other hand, at least 59 million
people who believe in his leadership. With this division, Mr.
Bush’s challenge is not spending political capital, but building a
bridge to bring this country together. During his second
term, Mr. Bush has an opportunity to: Appoint centrist
judges, judges who balance the law with the facts. Mr. Bush should
avoid appointing judges who will rule from the right or the left.
The judges Bush appoints need to achieve balance, representing the
impartiality that is bedrock of our judicial system. Judges should
be appointed without regard to political affiliation or belief; Enact meaningful
reform of the justice system. Mr. Bush must include reform of the
insurance and health care industries to truly achieve tort reform.
Mr. Bush cannot simply blame the lawyers; he must take a global view of
reform. Secure Social Security
for all Americans; including those currently receiving benefits and
those who will receive benefits in the future. We must avoid simplistic
and politically popular reform by enacting changes providing security
for all who are to receive benefits under Social Security. Reform our tax system
making the system of taxation fair and equitable for all people, for all
incomes; particularly helping Middle America and small businesses in
achieving tax equity. We cannot have tax equity by reforming the
system for the wealthiest; we must provide meaningful relief for the
middle class; Reform his position on
stem cell research, allowing stem cell research to move forward so that
we can find cures for diseases such as Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.
In moving forward in reforming his position on this research, Mr. Bush
should keep Christopher Reeve, Ronald Reagan and Michael J. Fox in his
mind-imagining a cure for paralysis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's. Obtain a true victory
in the war on terror by capturing Osama Bin Laden and destroying his
terrorist network; Heal the wounds caused
by the war in Iraq; Bring our troops home
while seeking world support to maintain world security; and Take an opportunity to
govern for those 55,949,407 people who voted against him. In a
second term, Mr. Bush is free from the political shackles of the right
wing. Mr. Bush has an opportunity to lead by bridging the gap
between those who voted for him and those who voted against him.
He has an opportunity to find common ground allowing all of us to move
forward in a unified direction. During the next four
years, Mr. Bush has a choice-he can do as he promised and spend the
political capital he claims he earned or he can wisely govern. We need to hope he
chooses to wisely govern. Stuart F. James |
