When Bush’s approval ratings soared after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Republicans in Congress more or less became “yes men” — Bush made requests, Congress nodded and gave him anything he wanted.
Now that Bush’s popularity has faded and his re-election no longer appears as certain, some of those same GOP lawmakers are developing a small but discernable backbone.
It started a few months ago when a handful of moderate Republican senators — including Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and George Voinovich (R-Ohio) — said they’d agree to a tax cut, but not Bush’s $726 billion plan.
It was also on display last week when six GOP senators stood with Democrats in opposing the Bush administration’s plan to make as many as 8 million U.S. workers ineligible for overtime compensation.
And we’re seeing it again on benefit cuts for veterans.
The AP’s Jim Abrams noted over the weekend that “Senior Republicans on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee have joined Democrats and veterans groups in a chorus of protest against proposals being considered by the Bush administration to shrink the number of military personnel who qualify for disability benefits.”
The message is clear: GOP lawmakers are no longer confident that Bush’s popularity will shield them from political troubles. Bush may be willing to fight for unpopular cuts to veterans’ benefits, but that no longer means that Republicans will be willing to fight alongside him.
Bush’s proposal specifically would change the definition of “service-connected disability.” As a result, thousands of veterans who are now entitled to military retirement pay and disability compensation under the Veterans’ Association’s disability program may find themselves ineligible for aid. According to Senate Democrats, as many as 1.5 million disabled vets could be affected.
At this point, the controversy is somewhat premature. The Bush administration has offered the proposal as a first step towards cutting VA costs — the change would save $58 billion over 10 years — but it remains at the “discussion stage.”
Nevertheless, many congressional Republicans want the White House to know that if Bush pursues this, they’ll stand with the Democrats — and not with him.
And it’s just one more reason the “military vote” may be open to Democratic overtures in the 2004 election. Six veterans and service organizations are aggressively lobbying against the proposed changes. The Disabled American Veterans and Paralyzed Veterans of America described Republicans as having “shown callous contempt for the sacrifices of America’s defenders by attempting to impose overly restrictive conditions that would limit benefits for disabilities.”
Come 2004, who wants to draw the ire of disabled veterans?