Day 3: Congress v. Executive

Well folks, it didn't take long, but the power struggle has begun between Obama's team and House Speaker Nancy Peolsi/Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"If Obama steps over the bounds, I will tell him. ... I do not work for Barack Obama. I work with him"  -Senator Reid

Pretty intense words, but let's pace back a few steps and put this back into context.  Even before Obama was inaugurated, Speaker Pelosi was vocal about her disagreement with his intent to leave the tax cuts Bush implemented for the wealthy until they expire in 2011.  Pelosi vehemently argues that tax breaks on the wealthy are one of the strongest contributors to our recessive economy.  Now, during campaign season, Obama promised to repeal tax cuts for those in the $250,000+ bracket, but with only a guaranteed four years in office, Pelosi doesn't want Obama to wait until year 3 to fulfill one of his most campaigned upon promises.  Obama's team responded by saying that you don't, in effect, raise peoples' taxes during a recession.  Pelosi then wrote that excuse off and said she heard from the Republican Congressional Budget Office that tax breaks on the wealthiest people in the country were the biggest contributors to the budget deficit.  Then from across party lines, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called that statement false.  Finally, Pelosi said she wouldn't block Obama's stimulus package, but still urges him to not just let the tax breaks expire.  Holy crap, this is like an episode of Lost!  What the hell is going on?

(For the record, not having watched the first four seasons of Lost makes it that much harder to follow.  Luckily, I think I have enough knowledge of American and Global politics that this isn't an issue for me).

Pelosi also wants to investigate the Bush Administration's handling of the Justice Department.  Not a priority for Obama.

Some say the Legislative branch is the most powerful of the three, others argue the Executive has final word.  It can not be disputed however, that the writers of the constitution created all three branches as separate, but equal parts of government.  The power struggle between the Obama administration and Congress is going to be one that lingers on throughout the early stages of Obama's term.  And whoever expects Obama to be this savior that swoops in and saves the country in peril must realize that that expectation can be fulfilled only as much as he can cooperate with Congress.

In the story of Obama's first 100 days, this will be a very interesting plot line to see play out.

-JMR