Even though Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is no doubt ecstatic that Barack Obama is about to be sworn in as our nation’s 44th President, there are signs that the two may differ sharply in some of their priorities. One of the main differences between the two are the Bush tax cuts. The first showdown between the two may very well come on that issue. From The Associated Press:

The speaker said Sunday she wants Congress to consider repealing President George W. Bush’s tax cuts on those who make more than $250,000 well before they expire at the end of 2010. Obama had promised to repeal the tax cuts as well during the presidential campaign, but he has since backed off that pledge, signaling he would be willing to simply let them expire.

“We had campaigned in saying what the Republican Congressional Budget Office told us: Nothing contributed more to the budget deficit than the tax cuts for the wealthiest people in America,” Pelosi said in an interview broadcast Sunday.

The California Democrat is pushing the president-elect to make good on a campaign promise that attracted some of the harshest criticism during the election – that Obama is a typical tax-and-spend Democrat who would raise taxes once in office.

Obama has fought that label, emphasizing that any tax increase would be directed at those making more than $250,000. However, since the election, Obama has been reluctant even to raise taxes on people making that much.

Lawrence Summers, Obama’s choice for director of the National Economic Council, signaled again Sunday that repealing the Bush tax cuts would not be a priority.

It’s not much of a secret that Nancy Pelosi despises President Bush. She has made that much very clear and she seems to want to undo anything the man has accomplished. The tax cuts are obviously a thorn in her side, but it appears Obama does not share that particular pain.

Another area where they differ is with President Bush himself. The good Speaker has called for a review of his official actions, specifically into the firings of U. S. Attorneys. Now correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t there already an official investigation of that matter? How many times do we have to investigate one issue before we are satisfied with the results? Barack Obama has weighed in on the issue, saying we need to look to the future and not the past. His opinion has to weigh heavily on situation and Pelosi may not take so kindly to having her will thwarted.

One other issue where the two differ sharply is the idea of including Republicans in the legislative process. Obama has shown himself to be somewhat inclusive in his dealings so far, calling Republican lawmakers and asking them for their support. He has declared he wants to change the way the decisions are made in Washington. On the other hand, Nancy Pelosi has went so far as to rewrite the rules of the House of Representatives, making sure the Republican minority have as little say as possible in what legislation moves forward to the floor of the House. Keep in mind that those rules were written by Newt Gingrich to allow for the Democratic minority to have more say in the legislative process. What’s good for the goose is evidently not good for the gander.

We are about to enter a defining moment in our history and two of the key figures seem to have different opinions on how to move forward. One of the biggest fears I have had is how Nancy Pelosi will pull on Barack Obama, trying to influence him to go sharply left. Some of his campaign rhetoric suggested he might follow her lead, but now that he is about to be sworn in, it appears he may put the brakes on and govern more towards the center. This struggle could be what defines his entire Presidency.

Tags: Barack Obama, Bush Tax Cuts, Congress, George W. Bush, House of Represenatives, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, Washington

This entry was posted on Monday, January 19th, 2009 at 6:32 am and is filed under News/Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.