Blog #8: Bush's Waning Power

In the government of the United States, three major factor's that affect the President's power in legislative battles are whether the President is a strong persuader, whether the President has a good approval rating, and whether the President is a "winner." Unfortunately for President Bush, all of these factors go against our current President. This article from the Washington Post depicts our President's waning power, which is portrayed in the current legislative battle over the bailout bill. The failure of the bailout bill to pass through the House shows Bush's waning political power and influence because the bill failed to pass due to a large number of defectors in the House of Representatives from his own party. Since Bush has not been successful as President, since he is not very persuasive, and since his approval rating is extremely low, it is hard for Congressmen, especially from his own party, to believe in the words he is saying and to jump on his bandwagon. Also, since the Congressmen need the public's votes to be reelected, it is not wise to side with a person who is not well liked/approved by the public. Therefore, Bush's power and influence in the government is nearly fully diminished.

Article: http://www.newser.com/story/38733/bailout-vote-shows-bushs-power-waning.html