Election year littered with division, setbacks for House GOP (AP)

[Omaha Steve]

Full story (reg req): http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1673&u_sid=2203476



Published Monday
July 10, 2006

Election year littered with division, setbacks for House GOP



WASHINGTON (AP) - Could a Republican-controlled Congress pass a bill to protect the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance from court challenges?

No problem, especially if proposed during the patriotic season leading up to the Fourth of July, Republican leaders thought.

No way, it turned out.

The bill, the first item on the GOP's trumpeted election-year "American Values Agenda," could not make it past a House committee.

Even worse for the Republicans: They could not blame Democrats. One of the GOP's very own, Rep. Bob Inglis of South Carolina, voted no. Seven other Republicans skipped the committee meeting entirely.

So it goes this year for House Republicans, their majority in jeopardy for the first time in more than a decade. Take President Bush's low approval ratings, factor in deep divisions in the GOP ranks and add to that Democrats determined to regain control. It all means a Congress having trouble doing its most basic job: passing legislation.

Republican leaders tried to shrug off the setbacks.

"We're not having trouble," Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, insists. "This is your typical legislative meat grinder."

Privately, many are frustrated. Democrats have pounced on the lack of progress with a "we can do better" election theme.

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[maxrandb]

1. My sig-line says it best.

[maddezmom]

2. duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2378631