U.S. President George W. Bush continues his attempt to make friends and influence important constituencies. He has spent more time with the Congressional Black Caucus than with the Republican leadership. He has traveled to schools to promote his education priorities. He has been to small businesses explaining his tax-cutting plans. He visited military bases to build rapport with the troops and discuss his plans for national defense.
The public likes what they see, so far. The Bush approval rating has jumped from the high 40s just before his inauguration to a very respectable 65 percent favorable to 32 percent unfavorable. Any politician will revel in those numbers.
Bush's problems are totally different from those of any president in the past century. He has surpluses to work with -- plenty of money to spend on his favorite programs, enough to deliver his promised tax cut and still appear to be strengthening the social safety net. His problem is to restrain the spending instincts of Congress; not to push them for more dollars for his programs.