President Bush again sent the nomination of John Bolton to be Ambassador to the United Nations. The President gave him a recess appointment a year ago when the Democrats intended to filibuster. Bolton had problems with Senator George V. Voinovich, who last year did not support him. The Senior Senator from Ohio now has reversed himself and is supporting Bolton so it would appear that Bolton now has sufficient votes to get out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Democrats are trying to figure out what to do. Some in their ranks think Bolton is doing a credible job, even though they may end up voting against him. The President has backed Bolton in every one of his so-called controversial statements and actions.

The President is pushing hard for the line-item veto. He has held several events. Personally while I very much want to bring spending under control, I am reluctant to give the President that power, simply because I have lived through the Johnson, Carter and Clinton Administrations. Many were the times that we were able to improve a weapons system or initiate a new one because we attached these programs to legislation that these Presidents had to have. If the President had the line-item veto the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) would have been killed if Clinton were President. Thank God it was not. It was always hidden in the defense appropriations bill. If Clinton had been looking to save money that would have been a convenient target. Look at SDI now. We are hoping and praying that it works in the event that North Korea sends a missile our way.

The issue should have been debated far and wide. It was not. The President has also proposed a major new school choice/voucher program. I must admit, as closely as I follow such things, his school choice initiative completely escaped me. There is a topic made for talk radio if there ever was one. Passions run high on both sides of the issue. While all of this was happening the President nominated 16 new federal judges, a number of them to the all-important appellate courts. 98% of appealed cases end up in the appellate courts. The President is pushing hard to have more of his judges confirmed in this Congress.

Finally, President Bush issued new welfare-reform regulations stressing work and family. This is a major step forward but the country has no idea what was done or why. If you are one of those voters who are angry because you think nothing is happening you might want to look again. And while you are at it, call your local radio talk show host and urge him to discuss some of these worthwhile things the President has done, which I have outlined.