Predictions about shrub's administration being DOA seems premature. Besides, Sawicky's crystal ball called Gore winning. And the opposition presented by congressional democrats ignores the ideological kinship they share with the Bush republicans. If the low estimations of the Democratic Party are accurate, their opposition will be symbolic at best. And there's too much moneyed interest in Bush for him to fail so badly. Whether Bush is in charge or is merely a puppet remains to be seen but the Republicans have the ideological momentum.
I suspect that the shrub's main threat for pruning will come from his friends on the cultural right. With friends like that he doesn't need enemies. It may mean that policy will take a more decidely rightward turn as Bush will have to split the difference at that end of the political spectrum to get anything he wants done.
Dennis Breslin