BUSH FACES DAUNTING CHALLENGES AS HE ASSUMES PRESIDENCY

Disclaimer: While the tone of this column may sound pessimistic, I want to assure you that I am optimistic about George W. Bush's ability to lead this nation. But realism requires that we squarely acknowledge the enormity of the challenges.

Bill Clinton and Al Gore will bequeath to Bush a multitude of significant domestic and foreign problems and a disturbingly polarized nation.

Clinton is retiring with a nation convinced that budget surpluses will abound in the foreseeable future. Yet these surpluses depend on economic growth, and signs are pointing toward a major slowdown. Bush's efforts to honor his pledge to enact tax cuts to reinvigorate the economy will be met by resistance from class-warmongering Democrats, and possibly a recalcitrant Alan Greenspan.

Tensions are on the rise between China and Taiwan (Clinton all but encouraged it) and in the Middle East (Clinton intervened in the internal affairs of Israel, and his chosen leader, in the name of peace, has undertaken a reckless policy of unilateral appeasement). Iraq, aided by the absence of U.N. weapons inspectors, whose efforts Clinton undercut, continues its development of weapons of mass destruction. NATO, post-Clinton and Blair, doesn't know whether it's an offensive or defensive alliance. And Russia warns that we are an arrogant superpower.

If all of this weren't enough, everybody seems to be against Bush, including many in his own party.

African-Americans appear to be completely alienated from Republicans, partially due to the Clinton-Gore politics of division.

Senate Democrats are preaching conciliation but promising confrontation, demanding from the Republicans a procedural power-sharing and a substantive surrender or else.

Certain feckless congressional Republicans are poised to oppose Bush's agenda in an effort to "get along." Senator McCain has promised to make Bush's beginning days in office even more trying by egotistically insisting that his campaign finance reform proposal take center stage.

Bush just can't seem to win. Many liberals think he's conservative, and many conservatives think he's liberal. On social issues, some in the Christian right think he's too moderate, while the left thinks he's too extreme.

Bush faces the daunting task of replenishing the capital for all the institutions of this country that Clinton has depleted. He must undertake this task with an opposition party and national media unwilling to recognize his legitimacy and committed to his failure. The implementation of Bush's agenda will require no small amount of courage and resolve. Early signs are that he has plenty of both. He'll need our prayers.

~David Limbaugh of Cape Girardeau is a nationally syndicated columnist.