from a Budget Surplus Course in the Early 2000s. In 1994, Republicans were swept into power with a mandate to fight President Clinton. This conflict gave rise to a series of budgetary confrontations in 1995 and 1996 that hurt the Republicans' chances in the 1996 presidential election (Koven 1999, pp. 80-81). After 1996, there was a perception that budget conflicts and budget shutdowns were hurting the opposition party in Congress. The budget deals had specific elements that appealed to both ideologies. Conservatives were happy because spending was cut and taxes reduced, but there were also tax credits for families that made religious groups happy (Koven 1999, p.76). Liberals were also pleased that there was funding for special scholarships for high school students and for a national health insurance program for children appealing to the notion of public betterment (Koven 1999, p .77). This budget deal was the realization that every member of Congress is his own man or woman and that his reputation was on the line. When the public saw that Congress could not get along with the president, they made the choice to support the president and harm the Republicans. The individualistic nature of many Representatives and Senators was evident in the 1997 budget deal, as Congress wanted re-election and they found they could not be in power while being too ideologically pure.