Maybe if President Bush had ever vetoed a bill, lawmakers would take his threats more seriously. But the U.S. Senate disregarded Bush’s promised veto Thursday and approved a spending bill that was $14 billion more than Bush said he would allow. The bill — which Kansas Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts voted for — would spend $109 billion on the war in Iraq, hurricane recovery, farm assistance and a heaping helping of home-state projects (a Wall Street Journal editorial described the bill as a “ball of blubber rolled out of the world’s greatest spending body”). The House, however, seems to be rediscovering some fiscal discipline, so the bill that ends up reaching Bush’s desk may be within his spending cap. If it isn’t, Bush needs to brush the cobwebs off his veto stamp and put it to use.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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12 Comments
And maybe Congress needs to override the veto.
Sometimes you have to undertake debt to build and repair infrastructure. If we weren’t squandering money in Iraq, the proposed domestic expenditures wouldn’t be problematic.
I recall Phil editorializing that we needed to rebuild NO, that we couldn’t just let this great port city become a historical ruin. But now, he seems unwilling to support paying for NO’s reconstruction. Or else he doesn’t want Kansas to receive federal funding, which might mean Kansans getting back more of the money they send to Washington. His position, considered either way, doesn’t make sense to me. As a net federal tax-dollar exporter, Kansas arguably merits a higher return of its own citizens’ dollars to fund improvements in this state’s economy. Of course, this is only my opinion.
The real issue of federal outlays, is Do they generate a greater economic return for Americans than they cost?
The President started out with a lot of political capital. He’s squandered it. His approval rating is 32%. Now, if you’re a Representative or Senator, do you want to be seen as a toady for the President, and watch your approval rating drop to 32% with his?
Of course, this could be a political finesse for Republican Senators. They may be voting for something they know will be vetoed, and have no intention to override. Thus, they can say to their constituents, “I wanted to help you, but the President wouldn’t let me.” Which would be disingenuous, but not unprecedented.
Congress realizes Bush is a toothless tiger, or a Lame Duck.
He won’t veto anything. Bush is too weak.
Lessee, the Eagle wants more money for education, pre-K, the arts, lights on bridges and Medicare. Oh, but Bush/Congress need to be fiscally responsible. Whatta joke.
Does anyone but me wonder if blow is a troll who lives under the bridge with the lights?
I mean, do they keep him awake at night and that is why he is so bad humored?
Isnt that where trolls live? Under bridges?
heheh.
If Bush started vetoing bills, they could be overridden. It’s so much easier just to ignore the laws!
wow, a three fer for blow.
He gets to trash a project he hates, defend the preznit and the republican spending machine, AND take a swipe at the media being to blame for our fiscal problems.
Blow, you get extra snaps for gymnastic style and difficulty factor.
Maybe Blow is just to stupid know the difference between local, state and federal spending? And how each get funded. Here’s a high school civic refresher course. Local taxes pay for local projects the lights? State taxes pay for State functions, Schools etc. Federal taxes pay for the Federal government. Although sometimes they send money to local and state projects which is called pork and most could be cut at a considerable cost to the taxpayers.
Joe Blow isn’t a troll. A troll has more self-respect. Joe is just a mouthy little drive-by coward. But you have to give the little sniveler credit. He sure seems to get a rise out of the libs. Every time.
Joe Blow is alright.
Joe Blow is right. Deal with it.:-)
Joe blow is a drive by blogfarter.