"Wha...What's that? We can OVERRIDE a veto???"

As a quick followup to this post, as expected, the House yesterday overrode Bush's veto of a water bill that would provide $22 billion for flooding prevention and wetlands restoration. In addition, a battle seems to be brewing over a $215 billion bill for "health, education, labor, and veterans programs", which the House passed yesterday 269-142 (with 34 votes absent). Bush has threatened to veto this bill, too (for those counting, yesterday's vote had a 61% majority), once again chastising the Democrats for their "spending" (the fact that he can do so with a straight face exceeds all understandings of hypocrisy). Hopefully, this bill will be able to overcome a veto as well, and we can actually spend money on things that actually help the American population (which, to my viewing, is what the State is supposed to do). And while I have little hope that yesterday set some new precedent where Congress overrides vetoes left and right, it's good to know that that small sound we are hearing is a pulse, and that Congress is still alive.

Flooding, Shmooding - More Money for the War!!!

Shorter George Bush: "All that talk that I did care about the victims of Katrina...well, I was lying! (As if you didn't already know it!)" The longer version of can be found in this veto, where the president vetoed a bill that "provides money for projects like repairing hurricane damage, restoring wetlands and preventing flooding in communities across the nation." After all, Jeb isn't governor in Florida anymore, so those possible hurricane-affected areas can go screw themselves!!!

Mercifully, and for the first time (after 7 years!), Congress will probably override the veto, as it passed both the Senate and the House with well more than 2/3 majorities. Adding to the sheer infuriating stupidity is Dana Perino's defense of the veto based on spending issues ("Only in Washington could the House take a $14 billion bill into a conference with the Senate's $15 billion bill and emerge with a compromise that costs taxpayers over $23 billion.") Not that it needs to be restated, but this from an administration that has spent like there is tomorrow, including an odd trillion on a war that never should have been started in the first place. And yet a "mere" 23 billion (according to their numbers) will actually, you know, help communities by preventing flooding (hurricane-caused and other) and help the environment. Why, that's crazy-talk!!