Thursday, May 22, 2008

More and Better Democrats

This is just...oh, I don't know. Embarrassing is too tame. Frustrating, certainly. Disgusting? Still not strong enough. Aggravating...

WASHINGTON - The House overwhelmingly rejected President Bush's veto Wednesday of a $290 billion farm bill, but what should have been a stinging defeat for the president became an embarrassment for Democrats.

Only hours before the House's 316-108 vote, Bush had vetoed the five-year measure, saying it was too expensive and gave too much money to wealthy farmers when farm incomes are high. The Senate then was expected to follow suit quickly.

Action stalled, however, after the discovery that Congress had omitted a 34-page section of the bill when lawmakers sent the massive measure to the White House.

That means Bush vetoed a different bill from the one Congress passed, raising questions that the eventual law would be unconstitutional. Republicans objected when Democrats proposed passing the missing section separately and sending that to Bush.

Bush has only used 10 vetoes, and Congress has only once been able to override a veto. Perhaps it's time to elect some new Democrats.