Bush's second veto

President George Bush has just vetoed the bill Democrats worked so hard on passing. The bill required US troop withdrawal from Iraq and was only sent to the White House today after being signed by House Speaker Pelosi. A step back in US Iraq policy? Probably.

Chances are also this will work against Bush, however there is also a chance this could blowback to the Democrats; some are seeing their maneuvers against the White House as in poor taste. Either the Democrats or Bush could also be blamed for the politically charged motive of cutting off funding to the troops — and both have been blamed for doing so. Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino blamed it all on the Dems, saying they are exploiting the troops in a "PR stunt" because of the specially anniversary today. It is four years to the date that Bush proclaimed the "mission accomplished" in Iraq. What a happy May Day anniversary...

Bush's first veto was of something most of the public, and a decent majority in Congress, believed in: stem cell research. Certainly this veto isn't against the experts in the topic relating to the vetoed bill, nor is troop withdrawal from Iraq as popular as life-saving scientific research, but Bush is still, yet again, using his veto power to defy the public will. (Referendum time? Maybe not.) But Bush has to face his demons some time.

What's funny is that this is a man who has attacked Congress for not slimming down bills and cutting pork-barrel or ear-mark (unneeded, excessive) spending, and yet he hasn't once used his veto for a good cause like that! His veto gives him the power to force Congress to modify the bill so it can pass.

The history of presidential powers and vetoing is interesting.

See also my ideal Iraq withdrawal plan.

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