Senate overrides Bush water projects veto

[cal04]

Source: MSNBC

First time in a decade Congress has passed bill over presidential rejection

President Bush suffered the first veto override of his seven-year-old presidency Thursday as the Senate enacted a $23 billion water resources bill despite his protest that it was too expensive. It was the first time in a decade that Congress has passed a bill over a presidential veto.

The vote was 79-14 to pass the bill. Enactment was a foregone conclusion, but it still marked a milestone for a president who spent his first six years with a much friendlier Congress controlled by his Republican Party. Now he confronts a more hostile, Democratic-controlled legislature, and Thursday's vote showed that even many Republicans will defy him on spending matters dear to their political careers.

The bill funds hundreds of Army Corps of Engineers projects, such as dams, sewage plants and beach restoration, that are important to local communities and their representatives. It also includes money for the hurricane-hit Gulf Coast and for Florida Everglades restoration efforts.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21691324/

[truthisfreedom]

1. The excruciatingly slow, but inevitable overthrow of our illegal, unelected administration.

[Bonobo]

2. They should criticize him for vetoing something he knew would be overridden and wasting time.

[ashling]

4. He seems to have no problem making that claim himself

of course, he is never guilty of "po-lit-tical the-a-tre"
:puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke:

[ck4829]

3. TOO EXPENSIVE?!

Where exactly does Bush draw the line on something being 'too expensive'?

[underpants]

5. Congress hands Bush first veto override

Source: AP/Yahoo

21 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - President Bush suffered the first veto override of his seven-year-old presidency Thursday as the Senate enacted a $23 billion water resources bill despite his protest that it was filled with unnecessary projects.

The vote was 79-14 to pass the bill. Enactment was a foregone conclusion, but it still marked a milestone for a president who spent his first six years with a much friendlier Congress controlled by his Republican Party. Now he confronts a more hostile, Democratic-controlled legislature, and Thursday's vote showed that even many Republicans will defy him on spending matters dear to their political careers.

The bill funds hundreds of Army Corps of Engineers projects, such as dams, sewage plants and beach restoration, that are important to local communities and their representatives. It also includes money for the hurricane-hit Gulf Coast and for Florida Everglades restoration efforts.

The House voted 361-54 to override the veto Tuesday. Both votes easily exceeded the two-thirds majority needed in each chamber to negate a presidential veto.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071108/ap_on_go_co/congress_veto;_ylt=AiSTlZRAmJdCUVNgj9adfsw8KbIF

[Tyler Durden]

6. Great.

Now they can vote to impeach Cheney and Bush.

[MaineDem]

7. It's about time! n/t

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

8. There's only one thing about this I do not like.

Forever after the Dems will be pointing to this little victory as their grand evidence that they are earning their keep. It's gonna be their showcase proof of how hard they're working for OUR NEEDS.

Meanwhile, the Great Dictatorship marches on, and impeachment is still off the table.

[TechBear_Seattle]

10. I have to agree

I have a bad feeling that this will be the ahem high water mark of the 2006 Congress.

[IronLionZion]

11. There's plenty about this that I don't like

I'm with Bush and Feingold on this one. It really is packed with pork. Maybe half (or even less) of it is stuff we need like levees and wetlands restoration.

[kenfrequed]

13. I agree

Of course this is insulation for the DLC crowd from criticism "See triangulating our asses of and making deals with the repugs is good"

In the meanwhile this is a three-fer for the repubs seeking reeletction.

1. They can "Stand up" to Bush, reducing the hate from the moderates.
2. They can pretend that they have not been the party of obstruction.
3. They can get their local bonuses to help everyones pet congressional district and pretend they care about infrastructure-possibly even claiming (rather lately) to have done something about New Orleans.

But Maybe the DLC crowd is aware of all of this and they prefer to have a strong GOP. After all if the GOP is weak, what will they triangulate with?

[harun]

9. AWESOME, good job Congress (n/t)

[IronLionZion]

12. What a waste

but the Iraq war and defense spending is a much bigger waste

[superconnected]

14. About fucking time.

I guess I have to wonder if Pelosi voted AGAINST this.

I mean, I really don't know.

[napi21]

15. Here's a link to the vote results.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00406



This is the FIRST TIME the 2 Ga. Senators voted the way I wanted them to! Of course, AH Pete Sessions of Al. voted Nay! I guess he's perfectly happy continuing to let Ga. supply HIS water!!!!

[kimmylavin]

16. So when...

will we see the press conference in which Georgie stamps his feet and holds his breath until his face turns blue?

[tanyev]

17. Now if they would just hand him his ass.

[liberal N proud]

18. I can only imagine the temper tantrum bu$h is throwing right now

[Amerigo Vespucci]

20. Reminds me of that old joke on "The Simpsons"...

...The Ramones are performing for Mr. Burns' birthday party and at the end of the song Joey Ramone yells "Go to hell, you old bastard!"

Burns then tells Smithers to "have the Rolling Stones killed."

Smithers says "But sir, those aren't the... "

Burns snaps "DO AS I SAY!"



:evilgrin:

So yes, I'm sure that someone's sweeping up broken glass at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue right about now.

:patriot:

[underpants]

21. LOL

:rofl:

[mpendragon]

19. the stem cell bill take 2

That was a very popular bill when Bush vetoed it and since congress has just proven that the president doesn't always get what he wants maybe it's time to dust that off again.

I guess the optimal strategy would be to wait until after the primaries (some time in the summer) so Republican members of the congress and senate wouldn't have to pander to their base with a no-vote on a faux pro-life issue. In the general election a vote for it would weaken support from their base and a vote against it would lose them support from independents.

[Tab]

22. This is important, but too bad it wasn't SCHIP

Still, good to know they can occasionally accomplish something, although it involved funding construction projects in their own states. Not as altruistic as health care for children, but perhaps it can be a warning shot across the bow.

[Thothmes]

26. Doubt it

The Water bill had lots of money to be spent in districts of congressmen from both parties. That is why the veto was overridden. Since health care for children in primarily a Democratic initiative, most of the repubs will not vote to overturn a presidential veto.

[cureautismnow]

23. Thank God for small favors.

That's the first check from Congress on Little Lord Pissypants in nearly 7 years. Let's hope it's not the last.

[Hekate]

24. Excellent. Now how about revisiting a few other bills? nt

[high density]

25. Congress doing their job

What a rarity.

[Canuckistanian]

27. Well, whaddaya know...

There IS a third branch of government after all.