Bush Should Veto Spending Bill

This is outrageous.

A line has to be drawn at some point.

WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Tuesday to protect home-state projects added by some of its most senior members to an Iraq war and hurricane relief funding bill as the tide turned against efforts by spending hawks to strip them out.

The powerful Mississippi delegation defended a controversial plan to give Nortrop Grumman, which owns the Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula, perhaps $200-million for hurricane-related losses that its insurers are unwilling to pay.

Tom Coburn, R-Okla., pressed the bid to strip the provision, saying that it's wrong for taxpayers to pay for losses that should be borne by insurers and that Congress should stay out of the battle between the giant defense contractor and its insurers.

But by a 51-48 vote, the Senate supported GOP Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran and former Majority Leader Trent Lott after they defended the idea.

Earlier, senators by a 59-40 vote supported a plan by Hawaii Democrat Daniel Inouye to give two of his state's sugar growers $6-million in aid to recover from flood damages caused by recent torrential rains.

While the battle continued, the Senate quietly added about $1.6-billion - for a total of $3.7-billion - to the measure for levees and other flood control projects in and around New Orleans.

The Senate is expected to pass the bill today.

Ironically it is Bush, with his current low approval rating, who may have the opportunity to save the Republican majorities in Congress by vetoing this measure.

The conservative base of the Republican party is upset with Bush's immigration policy and Congress' spending habits. While there appears to be a deadlock on any changes in immigration enforcement/laws, a line can be drawn on spending.

If it comes to it, Mr. President, draw that line with the veto pen.