davidvoegtle.net

More power to the pen: Bush urges new veto tool: The White House proposed legislation this week that would give the chief executive a line-item veto.

(Via Christian Science Monitor.)

Line-item veto power for the executive isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but this seems to be going getting it the wrong way. If it’s such a needed tool, why not just seek a constitutional amendment?

The Bush White House says it has found a constitutional way around that ruling, and on Monday, sent proposed legislation to Capitol Hill.

The legislation would allow the president to defer spending on items with which he disagrees, while signing the rest of a bill. Congress would then have 10 days to vote up or down on whether to fund the disputed items, without amendment or filibuster. Passage would be by majority, not the two-thirds margin traditionally required to override a veto.

Why are we finding a way around anything? There’s a process in place for requesting additional powers under the constitution. Once again, this smacks of an administration that, when faced with a legitimate, but perhaps difficult path, seeks to undermine the process for its own benefit.

It’s pretty clear what the administration is really seeking, and it’s right there in the last line: elimination of funds from omnibus spending bills for programs the administration doesn’t like, with the ability to uphold those cuts through a simple majority. This is rank short-sighted opportunism.

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