Bush vetoes $606 billion spending bill - Associated Press

**Arcángel** · #1 (**permalink**) 11-13-2007, 01:52 PM

By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer

NEW ALBANY, Ind. - President Bush, using his veto pen and bully pulpit, contended Tuesday that congressional Democrats are spending money like "a teenager with a new credit card" and funding the spree with tax increases in every bill.

Escalating an ongoing budget battle with Democratic-controlled Capitol Hill, the president warned that the spending poses a threat that an economy he called challenged but resilient might not weather.

"Higher taxes would mean fewer opportunities for entrepreneurs, a tougher time for workers trying to get ahead, and a greater likelihood of a slowdown across our economy," Bush told a friendly business audience in a converted movie house in this Ohio River city. "They're coming at you with new taxes, and I'm going to do everything in my power to stop them."

The president vetoed a $606 billion measure financing federal education, health and labor programs for the budget year that began Oct. 1. The bill originally passed with sizable Republican support, but short of enough votes to override a veto. Democrats pledged to seek more GOP support and reverse Bush's action.

"It is difficult to take seriously lectures on fiscal responsibility from the biggest-spending president in 40 years," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "He has maxed out the nation's credit card — funding the entire failed war strategy with borrowed money, and forcing five debt-limit increases. This is a man who cannot even account for billions of dollars lost in Iraq but has no problem vetoing critical investments at home." The bill Bush vetoed provides millions more than the president wants on job training, medical research, heating subsidies for the poor, grants to community agencies and community health centers and help for K-12 schools to improve performance.

The president described the legislation as "bloated," nearly $10 billion higher than he considers necessary. He particularly took issue with its 2,000 earmarks — lawmaker-sponsored projects that critics call pork-barrel spending — and noted the "wasteful projects" included a prison museum, a sailing school and Portugese-as-a-second-language program.
Democrats shot back that it is the president who doesn't have his priorities straight, calling the vetoed bill a fiscally responsible measure that better serves the public's interest than spending hundreds of billions of dollars on the war in Iraq. Bush has asked for another $196 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for this year alone.

The veto, executed just before Bush left the White House for Indiana, was the sixth of his presidency. All but one has come since Democrats took control of Capitol Hill in January.

With Bush looking for ways to establish new credibility for himself and his party on fiscal austerity, half of the vetoes have been over spending-related legislation; one — for popular water projects — already has been overridden. Since the end of the summer, Bush has focused at least 15 events or remarks on budget-related disputes with Congress — far more than any other topic.
This scheduling reflects the White House calculation that it's a winning issue for the president, and one way he can help boost Republicans in next year's presidential and congressional elections. Republicans are still smarting from last year's losses, which occurred in part because many core supporters faulted the GOP for losing its way on federal spending under Bush.

Bush and Democrats are battling over the 12 appropriations bills that must be passed each year to keep government agencies running. The president has requested $933 billion in overall spending for fiscal 2008, while Democrats want to add $23 billion for domestic programs. Democrats have completed action on just two of the bills — the health and education bill that Bush vetoed, plus a $471 billion bill for non-war spending at the Pentagon that he signed, also on Tuesday. Bush said the increased domestic spending advocated by Democrats would certainly equal higher taxes.
"You've got to understand that when the bill for all that spending comes due, Congress is going to turn to the working people and to the small-business owners and the entrepreneurs," he said.

Across the street from The Grand, where Bush spoke, about 50 people stood on a corner, some supporting the president's visit and others vocally opposing it with chants of "Impeach Bush." Mark Niemann, a local heating and air conditioning technician, said federal spending has ballooned out of control under Bush. "I'm upset with the president because of spending; non-controlled budgetary issues," he said.

**Brother of Yeshua** · 11-13-2007, 03:24 PM

He sure speaks strongly for someone who signed EVERY SINGlE APPROPRIATIONS BILL that came across his desk for his first 4 years.

Sure Georgie, it's all those "evil deomcrats" that are wasting all our money.

Ignore the multi-billion dollar bill for the invasion and occupation of Iraq. That has nothing to do with our woes.

**Arcángel** · 11-13-2007, 04:48 PM

I couldn't have said that any better to be honest with you...

I mean, I guess education, health and labor programs just aren't as important to Bushito..

And they say democrats are wasting money...look at what we've been up to for the longest in Iraq and you tell me where the wasteful spending is.

**Brother of Yeshua** · 11-13-2007, 06:57 PM

The Dems do their fair share don't get me wrong. My point is just that Bush isn't innocent either. It's a den of thieves down in Washington DC.

whitney_03 · 11-13-2007, 08:27 PM

lmao
Ladies and Gentlemen, your president.
A man who will spend money on continuing a war that we are LOSING but gets defensive when approached about money for the people of this country. I know education and health/labor programs are just such a bad investment but maybe just this one time?
I guess I'm still a little bitter about not getting a grant I usually get due to cuts in education money for college students to help fund Bush's little adventure over there in the sandbox. I can't imagine how many people like me lost about $2000 to go toward school this year and how much that added up to. What a jackass! Grrrrowl. Bring Bill Clinton back hehe

JumpInTheFire · 11-13-2007, 11:01 PM

geesh....
Bush, what a funny guy

Not to mention i don't agree with the Dem's either,
i agree with Ron Paul on getting the U.S. out of this social welfare system and all these Bureaucracies such as having our government run and fund the education system, war on drugs, social security...and the list goes on

RATSOADM · 11-14-2007, 12:59 AM

I need to fuck the sys, U need need to fuck the sys, we all need to fuck the system ---SoaD "Fuck the System"

**Kelley** · 11-14-2007, 06:38 AM

Well aint he just a funny little duck..er..monkey.

**Ristaron** · 11-14-2007, 02:23 PM

So... he can spend billions upon billions on a war that nobody supports, but they can't spend billions on educating kids so they can learn that he's a manipulative douchebag.

Bush is spending money like someone who has stolen someone else's credit card.