Line-Item Veto Debate Again Started

In 1996, a law was passed to give the president a line-item veto power over bills that he will sign. But that law was ruled unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court. And in a new round of power giveaways, Congress is again looking at a softer line-item veto power for the president. But I will have to fully agree with Sen. Byrd (D - WV) that it is an "an offensive slap at Congress".

This power is wanted by the power hungry Bush camp. According to a recent CNN.com article, "White House budget official Austin Smythe said the bill is designed to 'give the president a tool to reduce unnecessary or wasteful spending' as well as 'improve accountability and cast a brighter light on spending items that probably would not have survived had they not been included in a much larger bill.'"

But if we wanted the president to make (or break) a bill, than he would be elected to CONGRESS. The president is there for a check on Congress, not to be Congress. If a president feels that a bill is wrong enough to warrant a line-item veto, than he should veto it and have the Senate override it or have Congress consider changes. That is the power of the president.

A co-sponsor of this bill is none other than John Kerry (D - MA). This is bigger than just a party line vote. Some Democrats and Republicans support this bill and while some Democrats and Republicans oppose this proposed bill. Just because we feel that Congress might be spending too much "pork" money, does not mean that we should give the power to the president that was ruled unconstitutional. This must be opposed if we want to keep fully the system of checks and balances. After so much success, we must not now tip the balance.