Posted on 04/07/2006 7:51:24 PM PDT by Crackingham
President Bush said Friday he would use his power to veto spending bills if Congress does not cut the federal budget as he has asked. In over five years in office, Bush has never vetoed any bill. But he said that restraining spending was crucial to cutting the deficit in half by 2009 as he has promised. "If necessary, I will enforce spending restraint through the exercise of the veto," the president said.
Bush's brief statement from the White House's Diplomatic Reception Room came a day after feuds among rival Republican factions led House GOP leaders to pull a $2.8 trillion budget blueprint from the floor. The collapse of the measure threatens to send Republicans into the fall election season with deficits on the rise and no plan in place to contain them. Separate talks aimed at extending Bush's previously passed tax cuts for capital gains and dividends stalled. With lawmakers headed home for a two-week recess with few accomplishments to show constituents, the president said Congress must break the logjam.
"Our economy grows when the American people make the decisions about how to save, spend and invest their money," he said. "To keep our economy creating jobs and opportunity, Congress needs to show its trust in the American people and make the tax relief permanent."
Bush took on those, mostly Democrats, who oppose the extension of some of those tax cuts, saying the lower rates have helped create 5.1 million new jobs since August 2003. "The facts have proven the critics wrong 5.1 million times over," he said.
The budget measure's demise was the result of opposition among moderates and a power struggle between a faction of conservatives and the House Appropriations Committee. Republican unity was essential to passing the plan, since no Democrats were expected to back it.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
It is about time.
We've heard this before from W and nothing has ever been vetoed. I'll believe it when I see it, Mr President.
Put up the fences first.
I'm all for raising taxes, increasing spending and giving the country to illegals.
That's why I'm voting Democrat in 06. :)
(/sarcasm)
yeah right. not gonna happen. how many times has he threatened this but not used it?
Veto!
The absentee president.
Yeah Right! Is this the political joke of the day?
Will believe he will veto a spending bill when I see it happen.
Yeah right. He's not our fathers conservative.
Fire one out of every 5 federal employees and I will care.
Has he said before he would veto a spending bill?
I don't remember that.
MAKE MY DAY!!!
Good!
I'm all for raising taxes, increasing spending and giving the country to illegals.
That's why I'm voting Democrat in 06. :)
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Well, excepting the taxes, you could vote Repub and get the same thing ... that is what we have now. :-)
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